History
Throughout its history, the MSU College of Nursing has trained more than 8,000 nurses and impacted numerous other lives through its teaching, care and research. Below is a brief history of some of the college’s more notable achievements.
1950: The Board of Trustees of Michigan State College authorized the development of a Department of Nursing Education on May 18, 1950.
1957: The Department of Nursing became the School of Nursing.
1968: Groundbreaking for the Life Science Building took place in March. This facility was built on land specifically designated for education in medicine and nursing.
1976: The Master of Science in Nursing, with a strong primary care emphasis, was created.
1978: The college's first federally funded research grant, "Patient Contributions to Care: Link to Process Outcome," by Barbara Given, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, is received. The grant was funded by the Division of Nursing, Health and Human Services.
1980: The School of Nursing becomes the College of Nursing, and Director Isabelle Payne, EdD, RN, becomes the first Dean.
1991: College of Nursing Research Center was established to support research and scholarly activities. Barbara Given, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, was named Director. Faculty were nationally recognized for research in family home care, menopause, and decision-making of patients and providers.
2004: First Ph.D. degree awarded; accelerated second degree BSN program created
2012: Bott Building for Nursing Education and Research opens
2016: First DNP degrees awarded
2019: Clinical nurse specialist MSN program cracks Top 20 in U.S. News & World Report’s best online graduate nursing programs