Experienced Nursing Leader and Alum Joins Program as of July 1 

Southwestern College is pleased to announce the appointment of Sara Denly as the Director of the Grace and David Nichols Family Nursing Program, effective July 1. Denly, an alumna of Southwestern, brings a wealth of clinical experience to this role as an advanced practice nurse practitioner. She has served in pediatrics, emergency medicine, critical care, management, urgent care, clinic, and specialized pulmonary/sleep medicine. 

“Sara is truly a Builder, and we are excited for her to continue the great progress initiated by Shona Turner, growing and maturing the Nursing program,” said Southwestern President Liz Frombgen. “Sara has a deep passion for nursing education, and her commitment to developing strong, compassionate healthcare professionals makes her the ideal leader for this next chapter.” 

Denly returns to her Alma Mater with 26 years of experience as a registered nurse, including six years as a nurse practitioner. Her background includes leadership roles such as House Supervisor at William Newton Hospital, Joint Practice Team & Butterfly Mentor for Palliative Care at Children’s Nebraska, and Mentorship Team & Inspire Trained Provider at Catholic Health Initiative. 

“I am honored to return home to Southwestern College and to have the opportunity to serve our nursing students,” said Denly. “I’ve learned that in nursing, clinical skills are important, but our healthcare system needs nurses with character, resilience, critical thinking, and advocacy. I am deeply committed to ensuring this program prepares our nursing students for the realities of modern healthcare while empowering them to become leaders. 

Denly follows Shona Turner, who will retire from the program director role, but will continue to serve the program and support the leadership transition through December 31, 2026. This overlap will ensure stability and will support a smooth handoff of leadership responsibilities.

“This transition is intentional, positive, and designed to support continuity of leadership during an important period in the program’s development and accreditation process,” said Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, Tammy McEwen. “In the coming months, Shona will work in partnership with Sara, orienting her to the program’s operations, faculty and curriculum responsibilities, clinical partnerships, evidence files, and CCNE accreditation processes, including self-study review and site-visit preparation.” 

Turner led the return of a bachelor-level nursing program to Southwestern College, Cowley County, and rural South-Central Kansas. Her work has included curriculum design, accreditation, faculty recruitment, overseeing the buildout of skills and simulation lab spaces, forming clinical rotation partnerships, and advising pre-nursing and nursing students. 

“Shona has done a brilliant job of building a solid foundation for the nursing program at Southwestern College,” said McEwen. “Shona has been attentive to every detail along the way and has remained steadfast in her commitment to building a top-tier program that serves our community well and makes our college proud. We are grateful for her continued work and support.”

Denly assumes leadership as the program enters its second academic year since opening. In August, two cohorts will be in the nursing program, completing didactic and clinical rotations, and two cohorts will be in the pre-nursing track working toward admission to the BSN program. Denly will also serve as the faculty advisor to the freshman and sophomore pre-nursing students. 

Denly and her husband, Dave, will complete their move to Winfield in the coming weeks. Dave, who has coached collegiate basketball for nearly three decades, including a long successful stint at Southwestern College where he also served as Athletic Director, has begun work as a major gifts advancement officer for the college. The couple has two children. Their daughter, Abbey, will begin her junior year at Southwestern this fall, and their son, Ben, graduated from Drake University in May.

“We’re grateful that the Denlys are coming home to Winfield and look forward to the ways their work will strengthen Southwestern,” said Frombgen.

Southwestern College's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is fully approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing and satisfies the state educational requirements for eligibility to take the NCLEX-RN and obtain licensure in Kansas. For more information about nursing at Southwestern College, visit www.sckans.edu/nursing.