Georgia State University is an enterprising urban public research institution in Atlanta, the leading cultural and economic center of the Southeast.
For more than 50 years, the Lewis College has graduated more than 6,600 nurses, nurse practitioners, educators and researchers to serve in Georgia and beyond. More than 5,300 health care professionals have graduated in health informatics, nutrition, physical therapy, respiratory therapy and occupational therapy.
In 2003, the college was named for Byrdine F. Lewis, a career bedside nurse and the mother of Kenneth Lewis, former chief executive officer and president of Bank of America, and Georgia State alumnus.
The Lewis College prepares the next generation of clinicians and scholars to enhance individual and community health in a culturally diverse society. Recent milestones include the first graduates of the master of occupational therapy, a new master’s degree in clinical informatics, an R.N. to B.S. online degree program, and Ph.D. degrees in chemistry with concentrations in nutrition, and kinesiology and health with concentrations in rehabilitation science (physical therapy).
Welcome to the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions. For more than 50 years, we have been educating the health professionals who care for you. The college offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in nursing, nutrition and respiratory therapy as well as field-entry-level degree programs in occupational therapy (master’s) and physical therapy (doctorate). Our college offers an associate degree program in nursing through Perimeter College and the Doctor of Nursing Practice and Doctor of Philosophy in nursing, making Georgia State the only university to offer the full breadth of nursing education.
The Lewis College offers, in partnership with the J. Mack Robinson College of Business, entry into the the dynamic, growing field of health informatics through an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree and a new master’s certificate. We also partner with two other colleges to offer terminal degrees in nutrition and physical therapy – the Ph.D. in chemistry with a nutritional sciences concentration and the Ph.D. in kinesiology with a rehabilitation concentration.
Our degree programs receive high marks for student education. The Department of Physical Therapy won the Regents’ Teaching Excellence Award for departments and programs. The Department of Respiratory Therapy was given the Apex award by the American Association of Respiratory Care for achieving a 100 percent pass rate on licensure examinations over multiple years.
The Lewis College delivers innovative teaching, immersing students in active learning, simulation and experiential learning. The college maintains clinical partnerships with a variety of hospitals and health care providers. These partnerships range from Atlanta’s largest hospital, Grady Memorial, to up-and-coming health information technology corporations such as Athenahealth, giving our students the best clinical and internship opportunities.
Lewis College students participate in research, aiding faculty and presenting their findings, and receiving college, university and national professional-level recognition for their work. Highly skilled faculty are passionate about teaching, leading to top student outcomes, including high licensure pass rate for all programs.
The Lewis College boasts a diverse faculty and student population. We are proud to say our graduates mirror the community they will serve, whether by race, gender, age, religion or personal experience. This diversity is leveraged in the student and faculty service to the community. Nursing students and faculty give back-to-school physicals to homeless children. In south Georgia, physical therapy students provide treatment for musculoskeletal conditions to migrant farmworkers and in metro Atlanta respiratory therapy students educate the public on lung disease and support stop-smoking efforts. Nutrition students, in partnership with the Office of Civic Engagement, assist the university’s food-insecure students.
A Lewis College health care education provides excellent job opportunities. Our college is training graduates who will serve at the frontline of health care. We have produced more than 11,000 graduates. Our new laboratories and classrooms are ready for the next phase of growth in the coming decade as we strive towards our vision to be “the premier school of the education of health professionals in the Southeast.”
Our college is proud to be part of the Georgia State family, what the New York Times calls “an innovative engine of social mobility,” and U.S. News and World Reports ranks as the 2nd most innovative university in the nation.
We are privileged to be educating the next generation of health care professionals and are proud of the accomplishments of our students and alumni. Learn more about us and our impact by exploring our website or following us on social media. And ask your healthcare providers if they are Georgia State graduates. You’ll discover our grads are the people who care for people – and we welcome you to explore the dynamic world of healthcare as a career choice for you.
Dr. Huanbiao Mo
Dean and Professor of Nutrition
The advisory board is the chief volunteer group of Georgia State’s Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions in assisting the dean in promoting and in achieving the vision for the college. This diverse group of friends of the college and leaders in the healthcare community is willing to share their time, their talent and their resources in helping the college achieve greatness.
Members
Charisse Braxton
Health Service Administrator with Kaiser Permanente
MBA, MHA ‘11; NP-C, Nursing ‘03
Beth Cayce
CEO of CaraVita HomeCare and CVSC,LLC
B.S. ’75 and M.S. ’84 (PT)
Joseph Harrelson
Private Healthcare Consultant
BS, Allied Health Sciences (RT) ‘80
Jacqueline Herd, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Executive Vice President
Chief Nursing Officer
Grady Hospital
Dustin Hillis
Council Member for the City of Atlanta, District 9
BS, Nursing ‘12
Denise Hines
Chief Americas Officer with HIMSS
Michelle Hurst
Principal Consultant with LMH Consulting
Ashley L. Matthews
Assistant Director of Patient Services with WellStar Kennestone Regional Medical Center
MS, Nutrition ‘10; BS, Criminal Justice ‘03
Sharon Rhodes
Nutrition Consultant and Spokesperson, Southeast United Dairy Industry Association
MS, Nutrition ‘08; Certificate, Dietetic Internship ‘02
Brent Robinson
Executive Director of Patient Services with Piedmont Henry Hospital
Ms, Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner ‘03
Charyl Schroeder
Chief Executive Officer
Interim HealthCare of the Upstate
Karen Seagraves
Vice President at the Neuroscience Institute and Atrium Health
Ph.D., Nursing
Marci Silverman
Occupational therapist & STOTT Pilates Rehab Instructor with Good Hands Therapy LLC
MS, Exercise Science with Emphasis in Biomechanics ‘00
Charles Anthony Smith
Clinical Assistant Professor and Coordinator of RN to BSN Program with Georgia Baptist College of Nursing of Mercer University
MS, Nursing ‘85; BS, Nursing ‘81
Cordia A. Starling
EPIC Immunization Program Director with Georgia Chapter – American Academy of Pediatrics
MS, Nursing ‘86
Stephen L. Whiten
Field Reimbursement Territory Manager with McKesson Corporation
BBA, Marketing ‘69
Emeriti Members
Fran Fowler
Founder of Fowler Healthcare Affiliates, Inc.
BS in Nursing ‘74
Sarah Myers
Associate Nurse Executive
Atlanta VA Medical Center
Robert Pettignano
Medical Director -Health Law Partnership; Professor of Pediatrics
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/ HeLP
Georgette Samaritan
Risk Management Consultant
MAG Mutual Patient Safety Institute
Todd Tyson
Retired – CEO Sales Representative
HiTech Healthcare, Inc. Breas Medical
Karen Waters
Retired – Senior Vice President
Georgia Hospital Association
The Lewis College student ambassador program established by the Office of Dean provides an opportunity for outstanding Lewis College students to serve as official hosts and goodwill ambassadors for the college. Student ambassadors represent the college and the dean with the highest level of integrity and professionalism.
BY THE
1,860
STUDENTS
589
STUDENTS
84%
69%
DEGREES OFFERED
Undergraduate
- Bachelor of science (Nursing, Nutrition, Respiratory Therapy)
- Bachelor of interdisciplinary studies (Health Informatics, Health Science)
Graduate
- Master of science (Health Informatics, Nursing, Nutrition, Respiratory Therapy)
- Master of Occupational Therapy
- Doctorate (Nursing Practice, Physical Therapy, Philosophy in Nursing, Philosophy in Chemistry, Philosophy in Kinesiology)
Specialty Degrees
- A.S. to B.S.
Respiratory therapy bridge program - R.N. to B.S.
Bachelor of science in nursing - R. N. to M.S.
Master of science in nursing - B.S. to Ph.D.
Nursing - B.S. to D.N.P.
Nursing
Non-degree Options
Nursing graduate certificate programs
Health informatics graduate certificate
POINTS OF PRIDE
School of Nursing
100%
2020 average to date NCLEX (exam to receive registered nurse license)
97.5%
average Advanced Practice Nurse registration exam
Department of Nutrition
98%
2017, 2018, 2019 graduate pass rate average Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Exam
Department of Occupational Therapy
100%
2019 National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination
Department of Physical Therapy
100%
Doctor of Physical Therapy 2019 licensure
Department of Respiratory Therapy
100%
Registered Respiratory Therapist Class of 2018 and 2019 licensure
RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY
Lewis College students and faculty are working to improve the lives of individuals in underserved populations. Children and infants, older adults, people with disabilities and survivors of stroke are just a few of the groups we support. The Lewis College is using its research to make homes and communities healthier. Our faculty experts are supporting and developing a number of projects and programs.
MORE INFORMATION
Contact Us
Location
Urban Life Building
404-413-1100
cnhp@gsu.edu
Mailing Address
Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions
P.O. Box 3995
Atlanta, GA 30302-3995