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Erskine community mourns the loss of Dr. Naoma Nelsen

Photo Image of Dr. Naoma NelsenIt is with great sadness and prayer that the Erskine community mourns the loss of Associate Professor of Biology Dr. Naoma Nelsen, who died Friday after a brave fight with cancer.

Nelsen earned a Ph.D. in genetics from Clemson University, a master’s degree in microbial genetics from Texas A&M University, and a bachelor’s degree from Southwest Missouri State University. She joined the Erskine faculty in 2008.

In 2016, Nelsen was honored with the SCICU Excellence in Teaching Award. The award citation included praise from her students for “her deep knowledge of biology and her passion for it,” as well as “her accessibility outside of class and labs, her eagerness to help students achieve—at Erskine and beyond—to the best of their abilities.”

In 2024, Erskine’s Chi Lambda Sigma Women held a 3k breast cancer color run in honor of Dr. Nelsen and to raise money for a 3-D mobile mammogram for Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood. They hosted the event again in 2025.

A memorial service will be held first in Missouri, Dr. Nelsen’s home state. A memorial service in Due West will follow, and details will be shared as they are finalized.

 

Tom Flynn, Staff Writer

Erskine and Due West Skyline

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