LAKELAND, Fla., Nov. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Dr. Anne B. Kerr, president of Florida Southern College, is pleased to announce the establishment of the Maida Badcock Pou Endowed Chair in Nursing Simulation, made possible by the generous contribution of esteemed alumna Ebbie Sue Pou Doherty ’81. This gift is a tribute to Maida Badcock Pou, a distinguished Florida Southern Trustee Emerita whose legacy of service and philanthropy made a transformational impact on the College.
The endowed chair has been awarded to Professor Beth Crosby, MSN, RN, CNE, CHSE, a native of Lakeland, Fla., and a member of a family with three generations of Florida Southern alumni. Professor Crosby’s depth of practical experience and dedication to nursing education make her the ideal candidate for this prestigious position.
As the Nursing Simulation Lab Coordinator and Instructor within the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Professor Crosby provides students with a realistic learning setting to develop their nursing skills, ensuring they are well-prepared for clinical experiences. With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of South Florida and a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Florida Southern, she brings 30 years of nursing education and practice, including work in neonatal intensive care and pediatric emergency nursing, to her role.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be named the Maida Badcock Pou Endowed Chair in Nursing Simulation. This award will enable me to enhance our state-of-the-art simulation labs further, providing students with an unparalleled learning experience. I am grateful for the generous endowment and excited about the opportunities this position brings to shape the next generation of nursing leaders.”
Ebbie Sue Pou Doherty ’81, retired Vice President of Employee Services at W.S. Badcock Corporation and the generous benefactor of this endowed chair, expressed her family’s pride in continuing her mother’s legacy. “My family and I are honored to continue my mother’s legacy by creating this endowed chair. We hope it will be a platform for future leaders in nursing simulation to continue pushing the boundaries of education and healthcare.”
Dr. Kerr expressed her appreciation, saying, “We are profoundly grateful for Ebbie Sue Doherty’s transformational gift to establish the Maida Badcock Pou Endowed Chair in Nursing Simulation. This generous contribution not only exemplifies Ebbie Sue’s commitment to her alma mater, but also reflects her dedication to helping others. The endowed chair will play a pivotal role in advancing nursing simulation education at Florida Southern College, ensuring that students receive a world-class education that prepares them to make a positive and consequential impact on the healthcare field.”
The Maida Badcock Pou Endowed Chair in Nursing Simulation is the 26th endowed chair at Florida Southern College, marking another milestone in the institution’s commitment to excellence in education and healthcare.
About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 30 NCAA Division II National Championships. Florida Southern is ranked #11 among the “Best Regional Universities in the South” by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024 “Best Colleges” guide. It is included in The Princeton Review’s 2023-2024 Best 389 Colleges guide and the Fiske Guide to Colleges 2024. The 2023-2024 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern’s AACSB-accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College’s School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Poets&Quants, U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, and The Princeton Review further laud the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise and the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences as foremost programs in the nation for business and nursing education. Home to the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, FSC is ranked by The Princeton Review as the #6 “Most Beautiful Campus” in the nation. Connect with Florida Southern College.
About the Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences
Accredited by the National Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), Florida Southern College’s Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences is a leading institution dedicated to excellence in nursing and health education. Offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and ethical principles required for a rewarding healthcare career, state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge technology, and clinical partnerships ensure students receive comprehensive, hands-on training. Join us in shaping the future of healthcare.
SOURCE Florida Southern College
