LITTLE ROCK – Baptist Health College Little Rock is pleased to announce that
Joel Hicks, EdD, RT(R), is the college’s new president.
“We are thrilled to have Joel Hicks at the helm of our college, which for over a century
has trained the next generation of health care professionals in nursing and allied health
programs,” said Mike Perkins, president of Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock. “His
decades of experience, not only in education but in hands-on medical practice as well, make
him a great fit for its next chapter.”
Prior to joining Baptist Health College Little Rock, Hicks had served since July 2021 as
the dean of the College of Nursing and School of Allied Health at Northwestern State University, based in Natchitoches, Louisiana. There, he oversaw all certificate, undergraduate and graduate programs within the nursing and allied health programs divisions across four campuses.
Hicks additionally served as associate dean in 2020 and as the School of Allied Health
director from 2017-2020. He also taught at Northwestern State starting in 2010, and was a
tenured associate professor within the School of Allied Health.
Before working in higher education, Hicks served for almost two decades in health care,
primarily in diagnostic and cardiac imaging. The majority of this clinical time was spent in a heart catheterization lab.
“Working with multiple health care disciplines, in a high-stress situation, has greatly
influenced my ability to build strong working relationships in higher education,” said Hicks.
“I look forward to furthering the mission of Baptist Health College Little Rock and building upon the high-quality education offered to students.”
Hicks earned a certificate in radiologic technology in 1994 from LSU Health Sciences
Center. He continued his education over a decade later, earning a Bachelor of Science in
Radiologic Sciences in 2006 from Northwestern State and a Master of Science in Radiologic
Technology in 2009 from Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. Then, in 2016, he completed a Doctor of Education in Developmental Education at Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana.
Baptist Health College Little Rock, part of Baptist Health Medical Center-Little Rock, has
shaped the health of Arkansans by educating and mentoring health care professionals with
excellence and Christian compassion since 1921. With nine programs of study, including two
nursing programs and seven allied health programs, graduates demonstrate entry-level
competency in their fields, exemplify professionalism and personify the Baptist Health values.
For more information about Baptist Health College Little Rock, visit bhclr.edu.