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Celebrating a Century
School of Nursing marks milestone with centennial gala
Writer: Matthew Merchant

It was an evening 100 years in the making.

Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing celebrated the centennial of its namesake endowment with a gala at Tinkham Veale University Center during Homecoming and Reunion Weekend in October.

During the program, Dean Carol Musil, PhD, RN (NUR ’79; GRS ’91, nursing), announced a $5 million scholarship campaign that will benefit students pursuing nursing degrees at �ǿմ�ý. (In fact, it launched that night, with a live auction raising more than $15,000 toward the effort.)

“Scholarships are a critical part of our students’ education and why we continue to seek financial support from our alumni and donors,” said Musil, also the Edward J. and Louise Mellen Professor of Nursing. “From the moment Frances Payne Bolton decided to help establish an independent school of nursing in 1923, we have fostered a dedication to experiential learning, research and leadership that has advanced the nursing discipline beyond what Frances could have imagined.”

In addition to the scholarship campaign launch, Musil also revealed a $1 million commitment from Beth and David Daigle to establish a Clinical Scholars Excellence Fund, which will be used to recruit and retain doctorally prepared, clinically focused faculty (read more about this in “To Recruit and Retain.”)

Speakers at the gala—including the university’s Interim Provost Joy K. Ward, who opened the event, and President Eric W. Kaler at a pre- dinner reception—focused on the school’s past, present and future.

The school recognized the influence of Bolton’s gift over the decades by acknowledging three former deans—Joyce Fitzpatrick, PhD, RN (MGT ’92), who was dean from 1982 to 1998; May Wykle, PhD (NUR ’62, ’69; GRS ’81, education), who held the role from 2001 to 2011; and Mary E. Kerr, PhD (GRS ’91, nursing), dean from 2011 to 2018. Plus, they honored prominent alumni, including Barbara L. Nichols, RN (NUR ’66), Erika Cheung, RN (NUR ’12), Colleen Lener, DNP (NUR ’12) and Susan Prion, EdD, RN (NUR ’79)

“Tonight is not just a night to celebrate our past and present, but to look to the future,” said Musil. “Our graduates span the globe, sharing the lessons learned in classrooms and clinical settings, and changing countless lives along the way.”