Welcome from the Dean

Welcome to the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) at The University of Southern Mississippi. As Dean, it is my honor to introduce you to a college that is shaping the future of health through excellence in education, service, and scholarship.

Our College is home to four schools, Health Professions, Professional Nursing Practice, Leadership & Advanced Nursing Practice, and Speech & Hearing Sciences. Within these schools, you will find dynamic programs in allied health, athletic training, audiology, kinesiotherapy, nursing, public health, speech-language pathology, and therapeutic recreation. Each program is designed to meet the growing demand for highly skilled professionals and to prepare graduates who are ready to lead in rapidly changing health systems.

At CNHP, we believe education must go beyond the classroom. Our faculty are respected leaders, accomplished researchers, and committed educators who create immersive learning environments where students gain hands-on experiences through simulation, interprofessional collaboration, and practice partnerships across Mississippi and beyond. These experiences are intentionally aligned with the needs of today’s workforce, ensuring our graduates are prepared not only to excel in their professions but also to transform health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.

As healthcare faces both challenges and opportunities, CNHP is committed to advancing solutions. We are expanding pathways for rural and first-generation students, creating workforce-

aligned micro-credentials, and investing in research that supports Mississippi’s communities while contributing to national health innovation. Our graduates leave Southern Miss equipped to serve, to lead, and to make a significant impact on health and healthcare.

Over the next decade, healthcare will remain one of the fastest-growing career fields, offering extraordinary opportunities for those ready to take that first step in improving the lives of others and serving their communities. I invite you to join us in this mission. On behalf of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni, I welcome you to explore all that CNHP has to offer—and to come SOAR with us at Southern Miss.

Dr. Charleen McNeill, PhD, MSN, RN

Dean and Professor