Celebrating a Century of Caring
For 100 years, Saint Luke's Hospital has provided thousands of women and men with a quality nursing education. Next year, Saint Luke's College of Nursing will celebrate this legacy with its centennial celebration— and begin a second century of service to the community.
While the rates of admission at nursing colleges are down across the country, Saint Luke's College continues to recruit top applicants.
"Every fall we have more qualified applicants than we have openings,” says dean Helen Jepson.
Saint Luke's College offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Its selective admissions process allows it to accept only 55 top students each year. The small student-to-faculty ratio is a tremendous asset because it allows frequent, personal interaction. Having a large community hospital across the street also provides students with hands-on experience.
One hundred percent of the college's graduates become active nurses. About half take positions at Saint Luke's Hospital. Whether they work at Saint Luke's or at another hospital, Saint Luke's College alumni play a very important role in our health care community.
"The rigors of the curriculum, quality of instruction, and the academic environment prepare graduate nurses who are clinically and professionally well prepared to practice nursing,” says Mary Ellen Doyle, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer of Saint Luke's Hospital. "The patients and families coming to Saint Luke's benefit from their education and training on a daily basis.”
Preparing for a second century
Saint Luke's College kept pace with the nursing profession as it evolved over the past century. Its Centennial Campaign will help set the stage for another century of excellence.
An endowment campaign, providing $4 million for present and future needs, will ensure high quality nursing education and patient care to continue and it will provide an opportunity for others to share directly in the healing mission of the college. The Centennial Campaign will provide support for endowed professorships, student scholarships and support for the college's Learning Resource Center.
This year the campaign received a large gift from Barbara and Robert Kleist who established the first endowed professorship at the college—the Barbara Meinke and Robert A. Kleist Endowed Professorship in Nursing. In doing so, the Kleists have taken the lead in helping to prepare the College for a second century of nursing. Barbara is also honorary chairwoman of the college's Centennial Celebration in 2003.
"We want to stay on the cutting edge with technology and quality faculty,” said Jepson. "This will be a celebration not only of our past successes—it will also be a time to look ahead to the future.”
For more information about Saint Luke's College call 8l6.932.2367.
For information about giving opportunities at the college call 816.932.2252.