New MSU President Guskiewicz makes first college visit

New MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz visited the College of Nursing in March as part of his listening and learning tour, meeting with several faculty and students over the course of more than two hours.

His visit began with a brief meeting with leaders in the Offices of Student Affairs and Academic Affairs, before heading upstairs to meet with some research faculty. There, he learned about some of Assistant Professor Jiying Ling’s on healthy eating among youth before the president met with other employees in the Bott Building for Nursing Education and Research. Guskiewicz also stopped to meet with undergraduate students in both classrooms and the simulation labs, as well as college leadership to discuss priorities and opportunities.

“I am so impressed with the college’s curious students, world-class professors and researchers and excellent leadership team,” said Guskiewicz. “From hosting the largest immersive reality teaching space in the nation to supporting a clinic to help address Michigan’s primary care provider shortage, the college is delivering an excellent education to Spartan nurses – and impactful service to the public in the land-grant tradition. As one person I met said, it truly is an awesome time to be a Spartan nurse, and I look forward to our continued collaboration to build an even more strategic, bold and student-focused MSU.”

The visit coincided with Give Green Day, which received a generous and unexpected boost from the president, who agreed to match the $1,500 donation from the Student Advisory Council to the college for its Nursing Workforce Diversity Program, Pin Pals Fund and Student Conference Expense Gift Account.

“We were delighted to literally open our doors to the president and to show him all the hard work that goes into becoming a Spartan Nurse,” said Leigh Small, dean and professor in the College of Nursing. “From the classroom to the simulation labs, as well as our research floors, he has a firm understanding now of our accomplishments, expectations and opportunities, and we look forward to working with him to position the MSU College of Nursing as a leader in the Big Ten and the nation.”