Centenary University’s RN to BSN program expands under new director as accreditation moves forward
HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (Warren County) — For Rebecca Cooper, DNP, Centenary University’s Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program represents extraordinary opportunities — both for her students and her own professional journey.
Named director of the RN to BSN program last spring, Dr. Cooper arrived at Centenary while the program was midway through the accreditation process with the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) — and immediately went to work.
In just a few months, she completed a required self-study report and prepared for the CCNE site visit on Oct. 1, while simultaneously recruiting new students for the fall semester. Both efforts paid off: the program enrolled 12 new students, its largest cohort to date, and the site visit was successful. Full program accreditation is pending final review from the CCNE Accreditation Reviewer Committee in spring 2026.
“It’s definitely been busy,” said Dr. Cooper, who relocated her family from Arizona last March to accept the position at Centenary. “It typically takes six to 12 months to complete a self-study, but I submitted it in August. I’ve also been attending nursing career fairs at Atlantic Health System hospitals to introduce the RN to BSN to potential students. Now that accreditation is almost finished, I plan to visit other health systems and community colleges to continue growing enrollment.”
Developed in collaboration with Atlantic Health System, Centenary’s RN to BSN program provides registered nurses with an academic pathway to advance their careers into leadership roles, public health, and school nursing. The program can be completed in five semesters and follows a cohort model, designed to help working professionals support one another throughout their studies.
Classes are fully asynchronous to accommodate busy schedules, and most students can complete their practicum experience at their current workplace. Alongside employer tuition assistance, students may also qualify for the Reeves Scholarship Program, which provides up to $3,000 toward tuition for RNs employed at Overlook Hospital in Summit, N.J.
A Vernon Township, native, Dr. Cooper was inspired to pursue nursing by her mother, an emergency trauma nurse. Before joining Centenary, she worked as a travel and hospital staff nurse in Arizona and later joined the faculties of Chamberlain University College of Nursing and the Arizona College of Nursing, where she rose to assistant dean of nursing.
Dr. Cooper earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Capella University, a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix, and degrees from Hackensack UMC Mountainside School of Nursing and Chamberlain University.
“Coming back home to my New Jersey roots is what initially drew me to Centenary,” Dr. Cooper said. “When the program receives accreditation — which is expected next spring — that will be my greatest career accomplishment.”
Applicants to Centenary’s RN to BSN program must hold a full and unrestricted nursing license, though community college students nearing completion of their nursing coursework are also eligible to apply.
For more information about the program or to apply for the fall 2026 cohort, contact Rebecca Cooper, DNP, at (908) 852-1400, ext. 2409.
