Dr. Cecil B. Drain is a distinguished nursing and health care education leader with a career spanning more than five decades. After earning his bachelor’s in nursing and master’s in medical-surgical nursing from the University of Arizona, Cecil served in the U.S. Army for 27 years, ultimately retiring as a full colonel. During his military service, he received multiple honors, including the Legion of Merit and the Meritorious Service Medal. He also earned a doctorate in educational curriculum and instruction from Texas A&M University.
After his military career, Cecil joined the University of Texas Health Sciences Center and Virginia Commonwealth University faculty. In 1997, he was appointed dean of VCU’s College of Health Professions, where he served for 21 years. Under his leadership, the college's programs gained national recognition, with the nurse anesthesiology program achieving a No. 1 ranking. He increased student enrollment, developed new doctoral and clinical programs, and obtained funding for a state-of-the-art building for the college.
Cecil is also an accomplished author, contributing extensively to textbooks and professional journals. He was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 1988 and of the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions in 2004. Among his many awards, he received the Helen Lamb Award and the Dornell Mase Award for his outstanding contributions to nursing education and practice.
Cecil’s most cherished accomplishment is his 59-year marriage to Cynthia Pfaff, with whom he shares three children and eight grandchildren.
On February 27, 2025, Cecil Drain was recognized for his achievements, public service, advocacy for education, volunteerism and service to students, the college, and the university.