What was once a single position is now two at Southeastern Community College; when Jessica Hill assumed the Dean of Nursing and Healthcare Training role, and Brandy Nance took the Dean of Public Safety post on Nov. 1. Before taking on their new roles, both Hill and Nance were associate deans in their respective fields.   

With 18 years of work experience, Hill is a registered nurse. She earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from UNC Wilmington in 2006 and her master’s in nursing education and nursing administration from UNC Charlotte in 2013. She has work experience at Southeastern Regional Medical Center in the intensive care unit and at Columbus Regional Healthcare System in labor and delivery. She worked for Interim Healthcare as the branch manager for the Whiteville office and later getting promotions to area director and vice president of clinical services. Hill came on staff at SCC in 2015. 

“As part of the one college model, she will oversee the curriculum and workforce training education programs,” said Dr. Sylvia Cox, SCC Executive Vice President. “She will also oversee healthcare training programs in certified nursing assistant, phlebotomy and medical laboratory technician.” 

Cox described Hill as a “dynamic leader” with a successful track record who is taking the next step in her career. Hill started at SCC as a nursing faculty who moved up to assistant director of nursing in 2018 and has served as director of nursing since 2021. Hill said she is looking forward to building SCC’s nursing and healthcare training programs, increasing enrollment, increasing retention and growing the nursing apprenticeship program. 

Hill’s favorite part of leading the nursing and healthcare training programs is seeing how the instructors change a student’s life. Her favorite times of year are in May and December when she pins each graduate at the pinning ceremony. She said the ceremonies remind her of why she entered a career in healthcare.  

“I’m very excited and honored that the college believes in me and offered this opportunity,” Hill said. “But it really is all about the amazing team that I work with because they are a perfect group of individuals who will help make our program grow.” 

Nance started her career in public safety as a junior firefighter when she was 16 years old at Klondyke-Chadbourn Fire and Rescue in 2003. She is an SCC graduate with certification as a paramedic and an associate of arts degree in criminal justice in 2007.  

“When I was junior firefighter, I came up here [to SCC] on Sundays with my dad when he was going through classes,” Nance said. “I listened to the different instructors teach, and I knew one day that I would end up doing the same thing.” 

Nance earned her bachelor’s degree in emergency medical care with a concentration in healthcare management from Western Carolina University, and she is working on her master’s degree in public administration from Liberty University with a concentration in disaster management. She plans to graduate in spring 2026. Nance became a certified firefighter in 2014, and she graduated from the Basic Law Enforcement Training program in 2018. 

“Brandy is a great example to our community with 18 years of service, and most of that has been right here in our county,” Cox said.  

Under Nance’s leadership in the one college model, she will continue to grow the workforce education and continuing education in-service training programs. She will oversee the EMS curriculum and public safety administration programs. Her favorite part of the job so far is interacting with the students, seeing them reach their goals and seeing the smiles on their faces.   

“I love helping students make connections with the workforce and being that bridge,” Nance said. “There’s so many divisions and chiefs and so many people who want to be involved in public safety but don’t know how. We’re helping people make those connections.” 

For more information about the Nursing and Healthcare Training programs, click here! 

For more information about the Public Safety program, click here!