Harden selected as new MC School of Nursing dean

Kelly Harden, new dean of the Mississippi College School of Nursing

Kelly Harden, former dean and professor in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, will become dean of the Mississippi College School of Nursing, effective Feb. 1.

Harden succeeds Lisa Eichelberger, who has served as interim dean of the school since December 2023.

“Dr. Harden brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role, and we are excited to welcome her to the MC family,” said MC Provost and Executive Vice President Michael J. Highfield. “We are confident that Dr. Harden’s leadership will advance the mission of the School of Nursing and continue to build on its tradition of excellence.”

Harden has extensive experience in nursing education and leadership. She has spent the last 18 years educating nurses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, serving in academic leadership roles for 16 of those years. She led the Union University College of Nursing, considered one of the top-ranked Christian nursing programs in the U.S., for nine years.

“I am honored to join this prestigious institution that is fully committed to advancing its mission and serving Christ through academic excellence,” Harden said.

“The School of Nursing at Mississippi College has prepared nurses to serve with distinction for over 50 years. I look forward to building on that rich tradition by working with faculty and staff to find innovative ways to meet the complex healthcare needs of our community, nation and world,” she added.

Harden earned her Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from Mississippi County Community College in Blytheville, Arkansas, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Excelsior College in Albany, New York. She obtained her Master of Science in Nursing as a family nurse practitioner from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and her Doctor of Nursing Science from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. She also received a postgraduate certificate from Union University as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. She graduated from the Wharton Executive Leadership Program and the Dyer County Leadership Program.

While pursuing her doctorate, Harden served as a full-time primary care family nurse practitioner and precepted many nurse practitioner students. She has also served as an adjunct at Chamberlain University in Chicago, Illinois.

A Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Harden has engaged in professional and civic organizations on many levels. She has served as District Vice President of the Tennessee Nurse Association and held two terms as President of the West Tennessee Nurse Practitioner Alliance. She serves on the Vanderbilt Lung Transplant Advisory Board and the Vanderbilt Kidney Transplant Patient Advocacy Board. She is a member of the American Alliance of Nurse Practitioners, the Sigma Theta Tau nursing honor society, and Mensa International.

A volunteer site visitor for the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Harden maintains clinical practice as a dual-certified family nurse practitioner and psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and has presented on the local, state and national levels. Her interests include global health and organ transplants.

Harden also has a passion for missions. For 10 years, she led a group of faculty and students on an annual trip to the Dominican Republic.

Kelly and her husband, Michael, have two daughters, two granddaughters and a Cocker Spaniel named Henry.