University of Tennessee’s Chattanooga School of Nursing was voted Best Nursing School 2023 in the United States by the Nurse.org Student Choice Awards. The nursing news platform launched the inaugural program in October 2023, which aims to honor schools that “excel in providing exceptional education, fostering innovation, and preparing nurses to make a positive impact on patients’ lives.”
It’s an honor not lost on Christine Benz Smith, chief health affairs officer and director of the School of Nursing at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
“I was floored when I first heard the news that the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga School of Nursing was voted Best Nursing School 2023 in the United States in the inaugural Nurse.org Student Choice Awards,” she told Nurse.org. “But it was the icing on the cake in capping off the historic 50th year for the UTC nursing program — a year that will profoundly transform our institution and the greater Chattanooga region.”
Votes for the big honor began on the state level. Once the best nursing school was determined in each state, national voting commenced. As the winner, University of Tennessee’s Chattanooga School of Nursing will receive an award plaque to commemorate the achievement, a feature in Nurse.org’s newsletter and an exclusive feature on the news outlet’s website.
“The most important thing about the Nurse.org award is that it was supported by our current students and our alumni,” Smith said. “To me, that indicates that we are doing things well and preparing our students to thrive in the field of nursing. Even those alumni who graduated several years ago still have very positive thoughts about their time at UTC and in the School of Nursing. The positive impressions and experiences they gained from being a part of this program remain strong enough for them to feel motivated to say, “Yes, UTC is the best school in the country.”
Each state’s best nursing school, as voted for within the Nurse.org Student Choice Awards can be seen below.
Alabama: Samford University
Alaska: University of Alaska Anchorage
Arizona: The University of Arizona
Arkansas: Harding University
California: California State University, Long Beach
Colorado: Adams State University
Connecticut: Western Connecticut State University
Delaware: University of Delaware
Florida: University of Florida
Georgia: Augusta University
Hawaii: University of Hawaii Hilo
Idaho: Lewis-Clark State College
Illinois: Loyola University Chicago
Indiana: Huntington University
Iowa: University of Iowa
Kansas: Washburn University
Kentucky: Lindsey Wilson College
Louisiana: McNeese State University
Maine: Husson University
Maryland: Coppin State University
Massachusetts: Regis College
Michigan: Calvin University
Minnesota: St. Cloud State University
Mississippi: Mississippi College
Missouri: University of Missouri - Columbia
Montana: Carroll College
Nebraska: University of Nebraska Medical Center
Nevada: Roseman University
New Hampshire: University of New Hampshire
New Jersey: Caldwell University
New Mexico: University of New Mexico
New York: Pace University
North Carolina: Fayetteville State University
North Dakota: University of Jamestown
Ohio: The Ohio State University
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Christian University
Oregon: Linfield University
Pennsylvania: Villanova University
Rhode Island: Rhode Island College
South Carolina: University of South Carolina Beaufort
South Dakota: Mount Marty University
Tennessee: University of Tennessee - Chattanooga
Texas: Texas Woman’s University
Utah: University of Utah
Vermont: Norwich University
Virginia: Virginia Commonwealth University
Washington: University of Washington
West Virginia: West Virginia Wesleyan College
Wisconsin: Marquette University
Wyoming: Northern Wyoming Community College District
About the Author
