About Averett University
Founded in 1859, Averett University — originally called the Danville Female Institute — began as a small, home-based school with 20 female students in Danville, Virginia. It developed into an accredited, co-educational four-year college by 1971 and today enrolls a diverse group of more than 1,500 students from 26 states and 24 countries. While affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia, Averett welcomes students from all religious and spiritual backgrounds.
Averett now offers more than 30 undergraduate and five graduate degree programs on campus and online, including the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in Norfolk, Virginia. Averett is also one of only a handful of institutions in the nation to offer bachelor’s degrees in aeronautics and equestrian studies.
No matter the field of study, we provide a quality education to our students; 75% of our faculty hold doctorates or terminal degrees. Colleges of Distinction also named Averett a 2018–2019 College of Distinction, “chosen for its continued commitment to the Four Distinctions: Engaged Students, Great Teaching, Vibrant Community, and Successful Outcomes.”
Averett’s Mission and Core Values
Averett aims to prepare students to serve and lead as catalysts for positive change. We fulfill this mission by educating students from diverse backgrounds through liberal arts-based degree programs in a personal, collegial, interdisciplinary environment and by adhering to our core values:
- Integrity
- Innovation
- Engagement
- Discovery
- Diversity
School of Nursing
The BSN program at Averett University began in 2010 when the Danville Regional Medical Center (DRMC) School of Health Professions (established in 1898) partnered with Averett to take over DRMC’s Registered Nurse program.
In addition to offering an on-campus BSN program in Danville and an ABSN program based in Norfolk, we offer a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree program with a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) focus, along with one of the only Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) Post-Graduate Certificate programs in the country.
Both Averett’s BSN program in Danville and ABSN program based in Norfolk strive to ensure students receive the professional knowledge and skills necessary to pass the NCLEX-RN®. In 2023, Averett’s BSN and ABSN programs saw a 98% pass rate, surpassing the national average of 80.48%.*
Since its inception, the School of Nursing at Averett University has aimed to prepare graduates to provide compassionate, evidence-based care, serve as leaders of positive change and progress toward graduate-level education. We accomplish this goal by educating students in a collegial and interdisciplinary environment that demands excellence.
The School of Nursing memberships include the following:
- National League for Nursing (NLN)
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
- Virginia Association of Colleges of Nursing (VACN)
- Virginia State Simulation Alliance, Inc. (VASSA)
- The National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF)
*NCLEX pass rates from Virginia Board of Nursing and National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
For More Information
Contact us to learn more about the Averett University ABSN program in Norfolk, Virginia.