Message from the Dean
Across four Central Florida campuses this past academic year, UCF’s College of Nursing was fueling a brighter and healthier future.
As construction crews continued to build our new state-of-the-art home in Lake Nona, our faculty continued to innovate nursing education, research and practice. Our staff continued their commitment to student success, and our growing number of students continued to reach for the stars and achieve their dream of becoming Knight nurses.
As the new dean of UCF’s College of Nursing, I am incredibly honored to lead this talented pool of faculty, staff and students.
Our achievements in the 2024/2025 academic year are a result of our collective efforts to unleash potential that positively impacts lives.
Together, with the support of our community, we are ensuring a brighter, healthier future for all.
Sincerely,
Sharon J. Tucker
PhD, RN, PMHCNS-BC, EBP-C, FNAP, FAAN
Dean, College of Nursing
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
EXCEEDING
STATE & NATIONAL PASS RATE AVERAGES
96.3%
Nurse Practitioner Board Certification
First-Time Pass Rate
95.8%
NCLEX-RN
First-Time Pass Rate
No. 17
Best Online Graduate
Nursing Program (MSN)
No. 39
Best Undergraduate
Nursing Program
(BSN)
No. 71
Best Nursing School
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
STUDENT ENROLLMENT
Spring 2025
2,735Total
2,246Undergraduate
489Graduate
DEGREES AWARDED
925Total Degrees
777Bachelor’s
90Master’s
58Doctoral
31Certificates
Student Success
| Total Grant Funding Received | $3.8M |
| Total Awards | 24 |
| Interdisciplinary Research Awards | 8 |
| Undergraduate Research | 20 |
| Graduate Research | 58 |
| Post-Doctoral Fellows/Research | 6 |
Among public universities
for utility patents granted
Among U.S. nursing schools
for NIH funding awarded
RESEARCH
AWARDS
Simulation Excellence
UCF’s Simulation, Technology, Innovation and Modeling Center is internationally recognized for excellence in education and research.
- Contact Hours for Simulation-Based Experiences 12,000+
- Simulation Certifications Among Faculty & Staff 11
- Telehealth Educator Certifications 4
Advancing Nursing Science
UCF Researcher Identifies Digital Divide Impacting Diabetes Care for Millions of At-risk Medicare Beneficiaries
Apr 25
First-of-its-kind Project Helps Improve Mental Health of Breast Cancer Survivors
Jul 21
UCF Nursing Graduate’s Project Provides Rapid Care to Pulmonary Embolism Patients
May 1
Combining Hands-on Care with Hands-on Science
Jul 31
It has been a challenging journey balancing school, leadership, and research. It was all worth it (and) I am incredibly grateful to everyone who supported me along the way.
Natalie Moreira ’25BSN, Honors Undergraduate Thesis Graduate, UCF Student Research Symposium Awardee, and Sigma Theta Tau’s Scholarship Day Awardee
SUPPORTING FUTURE KNIGHT NURSES
New Scholarships
- AdventHealth Scholars Program
- Orlando Health Scholars Program
- Gabriela Grace Endowed Memorial Scholarship established by Michael Pazmino ’09 and Tabitha V. Pazmino ’11
- Chrioni E. Lenertz Memorial Endowed Scholarship established by Colleen McLarnon
- Ashleigh Victoria Munro Memorial Endowed Scholarship established by parents Cynthia J. Munro and John B. Munro III in memory of their daughter, Ashleigh Victoria Munro ’16BSN
- Jerry and Susan Roth Endowed Scholarship established by Jerry Roth ’09 and Susan Roth
- Ernest and Virginia Sage Endowed Scholarship established by Dr. Alexander and Mrs. Melinda Cartwright in honor of Mrs. Cartwright’s parents
- Casey Smith Endowed Nursing Scholarship established by proud Knight Nurse parents Carla J. Smith and Kevin K. Smith in honor of their daughter, Casey Smith ’23BSN
- Jayne Willis Nursing Leadership Endowed Scholarship established by faculty member and nurse leader Jayne Willis ’20DNP
“These scholarships have given me the freedom to excel in my studies and also participate in student organizations.”
In the last academic year, as the construction and design teams prepared the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion for its Fall 2025 opening, the community continued to come together to support future Knight nurses.
Nemours Children’s Health to Invest $5M in UCF Nursing, Interdisciplinary Research
Sep 23
Martin Andersen-Gracia Andersen Foundation Gift to Support Study Cafe in New UCF Nursing Building
Sep 13
Construction Milestone Reached at the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion
Sep 25
Conway-Welch Family Foundation Gift to Grow Virtual Reality Education and Research at UCF’s College of Nursing
Mar 25
FACULTY EXPERTS
75
No. of Full-time Faculty
59
No. of Full-time Faculty
with Doctoral Degrees
5
Endowed Chairs
and Professorships
31
National Fellows
11
Fellows of the American Academy
of Nursing (FAAN)
3
Sigma International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame Recipients
LEADING TO NEW HEIGHTS
After more than a decade at the helm of UCF’s College of Nursing and 34 years of service to UCF, Dean Mary Lou Sole retired after leading the program to national prominence and overseeing tremendous growth.
After a national search, UCF appointed Dean Sharon Tucker, who brings 22 years of leadership experience and a passion for empowering nurses. She will lead the college into the future at a time of continued growth and opportunity.
New Honorees
New Fellows
SERVING THE
COMMUNITY
Each year, UCF nursing students provide
30,000+ hours
of service-based learning in
17 communities
across Central Florida.
UCF’s College of Nursing annual report is created by the college’s marketing and communications team in collaboration with leadership, staff and faculty within the college.
Managing Editor: Meghan Truhett, Writer: Julie Harper ’01, Photos: Melanie Cedeño-Lopez, Antoine Hart, Dana Weisman, Kadeem Stewart, Central Marketing, Video: SkyStorm, Illustration Header: Nicole Vega
Published December 2025. Data in this report is for the UCF 2024/2025 academic year, which includes Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Spring 2025 unless otherwise noted.