Dr. Cynthia Cross has been named chief nursing administrator and associate dean for the Anderson University College of Health Professions.
As chief nursing administrator, Dr. Cross will be serving in her professional nursing role as an academic representative in the nursing field, both at the state and national levels, to ensure the School of Nursing meets all of its accreditation and licensure standards as well as stay up to date on nursing education best practices.
Dr. Cross has been with Anderson University since 2014, having served as an assistant professor of nursing and program chair of undergraduate nursing. After many years of serving in various nursing capacities professionally, Dr. Cross felt called to share her knowledge and passion for nursing with students. Since she entered nursing education, Dr. Cross has chosen to remain in the classroom out of her love for helping students in the way she was helped as a student. Her philosophy of putting Christian love into action is expressed through her favorite acrostic for the word “Love”—listening, observing, valuing and encouraging.
“I see nursing as that opportunity to serve and be His hands and feet and love each other and our patients, and show them that we are here to care for them in some of the times in their life that are the hardest,” Dr. Cross said.
Dr. Donald Peace, dean of the College of Health Professions, praised Dr. Cross for her extensive experience in the nursing field, her leadership as program chair for Undergraduate School of Nursing and her serving as interim chief nursing administrator in the College of Health Professions.
“Cynthia Cross is an exceptional leader, and we are fortunate to have her at Anderson University. She brings dedication and innovation to the critical work of preparing nurses for practice and careers in the field, not to mention warmth and encouragement in all her interactions. In my time with Dr. Cross, I find her to be an extraordinary mentor and advocate for student nurses and our nursing faculty as well,” Dr. Peace said. “Dr. Cross has extensive experience in the nursing industry as a clinician, educator, and now administrator for the School of Nursing. Dr. Cross is widely regarded as an outstanding clinician and nursing executive, as well as a scholar and leader in higher education. I am honored to serve alongside Dr. Cross as a key leader in our School of Nursing and in our College of Health Professions.”
“Anderson to me is a special place because it truly feels like a family here. We can truly share our faith together. There have been many times that I and my nursing faculty have prayed together and we prayed for each other,” Dr. Cross said.
Dr. Cross earned her bachelor of science in business administration and MBA from Southern Wesleyan University; a bachelor of science in nursing, a master of science in nursing and a doctor of nursing practice in healthcare systems leadership from Chamberlain College of Nursing.
The Anderson University College of Health Professions consists of the School of Allied Health, School of Human Performance, School of Nursing, School of Physical Therapy and School of Clinical Laboratory Sciences. The College of Health Professions represents a diverse mix of undergraduate and graduate students, traditional and adult students; they study at the AU campus in Anderson, the University Center of Greenville, and online. The College of Health Professions offers a wide and growing variety of majors and offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs of study.