NORTH EAST, MD — Cecil College nursing dean Nancy L. Norman-Marzella has been selected for a national fellowship recognizing leadership in associate degree nursing education, highlighting her work expanding nursing training pathways for students in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
Norman-Marzella, the college’s dean of Health and Human Sciences and director of Nursing, is among 10 nursing educators selected for the Academy of Associate Degree Nursing’s 2026 Class of Fellows, according to an October 22 announcement from Cecil College.
The academy, part of the Organization for Associate Degree Nursing, recognizes contributions to nursing education, professional advocacy, scholarship and leadership. Fellowship is among the organization’s highest professional distinctions.
Norman-Marzella’s selection follows her work developing accelerated nursing education pathways and incorporating simulation-based instruction and virtual reality into clinical training.
Cecil College offers two pathways to an Associate of Science in Nursing degree. Its traditional program takes two years and combines classroom instruction with clinical experience, while an accelerated program allows eligible students with previous college degrees or substantial college credits to complete their studies in approximately 13 months.
The accelerated pathway combines online coursework with in-person laboratory instruction and clinical training. Both programs prepare graduates to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, which is required for RN licensure.
Christy Dryer, Cecil College’s vice president of Academic Affairs and provost, credited Norman-Marzella with expanding educational opportunities through the accelerated program and technology-based clinical instruction.
“These initiatives expand educational opportunities, strengthen clinical judgment, and help ensure that students are prepared to meet the complex needs of patients and communities,” Dryer said.
Dryer is also a fellow of the Academy of Associate Degree Nursing.
The recognition carries regional workforce significance for Cecil College, which is located within 10 miles of the Pennsylvania and Delaware borders. The institution serves nursing students from across the three-state region and reports a higher proportion of out-of-state and out-of-county students than other Maryland community colleges.
The college said its nursing graduates are actively recruited and that its program has consistently recorded some of Maryland’s highest nursing licensure examination pass rates.
Norman-Marzella has also mentored nursing educators and supported professional advocacy for nurses trained through associate degree programs.
“This recognition represents not only a personal milestone but also reflects the excellence and commitment of Cecil College to advancing associate degree nursing education,” Norman-Marzella said.
Cecil College’s nursing program is approved by the Maryland State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. The college holds institutional accreditation from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The nine other members of the 2026 fellowship class represent institutions including Valencia College, Carroll College, Louisiana State University at Alexandria, South Louisiana Community College, Malcolm X College, Blinn College, College of DuPage, Palo Alto College, and Samford University.
Additional information about Cecil College is available at www.cecil.edu.
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