Crosson named dean of Piedmont College nursing school

DEMOREST - Dr. Barbara Crosson of Cornelia, formerly an associate professor of nursing at Piedmont College, has been named the dean of the college's nursing school. Crosson takes over from Dr. Frances Brown, who retired June 1 after four years as dean of the R.H. Daniel School of Nursing.

"We are very fortunate to have someone with Dr. Crosson's credentials in nursing and in the classroom to serve as dean," said Piedmont President Dr. Ray Cleere. "Barbara was among the first faculty members hired to begin this new program at Piedmont in 1998. Her experience as a nurse, as an educator and as an administrator will ensure that the school of nursing continues to produce high-quality graduates for northeast Georgia."

Dr. Crosson began her nursing career at the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, Ga. She worked as a neonatal nurse practitioner at Tift General Hospital and was the principal nurse manager for the Dougherty County Health Department. She taught nursing at Valdosta State University from 1985-89 and again from 1994-98. Between stints in teaching, she served as nurse and nurse manager of the substance abuse unit at the Greenleaf Center in Valdosta.

Dr. Crosson earned an associate's degree in nursing from Albany Junior College and a bachelor of science in nursing degree from Georgia Southwestern College. She earned a master's degree in community health nursing and later a doctor of education degree from Valdosta State University.

A member of Sigma Theta Tau and Pi Lambda Theta honor societies in nursing and education, Dr. Crosson has written several journal articles and conducted seminars on different aspects of community health, including alcohol dependency, spousal abuse, and bioterrorism. She has served as a volunteer for numerous church and civic organizations, including Circle of Hope, a shelter for battered women in Habersham County, and the Red Cross. She is a member of the American Association of University Women and an active member of Cornelia First Baptist Church.