Samford University’s Ida Moffett School of Nursing has been named a Center of Excellence for Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing in Washington, D.C.

Samford received this designation in recognition of excellence in the category of “Promoting the Pedagogical Expertise of Faculty.” 

“The success of our school has been possible through the continuation of the legacy of its namesake, Ida Vines Moffett, and her belief in academic excellence, caring, compassion and service which are the foundational pillars of our school. The key to continuing Mrs. Moffett’s legacy is our faculty,” said Nena F. Sanders, vice provost of Samford’s College of Health Sciences and nursing school dean.

“This designation validates the quality of their work and their dedication to our students. Today, more than 6,000 nurses who have graduated from our programs are impacting the lives of others throughout the United States and the world,” she said.

A committee of six nursing faculty representing the school’s undergraduate and graduate programs worked to complete the more than 100-page document that outlined the school’s unique initiatives and resulting outcomes. 

Examples of the school’s accomplishments are its outstanding first-time licensure and certification pass rates, leadership and participation in interprofessional education, and multiple opportunities for service learning, including international missions.

The maxims espoused by Moffett and described in her biography, Courage to Care, served as the theme for the document. Testimonies from College of Health Sciences faculty, nursing students, alumni and community representatives were included as supporting evidence of the faculty’s expertise and commitment to excellence.

“Mrs. Moffett is quoted as saying, ‘Caring is the shining thread of gold that holds together the tapestry of life.’ As a committee, we used this quote, along with other Moffett maxims, to showcase how Mrs. Moffett’s legacy is woven through the school’s curricula and embraced by its employees, students and alumni,” said John Lundeen, associate professor and chair of the Center of Excellence Application Submission Committee.

The honor comes as the school celebrates 95 years of nursing excellence. Even though Ida Moffett School of Nursing has experienced significant growth and transformation since its foundation in 1922, the school’s objective remains unchanged: to prepare registered nurses who provide exceptional, compassionate, patient-centered care.

Ida Moffett School of Nursing will receive this prestigious award in September at the National League for Nursing’s Honors Convocation and President’s Gala in conjunction with its annual education summit in San Diego, California. 

Sarah Waller is coordinator of marketing and communication for the College of Health Sciences.