Gina Hale, PhD, RN, CNE
Associate Dean for Nursing Affairs
(409) 880-8001
gina.hale@lamar.edu

Sommer Shackelford, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CNE
Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Nursing Studies 
(409)880-8835
sommer.shackelford@lamar.edu

Ruthie Robinson, PhD, RN, CNS, FAEN, CEN, NEA-BC
Assistant Dean for Graduate Nursing Studies
(409) 880-7720
ruthie.robinson@lamar.edu

Judson LaGrone, PhD, RN, CVRN-BC, CNE
Articulation Program Director (RN-BSN and RN-MSN)
(409) 880-7088
judson.lagrone@lamar.edu

Nursing Information Center

Location: Room 100 McFaddin Ward Health Sciences Building
(409) 880-8817
nursing@lamar.edu

Academic Advisors

Pre-Nursing Students

Undergraduate Advising Center (Freshmen, Sophomores, Transfers)
Carl Parker Building
(409) 880-8822
advising-publicservice@lamar.edu
transferadvocate@lamar.edu
Please ask for a pre-nursing advisor

Leadership & Professional Studies (formerly University Studies) (Junior, Senior, Post-Baccalaureate)
Texas Academy Building
(409) 880-7571
leadershipstudies@lamar.edu
Please ask for a pre-nursing advisor

Prelicensure BSN Students

Shayla Stankus
McFaddin Ward Health Sciences Building, Room 100
(409) 880-8868
nursing@lamar.edu

RN-BSN and RN-MSN Students

(409) 880-8872
dept_rnbsn@lamar.edu

MSN Students

(409) 880-8872
dept_apmsn@lamar.edu

Faculty

Directory of Faculty and Staff

Overview

Nursing is based on the concepts of moral agency, responsibility, accountability, reflection, self-analysis, self-care, lifelong learning, effective communication, inquiry, and service to the community. The goals of nursing are to provide safe, compassionate, holistic, multi-dimensional, and culturally sensitive patient/client-centered care in collaboration with intraprofessional and interprofessional teams. Nurses utilize theory-based teaching and learning strategies to educate diverse populations on disease prevention, health promotion, health maintenance/and restoration, and support death with dignity. Nursing emphasizes a spirit of caring including the analysis of social determinants of health to address health disparities and the promotion of equity and inclusion to contribute to the health of the individual, humanity, and society. The responsibility of the nurse is to use the nursing process, evidence-based practice, and informatics to support clinical reasoning and clinical judgment to assist people to meet health care needs and attain health-related goals within a legal, ethical, and regulatory framework. Nurses use informatics to communicate, manage knowledge, and support decision-making to provide competent patient/client-centered care. As members of the profession, nurses collaborate with the interprofessional team to deliver systems-based care and in achieve these goals. The faculty believes in preparing professional nurses with essential competencies in four major roles: Member of the Profession, Provider of Patient-Centered Care, Patient Safety Advocate, and Member of the Healthcare Team.

The JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing faculty believes in preparing students to become competent graduates who provide quality nursing care to diverse populations in an ever-changing society. The personal, social, and professional strengths of the graduates are developed to form a foundation for continued growth.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program prepares students with a broad perspective and understanding of society, the environment, and people as diverse individuals, families, groups, and communities. Baccalaureate education incorporates a broad range of basic, behavioral and social sciences, communication and data analysis content to provide a strong foundation for future critical thinking and problem-solving. A baccalaureate degree is the most common requirement for entry into graduate nursing education where nurses may further develop their professional roles to become nurse educators, researchers, administrators, or advanced practice nurses.

The JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing offers an Administration Program and an Education Program leading to the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. Administrative Program students have the option to pursue a dual degree with a Master of Business Administration (MSN/MBA). Persons seeking admission may pursue the MSN degree on a full or part-time basis. Students must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on their last 60 hours of college work.

Graduate certificates in Nursing Administration or Nursing Education are also available to qualified students with a BSN or MSN and a GPA of 3.0 or higher on their last 60 hours of college work. Both programs are nine hours and can be completed in two semesters.

Two flexible online options are available to career-oriented registered nurses who graduated from a diploma or associate degree program. Completion of the RN-BSN Articulation Program provides leads to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Successful completion of the RN-MSN Articulation Program leads to a Master of Science in Nursing degree. The RN-MSN Program allows students to choose the Administration Program or Education Program when they reach the graduate portion of the curriculum.

Mission

The mission of the Lamar University JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing is to educate undergraduate and graduate students to become qualified, competent, professional nurses who are prepared for practice. The school provides quality nursing education relevant to a changing profession, society, and healthcare environment. Collaboration between faculty and students promotes excellence in health care delivery to diverse populations. A spirit of caring, continual inquiry, creativity and integrity is promoted through teaching, scholarship, leadership and service.

Motto

A spirit of caring, a vision of excellence. 

Vision

Excellence in nursing education, in partnership with the community. 

Accreditation

The Lamar University JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program is fully approved by the Texas Board of Nursing. (The Texas Board of Nursing does not review Master's programs.)

The BSN and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree programs are fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), located at 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326.

ACEN last visited Lamar University in Fall 2025 to review the BSN and MSN degree programs for continuing accreditation. Accreditation for both programs have been affirmed through 2033.

Programs