Since arriving at the College of Nursing in July of 2020, from Denver, Colorado, I have been blown away by the passion and commitment from you, our strongest advocates. Attending the Virtual Scholarships & Awards Banquet granted me the opportunity to engage with some of you and appreciate the various walks of life our donors come from and how we all share the same vision of elevating nursing education. The same can be said for our students and alumni, who through 71 years of providing world-class care across the globe, have created a legacy for us to build upon. With over 30 years of experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner and four previous leadership roles in higher education, my passions run deep regarding my dedication to best evidence-based nursing care and high quality nursing education. I am grateful for this opportunity to join you all in this mission.

I want to thank outgoing Dean Randolph Rasch for his commitment to the college these past six years in the role and look forward to working with everyone in the college to build upon his accomplishments and continue to heighten awareness of our college, locally, regionally and nationally.

Our focus remains strong. We are committed to preparing our students using the highest standards of competency-based education as recently outlined by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). In doing so, donor support is essential as the landscape and needs associated will continue to shift. As we look towards the future, our primary funding areas of focus will have an emphasis on scholarships, fellowships, and professorships.

Spartan nurses have, and will, continue to transform healthcare delivery through nursing research and practice. In our own community, we see that faculty and students are creating impact through community-based, service-learning engagement. We know that 85% of our alumni are practicing in Michigan, and our reach extends to all 50 states. In a similar fashion, donors such as yourself bring a diverse worldview that will strengthen and broaden the impact of our work. The collaborative spirit of the Spartan Nursing family is what will move us forward during this critical time.