School of Nursing expands enrollment to help address North Carolina’s nursing shortage 

In just 12 months, the UNC School of Nursing expanded enrollment in the 2025-26 academic year by an unprecedented 13% across its programs, enrolling 667 students compared to 591 the previous year. 

This growth reflects the School’s commitment to proactively addressing the state’s critical nursing shortage while continuing to provide Carolina Nursing students with unmatched learning opportunities and wraparound support services that ensure the continued excellence of a Carolina nursing education. 

In 2024, the School received nearly $2.7 million from the UNC System Office as part of a legislative goal to increase the number of nursing graduates in the state by 2026 and double enrollment at Carolina Nursing. In addition, the North Carolina General Assembly appropriated $87.9 million for a new Nursing Education Building in 2020.  

Slated to open in spring 2027, the new 110,000-square-foot facility will feature the latest technologies to prepare graduates to deliver innovative and compassionate care, provide state-of-the-art space for continued enrollment growth and enable the school to recruit more exceptional nursing leaders to the faculty.  

“We are deeply grateful to the North Carolina General Assembly and our partners across the UNC System for their continued investment in nursing education,” said Dean Valerie Howard, EdD, MSN, RN, CNE, ANEF, FAAN. “Their support for the new Nursing Education Building and for expanding our programs will allow Carolina Nursing to educate more nurses and nurse leaders who are prepared to meet the health needs of communities across our state.” 

As part of a strategic plan for enrollment growth, the School’s MSN and DNP programs shifted this year from fully in-person to a hybrid distance-based model that combines online and on-site didactic learning with in-person clinical components. This change contributed to a 300% growth in those programs alone. The school also enrolled 252 prelicensure (BSN and ABSN) students, up from last year’s 227, and added an additional PhD candidate.  

Associate Dean for Administration David Darr, MBA, MS, said the School has already begun expanding faculty and staff resources and will continue to do so to support this growth. As enrollment increases, so does the need for preceptors. The School has reimagined its precepting process to improve recruitment and expand clinical site opportunities across the state. 

UNC Health has been an important partner in strengthening the preceptor program and will continue to play a vital role as the School expands clinical education opportunities. Around two-thirds of students complete their final one-on-one precepted experience at UNC Health, and Carolina Nursing is the largest pipeline of newly hired nurses to the system. 

“As one of the top nursing schools in the nation, the School has been intentional about responsible, incremental growth, proactively working toward enrollment goals without sacrificing the world-class caliber of a Carolina Nursing education,” said Darr. 

Rebecca Hill, PhD, DNP, FNP-C, CNE, FAAN, senior associate dean for academic affairs, noted that the state’s nursing shortage spans specialties and levels of expertise, requiring thoughtful and strategic growth across programs. 

Ninety-four of North Carolina’s 100 counties currently face shortages of mental health professionals. Increasing enrollment in the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program will help expand access to mental health care for patients across the lifespan. Graduates of the family nurse practitioner, pediatric nurse practitioner and adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner programs are also helping address primary care shortages in communities across the state. 

“We are very fortunate that we have such strong applicants interested in attending our program, and with this distance-based modality, we are able to reach more qualified nurses who want to advance their careers in the rural areas within the state,” said Hill. “We have expert and passionate faculty who are able to use innovative ways to teach as our classes grow, and we’ve had incredible support from the state and from the system office to ensure our growth comes with faculty expertise that mirror the needs of the state.” 

To support students as enrollment grows, the School recently established the Carolina Nursing Center for Student Success, which provides academic and well-being support, mentorship and targeted career preparation for both undergraduate and graduate nursing students. The Center brings together teaching assistants, academic coaches and other staff into a new advising model designed to strengthen student success and retention. 

“In a time of continued enrollment growth, the Carolina Nursing Center for Student Success will be essential in ensuring every student receives comprehensive wraparound support to thrive,” says Kacy McAdoo, assistant dean for student affairs. “Through intentional programming, tailored interventions, and data-informed, evidence-based practices, we will proactively identify and remove barriers to success, strengthen persistence and retention and address both academic and out-of-class factors that influence achievement.”  

Expansion in both enrollment and student support has also been made possible through the generosity of donors, including William E. “Bill” Conway Jr. and his late wife, Joanne. In 2023, through their Bedford Falls Foundation, the Conways made a historic $5 million commitment that more than doubled the amount of annual scholarship funding available for the School’s baccalaureate program. The gift is the largest in Carolina Nursing history dedicated to student support.  

While growth brings new opportunities, it also requires continued investment in faculty, staff and infrastructure, said Darr. Investing in expansion is an investment in the state — approximately 85% of Carolina nurses remain in North Carolina after graduation to provide critical access to care. 

“North Carolina — and the nation — continue to face a critical nursing shortage, and Carolina Nursing is committed to being part of the solution,” said Dean Howard. “This growth reflects the extraordinary dedication of our faculty and staff, who continue to lead with innovation and compassion, and our students, who bring an inspiring commitment to serving patients and communities. By expanding enrollment thoughtfully and investing in the resources our students need to succeed, we are strengthening the nursing workforce and advancing health for communities across our state.”