History of Wolford College

Thomas Cook, MD, a longtime partner in Collier Anesthesia, P.A, envisioned a nurse anesthesia program on Florida’s beautiful southwest coast. He invited Norman R. Wolford, EdD, CRNA to help him make his dream a reality. Norman R. Wolford EdD, CRNA, assisted in the development and implementation of the initial curriculum.

In 2003, during its period of evolution, the College received its licensure from the State of Florida, the Florida Department of Education, and Commission for Independent Education, as an independent single purpose college. Wolford College has received 10 years of accreditation through 2018.

Over the next several years, Wolford College evolved into its present operating structure. On February 1, 2005 the first Wolford College class was matriculated. In June of 2008, Wolford College was housed in its permanent facility on 1336 Creekside Blvd in Naples Florida.

Presently, Wolford College admits fifty bachelor prepared nurses, bi-annually to the Master’s program. Wolford College has multiple clinical sites throughout Florida and in Georgia.

In 2010, Wolford College received accreditation and licensure to offer a post Master’s Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice. The post Master’s DNAP is for CRNAS with their master’s degree. The first class is scheduled to admission in June, 2010. The post Master’s DNAP is entirely on line.

From its inception, the fundamental purpose of Wolford College has been to provide graduate education and applied practice experiences of the highest quality to a select group of diverse Registered Nurses in order to prepare them for life-long study and practice of anesthesia.