Gold Standard: UWG’s Tanner Health School of Nursing Celebrates 50th Anniversary Share this page
For 50 years, Tanner Health School of Nursing (THSON) has stood at the heart of west Georgia’s health and well-being, preparing nurses whose skill and compassion have strengthened families and communities. As the school marks this milestone, its legacy continues to grow – rooted in care, shaped by innovation and carried forward by the thousands who proudly call themselves Forever West nurses.
University of West Georgia students, faculty and staff, alumni, and community and clinical partners gathered to honor legacy, center people and signal gratitude to those who have carried the core nursing values – compassion, integrity, respect, professionalism, advocacy and collaboration – into hospitals, clinics, classrooms and communities, touching lives often in ways that can’t be measured, only felt.
“As someone who benefits from healthcare locally, I always ask the nurses where they went to school,” said Dr. Jon Preston, UWG provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, during his opening remarks. “When many of them say the University of West Georgia, I know I’m in good hands because I know the level of excellence and that UWG produces amazing nurses. A traditional gift given on the 50th anniversary is gold, but the modern gift is experiences; this is perfect, because the Tanner Health School of Nursing not only provides a gold standard in content but also excellent clinical experiences for our students.”
Over the past five decades, UWG has prepared more than 3,500 nurses. The first cohort in 1976 graduated with a class of more than 27, three of whom were present at the milestone ceremony.
Dr. Michael Johnson, UWG president, said having members of the inaugural class present and engaging with today’s students was important.
“Moments like this reflect the continuum of care that defines the Tanner Health School of Nursing, connecting the students of years past with those learning today,” he said. “It’s a reminder that higher education is built by standing on the shoulders of giants. For 50 years, our nursing students have carried forward a tradition of service, excellence and vision, producing the best and brightest here at UWG.”
Johnson added that celebrations like the THSON 50th anniversary are some of his favorite events to attend because he’s able to have great conversations about how higher education changed lives.
“Nearly half of our students are first-generation college students,” he continued. “The culture change they experience as they enter the workforce doesn’t just transform their own lives – it shapes the lives of future generations.”
That was a point of pride not lost on Dr. Imelda Reyes, THSON dean.
“I’m really proud to be part of a university that really makes a difference,” she shared. “Social mobility can really change students’ lives, and we’ve been doing it for the last 50 years.”
Reyes highlighted THSON milestones that have taken place in just the past year, including a more streamlined, student-centered curriculum designed to meet the region’s growing demand for highly skilled nurses and a workforce grant that is the largest in UWG history.
“It’s a real testament to the work we do,” she concluded. “We’re forever grateful to everyone who’s offered our students the ability to be trained in these great facilities. Thank you to our donors, our community partners who offer our students a welcoming environment, our faculty and alumni, and the students who make us shine. They are the nurses of the future.”