Loyola Nursing welcomes largest-ever BSN class
Clinical Assistant Professor Matthew Bruder speaks to a classroom of nursing students at the Mundelein Center on the first day of the fall 2025 semester.
By Ashley Rowland
Aug. 25, 2025
The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing is welcoming its largest-ever Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) class this fall, with the number of first-year students in its largest program jumping nearly 20 percent from a year ago.
The incoming BSN cohort includes approximately 310 students in the traditional four-year program, up from 260 last year. Another 53 new students are enrolled in the 16-month Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the talented Class of 2029 to Loyola Nursing, and we know this level of interest speaks to the caliber of our program,” said Dean Lorna Finnegan, noting that the school received a record number of BSN applications this year. “As we take our undergraduate program to the next level, we’re preparing more highly skilled nurses to help address the nationwide nursing shortage.”
The enrollment acceleration comes as Loyola Nursing celebrates its 90th anniversary. The school, founded through the merger of six Chicago-area hospital nursing schools, was the state’s first collegiate nursing program and the first school at Loyola University Chicago to admit women.
More growth is projected over the next three years. A new nursing-science building will open on Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus in 2028, adding classroom and simulation lab space that will allow the four-year BSN program to expand even more and admit 400 students annually.
Associate Professor Jorgia Connor, assistant dean of the BSN program, noted that academic achievement and first-time pass rates for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) remain high as the BSN program expands.
“We’re upholding our legacy of academic excellence as we grow,” she said. “We’re preparing nurses in the Jesuit tradition, committed to serving their patients through exceptional clinical and holistic care.”
New students, new faculty
Loyola Nursing is also expanding its executive leadership team, with several new associate and assistant deans arriving this fall. They are:
- Todd Ruppar, associate dean for research and scholarly innovation. Dr. Ruppar previously worked at the Rush University College of Nursing, where he was assistant dean for nursing science and director of the PhD program.
- Moonju Lee, associate dean for inclusive excellence. Dr. Lee served as associate professor/clinical at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
- Melissa Carlucci, associate dean for innovative partnerships and faculty practice. She was the DNP program director at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing.
- Melissa Murphey, assistant dean of graduate clinical programs. Dr. Murphey was a professor and director of nursing at Lewis University.
“Our new faculty leaders bring with them a wealth of talent and experience that will enhance our research and student experience,” Finnegan said. “We welcome them to Loyola Nursing and look forward to incorporating their insights into our exceptional school.”