Published on February 7, 2018 by Katie Stripling  
nena sanders

Nena F. Sanders, vice provost of Samford University’s College of Health Sciences and nursing school dean, will receive Momentum’s 2018 Woman of Impact Award. Sanders will receive her award at Momentum’s 4th Biennial Woman of Impact awards ceremony Feb. 27 in Birmingham.

The Woman of Impact Award honors women leaders who do extraordinary work to positively impact lives of others in the community, business, culture or politics in Alabama. Sanders is being recognized for her transformational leadership in health care evidenced by innovations in education and practice and the development of new models of health care delivery.

“Receiving this honor from Momentum is not just for me but for the incredible people at Samford University with whom I work every day,” Sanders said. “It is an affirmation of the efforts of many in recent years to launch our College of Health Sciences, further enhancing Samford as a leader in health care education. I am proud to represent Samford and the College Health Sciences.”

Since being named dean of Ida Moffett School of Nursing in 2001, Sanders has profoundly impacted health care education at Samford. Under her leadership, the nursing school has experienced record growth and is nationally recognized for its innovative academic programs and outstanding student outcomes. As the founding vice provost of Samford’s College of Health Sciences, Sanders is transforming the education and practice of future health care providers across more than 30 disciplines. The College, founded on an interdisciplinary model of education and practice, is redefining health care education and equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge to succeed in today’s rapidly changing health care environment.

In addition to her work in academia, Sanders is active in health care policy development and the community. She has served on the editorial boards of major nursing journals; as a grant reviewer for the National Center for Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH); and as a representative to the Health Conference on Research Priorities for the National Institute of Nursing Research of the NIH. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, Omicron Delta Kappa and the Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame. She serves as chairperson of the St. Vincent’s Health System Board and is active in numerous philanthropic and professional organizations. 

Momentum is Alabama’s premier women’s leadership program which empowers a diverse group of promising women to develop leadership skills that positively impact business, culture and politics in Alabama. 

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.