NATCHEZ &045;&045; The years since Dr. Joyce McManus joined the Alcorn State University nursing program have flown swiftly, bringing growth and change, she said as she prepared to leave her position after more than 25 years.

She recalls the small class of 16 who made up the first group to seek the new baccalaureate nursing degree. &uot;We graduated four,&uot; she said. &uot;They thought it was going to be easy, and they were not all prepared for what it takes to stay through nursing school.&uot;

Times are different now, and McManus leaves the school with a program in place that makes her proud. &uot;The difference is the faculty I hired,&uot; she said.

In 2004, the program graduated 22. &uot;They were well prepared. We’ve had really great success, with a 99 percent passing rate on the state boards over time.&uot;

As a new nurse, McManus began her career at Natchez Regional Medical Center, where she worked primarily in the obstetric suite.

Encouraged by family and medical colleagues, she continued her education, receiving her master’s degree in 1978 and her doctorate degree in1989.

Her 27 years with the nursing program included many classroom opportunities. &uot;I’ve taught every course in the curriculum over the years,&uot; she said. &uot;I’ve been here long enough that we’ve been accredited by the National League of Nurses three times.

McManus has been chairwoman of the baccalaureate program since 1988. Having worked as a faculty member in the program, she found the transition to head of the department a challenge.

&uot;Over time, we got good at what we did. We had a dedicated faculty who were expert clinicians. That’s been the secret of our success.’

One of the confirmations she receives that the nurses leaving the program are prepared is the number of phone calls from happy employers. &uot;We get lots of compliments from our clinical agents. They want more just like those people who can move in and take over in the clinical area,&uot; she said. &uot;We’ve taught them to think critically. You can’t just regurgitate your knowledge on the state boards.&uot;

More applicants than ever have expressed interest in entering the school in the fall, McManus said.

She leaves the program when it is strong and organized. Her successor has not been named.

&uot;I’m sure there will be changes,&uot; she said. &uot;But the organization is here. They will be able to fill in the blanks.&uot;

She will use her retirement time to pursue things she enjoys, including writing. She will miss the people with whom she has worked for many years. And she will reflect on all the encouragement she received as she advanced in her career.

&uot;It was always the right thing to do. I always wanted more education, and I had people pushing me to do it,&uot; she said. &uot;When I got the associate degree, Miss Flora Posey strongly encouraged me to get the baccalaureate degree. In the doctorate program, Dr. Jenkins strongly encouraged me.&uot;

Others who played crucial roles in her career were Elizabeth Benjamin of the University of Southern Mississippi and Dr. Frances Henderson, now dean emeritus of the ASU nursing school, who as dean named McManus to head the baccalaureate program.

Among those who gave the baccalaureate program its strength were nurse educators such as Marlene Hurst Monroe, Kim Hoover, Debbie McDonough and Georgia Hutchins. She calls them her &uot;unstoppable team, key people who made the difference, all instrumental in the program over time.&uot;