By Laura Gasque
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing alumna Lisa Eichelberger, PhD, RN (BSN 1995, MSN 1979, PhD 1986), has been named Interim Dean of the Mississippi College School of Nursing in Clinton, Mississippi. This is a return home for Eichelberger, who served her first deanship at MC from 1987 to 1995.
Eichelberger recently served as Dean and Professor at the Clayton State University College of Health from 1996-2021, when she was named Dean Emerita. In 2022, she received the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Advocate State Award for Excellence for contributions toward increasing the awareness and recognition of nurse practitioners. That same year, Eichelberger was an inaugural inductee of the Georgia Nursing Hall of Fame. The UAB School of Nursing also named Eichelberger one of its 60 Visionary Leaders in 2010.
“Yesterday, at work at Mississippi College, someone pointed out a 20-year alumna visiting for the day, who is now a DNP student. They told me that I had made an exception to admit her as a BSN student and had told her to ‘Make me proud!’ That student has shared that story many times to other struggling students and told them to ‘Make her proud’ during her career and it made me recall the impact of my education at UAB,” Eichelberger said. “I had a devastating personal situation during my PhD program. The kindness, love and support I received during that event was unbelievable. If it had not been for the understanding and guidance of particularly Dr. Phyllis Horns, I am not sure I would have been able to complete my dissertation and graduate. There is no question the values instilled in me by the UABSON nursing faculty are used by me every day in my leadership role.”
After Mississippi College has concluded its nationwide search for a permanent dean, Eichelberger will be named Dean Emerita.
