CJA EVP and Provost Named Dean of UMHB Nursing School

ORLANDO, FL – Covenant Journey Academy (CJA) is pleased to announce that CJA Provost and Executive Vice President, Provost, and Head of School, Dr. Shanna W. Akers, will be the next Dean and Professor of Nursing at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Scott & White School of Nursing. Dr. Akers will officially step into this role June 1, 2024.

Dr. Akers will continue serving in her same capacity with CJA overseeing the K-12 Christian education online curriculum and program. The opportunity at UMHB will expand her education roles to include leadership of one of the most historic and respected nursing schools in the state of Texas.

Chartered in 1845, UMHB is the oldest continually operating university in the state of Texas, and like Covenant Journey Academy, is deeply committed to Christ-centered education.  According to the university’s website, the university has “equipped students for purposeful lives that honor God” for more than 178 years. UMHB professes an “unapologetically Kingdom-minded commitment” to helping its “students deepen their faith while championing each student’s remarkable potential.”

“It is a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to serve students at virtually every level of their educational journeys,” said Dr. Akers. “Christ-centered education has the potential to transform lives from kindergarten to graduate school, and I am thrilled to be serving in leadership at two destiny-driven institutions that are dedicated to education built on a foundation of authentic faith.”

Dr. Akers, a gubernatorial appointee to the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority, has extensive background in both K-12 and higher education.  Dr. Akers is an Educational Leader and a Registered Nurse with more than 28 years of experience as a former critical care (cardiac ICU and trauma ICU) nurse who served as the Director of the Cardiovascular Service Line of a two-hospital system prior to moving into academia. Prior to joining CJA, Dr. Akers obtained more than 14 years of experience in higher education serving as an institutional Administrative Dean for Undergraduate Programs and as Dean and Professor of Nursing for Liberty University School of Nursing, one of the largest Schools of Nursing in the nation, where she taught across all program levels, including critical care nursing, leadership, ethics, nursing education, and programmatic assessment among others at the doctoral and graduate levels. 

Dr. Akers earned her initial nursing degree at Louisiana Tech University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Master in the Science of Nursing and Master of Business Administration. Additionally, she earned her post-graduate degree Educational Specialist (EdS) in Educational Leadership and her Doctor of Education (EdD) in Curriculum and Instruction. 

She is a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) and board certified as a Nurse Executive-Advanced (NEA-BC). She is a member of several regional and national organizations including the Christian Nurses Fellowship, the Association for Leadership Science in Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, and Virginia Nurses Association (VNA) where she serves as the Commissioner for Nursing Education.  

CJA Founder and Chancellor Mat Staver said, “Dr. Shanna Akers is a dynamic and respected leader in education with a proven record of success. Dr. Akers will continue her work overseeing Covenant Journey Academy’s educational curriculum while she leads the Scott & White School of Nursing to new heights. Having someone of Dr. Akers’ caliber sets both programs apart and makes Covenant Journey Academy’s K-12 curriculum such an accessible and effective education solution for parents and their children.”

Covenant Journey Academy is a full-service K-12 online Christian academy that is available to families and private schools around the world 24/7/365, with more than 150 courses all taught by certified teachers, along with more than 30 college courses taught by qualified university faculty.  

To learn more about Covenant Journey Academy, visit CJ.Academy, or call 407-875-1967. To view an informative video overviewing the many options provided by CJA, click here.