Historical Timeline

Historical Timeline
1975 Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Program inaugurated.
1977 First graduating class of twenty-four undergraduate students completed Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree.
National League for Nursing gave initial accreditation to Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Program.
Lois Kiehn was appointed chair of Nursing Program.
1979 Dr. Marilynn Wood was appointed chair of the Department of Nursing.
1983 Master of Science in Nursing Program inaugurated.
The Department of Nursing became the School of Nursing at Azusa Pacific College (APC); APC became Azusa Pacific University (APU).
The School of Nursing Department of Continuing Education was established.
1987 Della Blackburn, RN, PhD, was appointed dean of the School of Nursing.
1988 Iota Sigma Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International (a nursing honors society) was established at APU.
High Risk Home Health Program was initiated.
1989 National League for Nursing gave initial accreditation to the Master’s of Science in Nursing Program.
1991 Rose Liegler, RN, PhD was appointed dean of the School of Nursing.
1992 Nursing students and faculty members participated in a medical missions trip to Guatemala.
1993 Eight School of Nursing faculty presented APU nursing curriculum to Russian nurse educators in Golitsino, Russia, at a three-week conference: New Nurses for a New Russia. These faculty wrote Russia’s first Pediatric/Maternal Child and Medical/Surgical textbooks.
School of Nursing office and skills lab moved from East to West Campus.
1995 Master’s-level Family Nursing Practitioner Program was established.
1996 School earned accreditation from the National League for Nursing.
1997 Homeless ministry was established in local churches.
1998 School of Nursing Neighborhood Wellness Center was opened in downtown Azusa and funded by the California Endowment.
1999 Nursing Distance Learning, based in San Bernardino for the Family Nurse Practitioner Program, was funded by California Manpower Grant.
1999-2000 School of Nursing celebrates its 25th anniversary as APU celebrates it centennial.
2001 Accelerated BSN Program initiated (APS).
2003 School earned accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
2003-04 WASC (now WSCUC) accreditation
2004 Second Career and Nursing Program initiated, which was first of its kind in L.A. county. (Now part of the Entry-level Master’s Program)
2005 Aja Lesh, PhD, appointed as dean.
2006 Early Entry Nursing into Advanced Practice (EENAP) Program commences in San Diego. (Now part of the Entry-level Master’s Program)
2007 Early Entry Nursing into Advanced Practice (EENAP) Program commences in San Bernardino.

Note: This information is current for the 2023-24 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.

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