News and Updates

SGSC’s School of Nursing welcomes two faculty members

Dr. Scott Thigpen, dean of South Georgia State College’s School of Nursing, is pleased to announce the appointment of Linda Freeman and Lauren Thornton to the School of Nursing faculty.

“The School of Nursing is very excited to welcome these two highly qualified individuals to our team,” said Thigpen. “They have many years of experience in a variety of nursing specialties. They bring rich experiences in acute and community health care as well as an array of experiences in evidence-based practice and research.”

A native of Waycross, Ga., Freeman is the former associate professor of nursing at John Tyler Community College in Richmond, Va. Her career in nursing education began in 1975 as a member of the nursing faculty at Grady Memorial Hospital’s School of Nursing in Atlanta, Ga.

Her clinical career spans almost 30 years with leadership positions at Grady Memorial Hospital, Douglas General Hospital in Douglasville, Ga., and Urban Medical Center in Marietta, Ga. In addition, Freeman has led nursing staffs at various national and international locations through the United States Army.

She is a member of the National League for Nursing American Nurses, the Association of Retired Army Nurse Corps, the Association of Retired Officers Association, and the American Nurses Association.

Freeman became a registered nurse in 1966 and received a Bachelor of Science Degree (Cum Laude) from Georgia State University in 1974. She earned her Master of Nursing Degree from Emory University in 1976. She will teach first-year nursing courses that lead to SGSC’s Associate of Science Degree in Nursing.

“It is a pleasure to work with a nursing (faculty) that is so highly educated and student-centered,” said Freeman. “The standards here are high, and it is such a cohesive team.”

Freeman and her husband Mike have two children – Michael William and James David. They also have three grandchildren – Jimmy, Rachel, and Lynsey.

A native of Blackshear, Ga., Thornton has worked for the Southeast Health District for the past decade. She began her career as a public health staff nurse at the Ware County Health Department. She transitioned to the Pierce County Health Department and became the nurse manager, a role she held for seven years.

Thornton received her Associate of Science Degree in Pre-Nursing from the former Waycross College in 2002. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (Cum Laude) from Valdosta State University in 2004 and her Master of Nursing Degree from Walden University in 2012. She has been inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing at VSU and Walden. 

Thornton will teach second-year nursing students in the areas of women’s health and pediatrics.

“It’s a blessing to be given the opportunity to teach at SGSC’s School of Nursing,” she said. “The nursing faculty have been very welcoming and are very professional. I am excited to share my passion for nursing with the students and inspire their love for nursing.”

Thornton and her husband Lance have two children – Liza (5) and Layla Grace (17 months).

SGSC’s School of Nursing offers the Associate of Science Degree in Nursing, the Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, and an LPN-RN Bridge Program. For more information, contact the School of Nursing at (912) 260-4356 or Nursing@sgsc.edu.

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PHOTO: Linda Freeman, Lauren Thornton