AdventHealth University

AdventHealth University (AHU) is a private health sciences university in Orlando, Florida, United States. It is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the AdventHealth hospital system, a network of faith-based healthcare facilities. The university also operates campuses in Tampa and Denver. AHU offers more than 20 programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, including online and certificate options.

AdventHealth University

Seal of AdventHealth University
Former names	Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences (1992–2012) Adventist University of Health Sciences (2012–2018)
Type	Private
Established	1992; 33 years ago (1992)
Accreditation	SACS
Affiliation	AdventHealth
Religious affiliation	Seventh-day Adventist Church
Academic affiliations	NAICU • ICUF
Endowment	$11.2 million USD (2023)
President	C. Josef Ghosn[1]
Provost	Karen Benn Marshall[2]
Academic staff	296 (fall 2023)[3]
Students	1,692 (fall 2023)[3]
Undergraduates	1,221 (fall 2023)[3]
Postgraduates	471 (fall 2023)[3]
Location	Orlando , Florida , United States 28°34′35″N 81°22′3″W
Campus	Large city[3], 9 acres (3.6 ha)
Other campuses	Tampa Denver
Colors	Dark blue, light blue, dark green, and light green
Website	ahu.edu

AHU traces its origins to a nursing program started in 1913 at Florida Sanitarium (now AdventHealth Orlando). In 1983, a two-year associate degree in nursing began under the sponsorship of Southern College (now Southern Adventist University).^[4] Plans to establish a standalone institution began in 1990, led by hospital chaplain David Greenlaw, who became the founding president.^[5]

The Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences (FHCHS) opened in 1992 with 243 students, integrating hospital-based programs in radiography, sonography, nursing, and radiation therapy. These were accredited by national boards. In 1998, the college was granted Level II accreditation and began offering bachelor’s degrees, starting with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Additional associate and bachelor's programs followed in pre-professional studies, nuclear medicine, and occupational therapy.

In 2008, FHCHS received Level III accreditation, launching its first graduate program in nurse anesthesia, followed by a Master of Occupational Therapy in 2011. That year, the associate nursing program was phased out and replaced with a bachelor’s degree.

In 2022, AHU partnered with Full Sail University to integrate healthcare education with emerging technologies.^[6][7] In 2024, AHU opened a Welcome Center in Orlando and broke ground on a new simulation center, scheduled to open in 2026. The Tampa campus began enrolling nursing students in 2025.^[8]

See also

• List of Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities
• List of Seventh-day Adventist hospitals