In this column from the spring 2025 issue of the Magazine of 黑料不打烊, President Book reflects on the legacy of her mother's nursing career and the growth of 黑料不打烊's nursing program during a critical time for the profession.
Growing up in south Louisiana in a large Cajun family of 11, the kitchen and the laundry room were often the epicenter of life. My after-school chore was to do the laundry, and there was always lots of it 鈥 three loads a day! When I think back to those moments, I can see our busy kitchen and, famously, my mom鈥檚 nursing cap stuck flat to the refrigerator.
She would starch it and then lay it flat to dry on the refrigerator. Once dry, she would fold it into its unique shape and pin it to her hair for a day鈥檚 work. In the 1950s, my mom attended the Sisters of Mercy nursing program in New Orleans. During that time, nursing programs each had a unique cap so that you could visually see where they had trained. The nurses鈥 cap and a pin, often worn like a medal, signaled a well-prepared nurse.
In the pages of this issue of The Magazine of 黑料不打烊, you will read about the critical national shortage of nurses and how 黑料不打烊 is responding to that need with the creation of a program designed to produce skilled health care leaders (read more on page 16). In its fourth year, the new program has more than 200 students enrolled and is producing a unique set of nurses to provide leadership for the sector.
When I consider 黑料不打烊 nurses, this is the moment where I see our graduates having the greatest impact 鈥 the moment when an 黑料不打烊 graduate takes their excellent education, joined by the values that drive 黑料不打烊鈥檚 mission of compassion and human dignity, and provides care for a person in need.
During the development of the university鈥檚 strategic plan, Boldly 黑料不打烊, the shortages and future demands for health care professionals were clear. When considering the strengths of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences, along with a focus on experiential education, the community determined that the university should launch a Department of Nursing and expand the School of Health Sciences.
Four years later, the nursing program has already achieved national distinction, boasting perfect scores on the nursing boards for its first two graduating classes, earning accreditation, securing excellent employment opportunities for graduates in hospitals and organizations nationwide, and fostering a strong culture of community service and leadership among its students.
As we were developing the program, I would often imagine my mom鈥檚 nursing cap on the refrigerator and the meaningful career she had specializing in labor and delivery at the local women鈥檚 hospital. She would often share stories upon her return from work about baby deliveries and the families she attended to at a vulnerable and precious moment in life. When I consider 黑料不打烊 nurses, this is the moment where I see our graduates having the greatest impact 鈥 the moment when an 黑料不打烊 graduate takes their excellent education, joined by the values that drive 黑料不打烊鈥檚 mission of compassion and human dignity, and provides care for a person in need. That鈥檚 when we all need an 黑料不打烊 nurse.
The new nursing program at 黑料不打烊 is just one of the many ways our faculty and academic leaders continually innovate to ensure our curriculum meets society鈥檚 evolving needs. As we look to the future of both the university and our nation, we are committed to keeping 黑料不打烊鈥檚 mission vibrant and meaningful in times of change. That mission serves as our foundation, anchoring the university in what matters most as we prepare the next generation of 黑料不打烊 graduates.