ł§łŮ´Ç°ů˛â:ĚýBetsy ComptonĚý| Photo: Cody Ingram

The University of West Alabama is expanding its College of Nursing to become theĚýCollege of Nursing and Health Professions, a strategic initiative designed to strengthen healthcare education, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and address the growing demand for healthcare professionals across Alabama and the Black Belt region.

Effective August 1, the expanded college will bring together nursing and a broader range of health-related academic programs under a unified academic structure that enhances collaboration among faculty, students, and healthcare disciplines.

“The expansion of this college to become the College of Nursing and Health Professions reflects our commitment to addressing shortages in the healthcare workforce and building upon the strong foundation of healthcare education at UWA,” said UWA President Dr. Todd G. Fritch. “We have listened carefully to the healthcare industry throughout the Black Belt region, and we are responding by creating new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and student success that will prepare graduates to meet the evolving needs of our communities.”

Provost Dr. Amy H. Jones said the expanded college represents an investment in both academic excellence and the future of healthcare education.

“This expanded structure is designed to strengthen collaboration among related disciplines, support continued academic growth, and prepare students to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare workforce,” Jones said. “The transition will facilitate stronger collaboration between students and faculty across our healthcare-related academic programs while expanding opportunities through shared simulation environments, clinical equipment, and instructional facilities.”

Dr. Mary Hanks will continue serving as dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions, while Dr. Dara Murray, associate professor of nursing, will serve as associate dean.

The College will be organized into two primary academic departments: the Department of Nursing, chaired by Dr. Kelly McClure, associate professor of nursing, and the newly established Department of Health Professions. A chair for the Department of Health Professions will be announced at a later date.

The new Department of Health Professions will include several rapidly growing tracks within UWA’s Health Sciences Comprehensive program previously housed in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, including General Health Sciences, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant/Associate, Respiratory Therapy, and Medical Laboratory Science. The department will also include the Certified Nursing Assistant program, previously administered through the Division of Lifelong Learning and Economic and Workforce Development, as well as healthcare administration programs currently under development.

The expanded College reflects UWA’s continued commitment to preparing highly skilled healthcare professionals while strengthening partnerships with healthcare providers and communities throughout the region.

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Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo Cody Ingram

When the University of West Alabama launched its in fall 2024, Rachel Walters saw an opportunity to gain the specialized training she wished had been available when her brother struggled with dyslexia as a child. Walters saw firsthand how few resources Alabama offered students with learning differences.

Now a reading interventionist at Briarwood Christian School in Birmingham, Walters works with students with language delays, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and other reoccurring diagnoses, including dyslexia. Prior to enrolling in UWA’s program, she relied primarily on intervention strategies.

Four years ago, a new director of student support services—who was also a licensed dyslexia therapist—introduced her to the field’s specialized training, sparking an interest that eventually led to UWA.

“Research showed dyslexia therapy was the gold standard, and I thought, ‘Well, I need more tools in my toolbelt,’” Walters said. “But I couldn’t find the right program until UWA began offering its .”

According to Sara Reynolds, assistant professor in UWA’s College of Education, no other university in the state offers a dyslexia therapy program like it.

The program also comes as the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI) pushes for more dyslexia therapists in schools statewide.

UWA has partnered with Shelton School in Texas, which uses Take Flight Therapy, a research-based, multisensory reading curriculum designed to help children ages seven and older with dyslexia and related reading challenges.  Developed by the Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders at Scottish Rite for Children, the comprehensive program trains struggling readers to decode, spell, and comprehend written language effectively.

“I love the support we get from the Shelton School; it is teacher-and student-friendly as well as easy to navigate,” Reynolds said.Ěý

Take Flight Therapy is one of only a few approved dyslexia intervention programs in Alabama. The program also prepares students to qualify for the Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) credential. After graduation, students are eligible to take the national certification exam.

“Take Flight is also used by ARI and we use the same trainer,” Reynolds said. The difference is our program takes teachers who only have a bachelor’s degree and trains them to sit for national exam, while earning a master’s degree at the same time. ARI works with teachers who already have a master’s degree. After they complete the training, they can sit for the exam. Our goal is the same—to get more certified dyslexia therapists in Alabama schools.”

The online program is intensive, requiring students to complete 700 clinical teaching hours using the curriculum. As soon as student learn enough of the curriculum, they begin completing their therapy hours in real-world settings.

“You’re literally learning and doing at the same time,” Walters said. “I found that extremely helpful. I didn’t really feel like I mastered it until I taught it, maybe even a couple of times.”

“Some of our students are being put in dyslexia therapy positions because once they begin that first year of the program, they are considered dyslexia therapists in training,” Reynolds said. “They can start accumulating their 700 hours, which is what Rachel did. Other students may have to be a little creative in getting those hours, so it may take them a little longer to complete the program.”

Walters said the program has equipped her with new strategies and skills to make an even greater difference for her students.

“Not only was my training very specific and in-depth, but we had wonderful trainers,” she said. “I loved how Take Flight Therapy sets students up for success. When I meet students who are discouraged, frustrated and defeated, I’m able to tell them, ‘You’ve got this,’ and then see their growth. That is really rewarding.”

In addition to Walters, five other students residing in Alabama completed the program in May. An additional 14 students are expected to complete the program by the end of the summer or in the fall.

Reynolds noted that with the third cohort starting this summer, the total number of active students in the program has grown to 37. In addition to those from Alabama, students from Mississippi, Texas, Georgia, and Florida are also enrolled.

One of Walters’ favorite things about the program is that it highlights the strengths dyslexic students possess, not just their challenges.

“I tell my students all the time, that reading and spelling might be a weakness, and we’re going to work on that,” she said. “But because of the way God made your brain, you may also be creative, passionate, or gifted in other ways. That boosts their confidence and usually encourages them to read more, and that’s important to me.”

Now that graduation is behind her, Walters is preparing to take the national exam and become a Certified Academic Language Therapist.

Walters recalls when a student told her on one of the hard days of studying, balancing motherhood and working, “Reading in the classroom is hard, but I love reading with you.” She said moments like those made all the hard work and long hours over the past two years worth it.

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Story: Lisa Sollie | Photo: Cody Ingram

The University of West Alabama has presented two long-term faculty members emeritus honors upon their retirement. Dr. Tina N. Jones has been named Vice President Emerita, and Dr. Alan Brown has been named Professor Emeritus. The two were recognized at the University’s Employee Recognition Ceremony at the end of the spring semester.

Dr. Alan Brown
After 40 years of service to students, colleagues, and the discipline, Dr. Alan Brown retired from UWA in May 2026, earning the status of Professor of Emeritus of English and Folklore.

In his nomination letter, Dr. Kendrick Prewitt, Chair of the Department of English & History, noted that over Brown’s 40 years at UWA, he made his mark through his passion for teaching American literature and composition to generations of students, his 34-year stewardship of the UWA Writing Center, and his extensive research into ghost lore and regional folklore.

Prewitt also noted that Brown is a rare example of a scholar who has successfully translated academic scholarship for broader public audiences through book clubs, public libraries, senior centers, radio broadcasts, podcasts, and cemetery history reenactments.

Known for meeting deadlines, efficiently handling administrative responsibilities, and traveling frugally on departmental funds, Brown has received the McIlwain Bell Trustees Faculty Award twice and the Nellie McCrory Faculty Service Award. Prewitt described him as setting a consistent standard for the College of Liberal Arts.

Brown has published more than 20 books and numerous articles on ghost lore and folklore, his primary area of interest. His scholarly work also spans the history of Sumter County, composition pedagogy, gothic literature, and studies of authors including Poe, Hemingway, Faulkner, and Twain.

He is well known on campus and beyond for his ghost tours, distinctive mustache, homemade brownies, daily peanut butter and jelly lunches, and his large looping lecture notes handwriting.

Dr. Tina Naremore Jones
Dr. Tina Naremore Jones, a longtime professor of English, retired from UWA as Provost on September 30 after 38 years at the institution, earning the status of Vice President Emerita of Academic Affairs.

In her nomination letter, Jones was recognized for decades of leadership and service to the university, first as a student, then faculty member, and later in multiple leadership roles, including Vice President of Economic Workforce Development and then as Provost, becoming the first woman at UWA to be named vice president and first to serve as provost. Over the years, she played an integral role in shaping the University’s academic programs, strengthened its outreach, and helped define what it means for the institution to serve not only its students, but the entire region.

It was also noted that Jones consistently “led with intention, listening carefully and leading thoughtfully.” Her nomination letter described her conduct as “marked by a level of grace and integrity that is rare, setting a standard not only for leadership, but for how people are treated.”

“Tina believed in this place, and it’s people,” said Provost, Dr. Amy Jones during the recognition ceremony. “People often assumed we were related—and in many ways that never felt entirely wrong, because she had that kind of lasting, personal impact on so many of us at UWA. That impact will be felt for generations—in our programs, across this campus, and in the lives of the students and communities we serve.”

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