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Peggy O'Neill Hewlett, a Savannah native with more than 30 years in nursing education, research, and administration, has been named dean of the College of Nursing.
Hewlett will begin Sept. 1, replacing Mary Ann Parsons, who is retiring after serving as dean of the college since 1988.
Since 1999, Hewlett has been professor of nursing, associate dean for research, and director of the doctoral program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC) School of Nursing in Jackson, Miss., the state's only academic health sciences center.
Harris Pastides, vice president for research and health sciences, said Hewlett's impressive record of education and administration was the right blend for the College of Nursing and the University.
"Dr. Hewlett is a passionate advocate for nursing education, an experienced research administrator, and is the right person for the future of our College of Nursing," Pastides said.
Hewlett earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the Medical College of Georgia and her doctorate in higher education and leadership from the University of Mississippi.
At UMC, she increased funding for the school from $150,000 to more than $7.2 million and developed a doctoral program in health research outcomes. She also developed the UMC School of Nursing Center for Building Healthy Communities, which is Mississippi's research, education, and services nexus for community-driven health projects, and established a primary care delivery model for economically disadvantaged people in the Mississippi Delta.
Hewlett has spent most of her career championing issues and policies to build and maintain an educated and adequate nursing workforce. A nationally recognized expert on academic/service partnerships to solve the challenges facing today's healthcare system, she established the Mississippi Office of Nursing Workforce, which is regularly cited as one of the most successful workforce projects in the country.
In 2000, she was selected for a Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellowship awarded to individuals with the potential to shape the future of healthcare in the United States. She recently was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Nursing, the profession's highest honor.
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