Officials Cut Ribbon on Oxford Nursing School Facility
University hopes to boost number of nursing professionals in north Mississippi
OXFORD, Miss. – The next generation of registered nurses is being educated by the University of Mississippi School of Nursing in newly renovated classrooms and labs at the South Oxford Center, which school officials hope will boost the number of nurses in north Mississippi.
The university hosted a July 9 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the high-tech spaces, attended by state, local and medical leaders. They toured the areas, including a classroom with a dozen interactive computer display screens and additional simulation labs that include manikins that move, blink and display vital signs.
"This is a special day, no question about it," Chancellor Glenn Boyce said. "This renovation represents the dream of expanding health care in Mississippi, but it's just a building. The power of this beautiful building is what its impact will be on nursing and nursing education."
The School of Nursing, headquartered at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has an enrollment of about 200 students in its Oxford traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing and accelerated B.S.N. programs, which are based at the South Oxford Center. The renovation created space for growing enrollment as well as flexibility and collaboration plus faculty office space.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony comes as a new School of Nursing building is under construction at UMMC. The renovation in Oxford as well as the new building in Jackson, set to open in fall 2026, are investments in building a healthier Mississippi, said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor for health affairs.
"By increasing access to nursing education in Oxford, we are not only addressing the critical need for skilled nurses but also strengthening the care teams that are essential to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care," she said. "This renovation reflects our commitment to training the next generation of health care professionals."
The Legislature appropriated $4 million to the university in 2023 for the repair, renovation and expansion of the space. Elected officials who made this possible and supported the project include Gov. Tate Reeves, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, former House Speaker Philip Gunn, current House Speaker Jason White, Rep. Clay Deweese, Sen. Nicole Boyd, Rep. John Read, Rep. Trey Lamar, Sen. Briggs Hopson and Sen. Josh Harkins.
Legislators also approved $55 million toward construction of the new nursing school at UMMC in 2022.
"We're grateful to this strong support for nursing education," said Tina Martin, the school's dean. "The renovation of the South Oxford Center represents the growth and commitment to excellence in nursing education at the UMMC School of Nursing."
The state's first baccalaureate nursing program got its start at Ole Miss in 1948 but moved to the UMMC campus in 1956, a year after the Medical Center opened. The School of Nursing returned to Oxford in 2008 with a traditional B.S.N. program that was later converted to a yearlong accelerated program. It launched a traditional four-year B.S.N. program in Oxford in 2024.
Jack Taylor, a junior from Corinth in the traditional bachelor's program, has already been learning at the South Oxford Center's advanced spaces, taking health assessments and pathophysiology classes.
Faculty and staff at the nursing program "foster our growth both academically and personally and support and strengthen us into skilled, empathetic caregivers," he said.
UM nursing student Jack Taylor, a junior from Corinth, shares his experiences at the South Oxford Center. Photo by Joe Ellis/UMMC Communications
The renovated space represents an exciting opportunity, said Kristi Reece, assistant dean of the Oxford instructional site.
"This is giving our students the chance to learn alongside dedicated faculty in a high-tech, hands-on environment," she said. "Together, faculty and students are working to build the skills needed for safe, skilled nursing practice and are helping to grow the strong nursing workforce for our state."
The renovated fourth floor of the South Oxford Center is an addition to the first-floor classroom and simulation lab, a former intensive care unit when the site was home to Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi. The fourth-floor labs are in spaces that formerly housed hospital rooms.
"Students are learning in areas that look like nursing units, which adds to their educational experience," said Camille Beals, assistant professor of nursing and director of the traditional bachelor's program in Oxford. "These new spaces are created for student-teacher collaboration and interaction."
Top: Celebrating the completion of renovations for the nursing program at the South Oxford Center are (from left) Rep. Josh Hawkins; Sen. Daniel Sparks; Kristi Reece, assistant dean for the Oxford instructional site; nursing student Jack Taylor; Tina Martin, dean of the School of Nursing; UM Chancellor Glenn Boyce; Dr. LouAnn Woodward, vice chancellor of health affairs; Dr. Alan Jones, associate vice chancellor for health affairs; and Natalie Gaughf, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs. Photo by Joe Ellis/UMMC Communications