Letter from the director

“The James Madison University School of Nursing is excited to celebrate our 40th anniversary! This magazine is dedicated to 40 years of living out our mission of “Being the Change” at local, national and international levels.”

– Melody Eaton,

JMU Nursing professor and director

Welcome, Readers!

The COVID-19 global pandemic spurred rapid changes throughout our world, including within higher education. As a result, we proactively moved our spring 2020 semester courses to an online format after spring break. Classroom-based courses continued to offer high-engagement activities to support students’ learning while clinically-based courses were augmented with virtual simulation, consisting of patient scenarios that required student decision-making. As we continue to navigate uncharted waters, our programs are moving forward this academic year to include a combination of hi-flex, hybrid, and online learning modalities with face-to-face practicum and simulation experiences, all while maintaining safety guidelines for our students and faculty. On another front, the JMU School of Nursing is committed to responding to the movement for social change related to racism, inequity, access and inclusion. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, we are actively working with students, faculty, staff and our communities to understand and effectively improve our social presence and engagement through system and curriculum improvements and relational understanding.

Additionally, I am proud to announce the James Madison University School of Nursing is nationally recognized for academic excellence and innovative contributions to health care with top rankings:

• #12 BSN College Resource Network Nursing Schools Nationwide Best Colleges

• #6 RN to BSN 30 Best Value colleges for Nursing in the South

• #1 registerednursing.org 2019 Best Online RN to BSN Programs in Virginia

• #82 MSN Program; US News & World Report

• #61 Best On-Line Graduate Nursing Programs; US News & World Report

During this incredible time, we are honored to share stories of our JMU Nursing community coming together and enacting positive change, whether in the center of the COVID-19 pandemic in another city or state or here in the Valley. I hope that you will read more about our school’s history and how our students, faculty and alumni—both past and present—contribute to the tradition of “Being the Change.” We hold great hope for the future and invite you to join us in celebrating 40 years of JMU Nursing.

Best Regards,

Melody Eaton, PhD, RN, FAAN

Director and Professor James Madison University School of Nursing