Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Chosen for College of Nursing

Assistant Professor Christie Manasco, PhD, RN, CNE, has been named Assistant Dean of Student Affairs for the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing, effective July 1, 2024.

In her position as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Manasco will report directly to College of Nursing Dean Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-BC, FAAN, FAANP. Her primary responsibilities will be student recruitment and engagement and operations in the college's Student Affairs Department.

Since joining the college in July, 2020, Dr. Manasco has been very active in research and teaching. She is the principal investigator for a three-year, $1.5 million Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant called "Training and Education to Advance Critical Health Equity Readiness Using Simulation," or TEACH US. She is co-investigator on the $3.98 million HRSA grant for the UTHSC Nursing Mobile Health unit. In that role, she has led the rural education segment for students in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. In addition, she is co-investigator on the three-year, $1.5 million HRSA grant to expand Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training in West Tennessee. Dr. Manasco earned the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty in 2022.

Prior to joining the UT Health Science Center, Dr. Manasco was Assistant Dean of Nursing for the Lambuth campus of the University of Memphis in Jackson, TN. She earned her BSN at the University of South Alabama, her master of science in nursing (MSN) at Union University in Jackson, TN, and her PhD in Nursing Education and Administration from William Carey University in Hattiesburg, MS.

"Dr. Manasco has a solid history of nursing leadership," said Dean Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-BC, FAAN, FAANP. "She has also proven herself an innovative and strong leader since joining our College of Nursing. I have no doubt she will excel in this new role, and I look forward to working with her to strengthen the student experience."

Dr. Manasco said, "I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the College of Nursing as Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. With my experience in nursing education and leadership, I am eager to enhance our admissions, recruitment, and enrollment processes. I am particularly excited about fostering a vibrant, supportive, and inclusive student community that prepares our future nurses to excel in their careers and beyond."

The college's BSN program is the most highly-ranked BSN program in Tennessee on U.S. News & World Report's list of undergraduate nursing programs. The college's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is ranked No. 25 in the nation on the Best Graduate Schools list of U.S. News & World Report and offers eight practice concentrations and three dual practice concentrations.