The spring 2014 graduating class of nursing students consisted of nearly 150 degree candidates. Our aim to deliver results to the IOM Future of Nursing Report and help increase the proportion of nurses with a BSN degree to 80 percent by 2020 is realized three times per year. This spring, the College sent forth 77 new Spartans with baccalaureate degrees, 69 new Spartans with master's degrees, and one graduate was awarded the PhD in Nursing.

View photos from the event on Facebook in the "Spring Graduation 2014" photo album.

Five high-achieving students from the Nurse Scholar program are officially admitted into the BSN curriculum and the College of Nursing. Congratulations to: Sara Macdonald (Army ROTC), Natalie Morello, Jessica Mutrynowski, Joshua Wissner, and Michelle Wormser. In addition to this academic achievement, Wormser won first place at the University Undergrad Research Forum for her poster presentation.

On May 6, 2014 three of the Colleges own were recognized for positively impacting healthcare by McLaren Greater Lansing’s Salute to Nurses.

• Mary Blackmer (CON MSN '95), awarded with the Extraordinary Community Service Award. Mary's volunteerism includes working with victims after Hurricane Katrina, volunteering monthly at the Stehouwer Health Clinic, and teaching swimming lessons at the YMCA. She also donates 100 percent of her salary to the YMCA for youth programs and memberships for families.
• Matt Faust (CON BSN '06), earned the Inspirational Teaching or Mentoring Award. Faust is an exemplary professional and teaches students about the real-life application of what they are taught in their nursing education.
• Gayle Lourens, Assistant Director of Nurse Anesthesia, awarded with the Outstanding Advanced Practice Professional Nurse of the Year Award. Lourens has a 30 year career dedicated to high standards of excellence and the application of scientific research.

More than a dozen Sparrow Nurses were given special recognition for extraordinary care and service as part of activities celebrating national Nurses Week. Spartan honorees include:

• Susan Wisser (CON BSN '70), received Sparrow's highest Nursing honor, the Jean Granger Award, which recognizes excellence in nursing at Sparrow and contributions to the community.
• Fiona Bates (CON BSN '06), awarded Sparrow Health System Nurse of the Year for her specialty area of Critical Care/Step-down Services.