USF Nursing graduates its first VBSN student group [VIDEO]

USF College of Nursing graduated the first Veterans to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (VBSN) students on Dec. 12 at the USF fall commencement.

The inaugural cohort of the VBSN students graduated this fall after completing a rigorous 16 month-long program. The students were honored at the USF Nursing traditional pinning ceremony on Dec. 10, then they made their way to the big stage at the USF graduation ceremony.

“USF Nursing is happy to congratulate the first graduating group of veterans and service members,” said Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, senior associate vice president of USF Health and dean of the College of Nursing. “We have a long history of supporting veterans and service members through research and innovative programs, and we’re proud to continue our tradition with this groundbreaking program.”

USF College of Nursing first launched the VBSN in fall 2014 after receiving a $1.25-million federal grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. VBSN, which was previously known as VCARE, is designed to help veterans and service members, who have served as medics or corpsmen, earn a bachelor of science in nursing through a curriculum that builds upon their military healthcare training and experience.

VBSN is part of the college’s strategic priority known as RESTORE LIVES, which helps develop research and education programs that meet the needs of veterans, service members and their families.

As a result, College Factual recently named USF Nursing the NO.1 veteran friendly nursing college in the nation.

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