The Department of Nursing at Florida Technological University (now the University of Central Florida) began in 1978 after a decade of attempts by university staff to implement a nursing program. According to the School of Nursing's mission statement, it seeks to provide accessible nursing education to undergraduates and graduates through scholarly research and personal experiences, with the purpose of assisting the community of Central Florida. Dean of Natural Sciences at FTU, Dr. Bernard Ostle, began searching for information for the processes required to start a Bachelor of Science program in Nursing in 1968. Subsequent university staff continued to appeal to the Florida State Board of Regents and Board of Nursing on the importance and necessity of a nursing program in Central Florida over the next ten years. In 1977, the request was granted, with implementation in September 1979. The first students of the BSN program at UCF graduated in 1981.
The nursing program has continued to evolve in its quest to educate students in Central Florida. In 1995, the Department of Nursing became the School of Nursing. As of July 1, 2007, the school became the College of Nursing, which is the university's eleventh college. The College of Nursing will collaborate with the College of Medicine to continue offering nursing education to students interested in a nursing career.
From the guide to the Records of the Department of Nursing, 1968-1987, 1968-1979, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida Libraries, )
