Dr. Nicole Webb, the first permanent Dean of ESU’s School of Applied Sciences, sits at beginning of major development for the field. The ESU Nursing and Wellness Building will open in 2026, offering the School a centralized location to study four major components – nursing and psychology, counselor education, physical education and recreation, and health.
Webb’s background is rooted in nursing. She entered hospital work in 1996, working in clinical settings and as a nurse practitioner until 2023. Webb started teaching at Troy University as a faculty member in 2007. She holds a terminal degree as the Doctor of Nursing, and sits as the Chair of Doctor of Nursing and practice program in the College of Graduate Health Studies at A.T. Still University, an osteopathic medical school in Missouri.
Webb was drawn to the ESU Dean position because of its focus on building clinical expertise. In anticipation of the incoming school year and new building, Webb has talked with faculty and plans to utilize the new building.
“We’re really excited about the building and can’t wait to move in,” Webb said. “One thing we’ve been working on is a way to attract students to nursing earlier, like in high-school and community colleges. I believe that we’re going to look at doing some outreach and other programs to attract students to want to come to our area.”
Webb wants to increase interdisciplinary studies throughout the four sections. Many of these categories have differing accreditations, and interdisciplinary actions add to that component, and teach healthcare professionals how to work together in a team environment.
Webb calls this holistic care – a method she has practiced for years. It involves addressing all parts of a person in healthcare, such as physical, mental, and social.
“It also helps them enhance their relationships when they go into practical sites, where they are exposed to other disciplines and realize that a patient’s care involves an entire team of professionals, not just you,” Webb said. “It leaves them living a real-life scenario of what that looks like and for me it’s been very beneficial to see that come to fruition.”
Looking to the future, Webb hopes to include a clinical focus on the future of the programs.
“All of our areas are clinical or practical in some way,” Webb said. “We’re looking at ways of streamlining processes and some of that involves technology and tracking systems as far as how students document their hours and things like that.”
