Dr. Cindy Bagwell Crum

Nurse Administration Option Coordinator

Assistant Professor of Nursing

Biography

My background in nursing began right after graduation at St. Bernard’s in Jonesboro, AR, in the operating room, where I assisted in opening the new open-heart surgical suite. I then moved to TN and worked at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the operating room on the trauma team and ended my stent as the total joint specialist. I returned to AR to begin the open heart surgical suite at Jefferson Regional Medical Center. After that, I used my operating room knowledge to accept the leadership position as Chairman of the Surgical Technology program co-sponsored by the University of Arkansas for Medical (UAMS) Science and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System (CAVHS).

I received my master's degree in Adult Education and my doctoral degree in Higher Education Administration, which afforded me the opportunity to accept the position of Associate Chief Nurse for Education at the CAVHS. During this time of obtaining my advanced education, I married my husband, Bob, and had 2 children, Jess and ‘Mel’rose. In order to be closer to home for my small children, I accepted a position at our local hospital as the Education and Quality Improvement nurse. Eventually, I became the Chief Nursing Officer at Stuttgart Regional Medical Center. An opportunity to return to academia at Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas in Stuttgart became available. This position was to teach high school students wanting to continue into the medical field. These students obtained concurrent credit for the courses in Medical Education.

It was at this time that I continued my education in order to meet the state of Arkansas qualification to teach in a school of nursing. I received my Master of Science in Nursing Education which has allowed me to accept my dream job of teaching nursing at my alma mater, Arkansas State University. At A-State, I currently serve as the Director of the Master of Science in Nursing Administration program. I have come home.