Latest news with #EWU
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Emerging Eminence': Edward Waters University President secures new 7-year contract
Edward Waters University, Florida's first Historically Black College or University, announced this week that it is keeping President and CEO Dr. A. Zachary Faison Jr. in his role for another 7 years. The contract, set to end in 2032, was approved unanimously by the EWU Board of Trustees. 'Our new partnership is not just a reflection of my tenure, but a testament to the collective dedication of our board, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and supporters who believe in the boundless potential of EWU,' said President Faison. 'Together, we have laid the foundation for an era of unparalleled growth, and I remain deeply committed to ensuring that our university continues to ascend as a premier institution of higher learning. The trust and support of the Board empower us to push forward with bold ambition as we chart the next chapter of EWU's #EmergingEminence!' >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The announcement comes just days after EWU reached a historic milestone. At its 2025 Commencement, degrees were awarded to 210 graduates, its largest graduating class in nearly 25 years. In its announcement, the school emphasized the other achievements it's been able to make since Faison first took the leadership role in 2018. The school gained university status in 2021, giving it the ability to offer master's-level academic degree programs for the first time. EWU has also added an Honors College, and eleven new degree programs in that time, covering topics like cybersecurity, nursing and computer science. Employees have also seen new benefits under his leadership. According to EWU, full-time faculty received across-the-board salary increases for the first time in 16 years. 'We look forward with great anticipation to President Faison continuing the work toward furthering the educational legacy of EWU—a legacy begun by Rev. Charles H. Pearce and the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church here in Florida nearly 160 years ago," said Bishop Marvin C. Zanders II, Chair of the Edward Waters University Board of Trustees. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
EWU graduates first class of nursing program
May 2—The first cohort of a new nursing program at Eastern Washington University flipped their tassels from the right to the left during a commencement ceremony Friday morning. The crowd in the Reese Court arena on the Cheney campus cheered and stomped the bleachers. "You are now an Eagle for life," Kelsey Hatch-Brecek, director of the alumni association, told the new graduates of the College of Health Science and Public Health. "Our alumni community is filled with entrepreneurs, innovators, leaders, artists, scientists, athletes and changemakers. And today, we get to add nurses to that list." The School of Nursing, which began in fall 2023, graduated 40 students with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Of those students, 37 are from in-state, most are from Eastern Washington and most have jobs lined up at local hospitals. Donna Bachand, nursing program administrator and department chair, believes the program will help address the state's nursing shortage. Washington ranks high among states facing a severe nursing shortage, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, with an estimated shortfall of more than 13,000 registered nurses. The program based at EWU's Spokane campus is about a decade in the making. Bachand took the helm seven years ago and spent much of that working through regulations to build the program until it received funding from the Legislature in 2022. "The pandemic really highlighted the deep need the region has for nurses," Bachand said. The first class had 132 applications, including 80 EWU students who had done prerequisite coursework. "I don't know how to describe what it's like sitting in a room by yourself for years before hiring faculty and seeing your first student, but today is the culminating event," Bachand said. "My heart was beating on the front row, thinking please don't cry at the microphone. It's very emotional. It's just gratifying." Alexana Bueno is a first-generation college student from the Tri-Cities who will return there to work as an oncology nurse working with cancer patients at Kadlec Regional Medical Center, where she interned. Her path to graduation hasn't been easy. She moved from Washington to Mexico when she was only a few years old and returned when she was 17, speaking little English. She picked up the language during her last two years of high school. Compassion that nurses showed her when members of her family were dying inspired her to work in health care. Her father died when she was a child in Mexico. She couldn't see him when he was in the hospital, but the nurses talked to her about how he was doing. Then, after she returned to the United States, her brother had a stroke. "Again, nurses were there for me," Bueno said. "They took excellent care of him. He passed, but they were always there for me and my family." Bueno said support from EWU's College Assistance Migrant Program helped her navigate college life, especially as she commuted two-hours each way from the Tri-Cities until she found housing. "They helped me so much because my English was limited, they explained everything to me," Bueno said. The nursing program also was challenging because she had to learn medical terms in English, but her teachers and classmates supporter her through it. "I know it is going to be an adjustment, but I'm really excited to go back to my community and serve as a nurse there," Bueno said. She wrote "Borderless Dreams" in cursive on her graduation cap. "I'm very proud of all of our grads," Bachand said. "I'm very proud of the work my faculty have done to help them reach this milestone in their career paths. I can't wait to see what they do." EWU's nursing school will compliment other nursing programs in the area. Gonzaga University is graduating 76 bachelor of science in nursing graduates this spring along with 107 masters of science in nursing and 12 doctors of nursing practice, according to spokesman Dan Nailen. Washington State University is graduating about 245 undergraduate nurses and another 67 with advanced degrees across the Spokane, Tri-Cities, Yakima and Vancouver campuses, spokeswoman Gina Raebel said. James Hanlon's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Celebrating Black History: Edward Waters University student leaders reflect on Service, Scholarships, and Success
For Kimberly Holland and Johnoy Davis, leadership at Edward Waters University (EWU) is about more than just academics—it's about service, advocacy, and giving back to the community. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'It's about advocacy, and it's about giving back to the community and your present,' Holland said. Davis, who met Holland through involvement of the University's Choir community, shares a similar passion. 'Academic excellence and advocacy are things that I'm passionate about,' he said. Both students are deeply involved on campus, dedicating their time to student leadership and academic success. Scholarships Provide Life-Changing Opportunities Holland is a recipient of a full-ride Presidential Academic Scholarship. She says the financial support has been transformational. 'I was awarded a full-ride presidential academic scholarship for my studies that cover four years of housing, tuition, books, and fees here at EWU,' Holland said. 'That has completely alleviated any costs associated with college, which has been transformational in my life because not only now do I not have to worry about it, but I don't have to worry about student debt in the future.' For Davis, who is originally from Jamaica, scholarships have also played a crucial role in his educational journey. 'Scholarships for me have alleviated the financial burden that I had back home,' he said. 'Here at EWU, I'm able to focus directly on my studies, and I've been able to thrive academically, earning a 4.0 GPA.' Honoring Black History As Black History Month is celebrated, both students recognize the significance of their heritage and the legacy they continue to build. 'As a Jamaican, Black history is a big thing, not just because of the history, but also the music associated with history,' Davis said. Holland is a fourth-generation HBCU scholar and second-generation member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She says the month holds deep personal meaning. 'Black history has always been an important aspect of my life,' she said. 'I truly embody the importance of Black history because my sorority was founded on civil rights, scholarship, service, and sisterhood. So, it is truly an honor to be a part of so many different legacies.' Scholarships from the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) help students like Holland and Davis focus on their academics and leadership roles, ensuring they can continue to make a difference both on and off campus. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
