Message from Dean Suzanne Mellon

Healthy Times, Fall 2003

Suzanne Mellon, R.N., Ph.D., has taught psychiatric/mental health, research, leadership and management, and community mental health, as well as family content in the UDM graduate nursing programs and theoretical foundations of nursing. Her area of specialization is in psychiatric mental health nursing and family mental health. Her area of research expertise and interest is in family survivorship of a cancer illness. She holds a B.S.N. from the University of Michigan, a M.S. in Nursing from Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. from Wayne State University. Dean Mellon received the President's Award for Faculty Excellence in 1996 and the first Doctoral Nursing Student Fellowship from the Helen Newberry Joy Foundation in 1996. She joined the University of Detroit Mercy in 1989. Prior to her current position as dean, she has served on the faculty and as associate dean and chair for McAuley School of Nursing.

Dear Alumni,

This academic year is off to a great start! We have an increased enrollment in all our programs in the College, with 979 students registered! This is an increase from the previous fall, and we project that our College will continue to show even more growth in the next year. With acute shortages in numerous health professional areas, notably nursing, we are responding to these needs and are able to accommodate more students as we plan for the future. In particular, our accelerated second-degree program, a unique program for individuals with a prior degree to complete their BSN in 12 months, has doubled in size this year. Our prelicensure program in collaboration with Aquinas College and Saint Mary’s Mercy Medical Center, has also met their capped enrollment on the western side of the state. Additionally, we have expanded programs in graduate HSA and Nursing Health Systems Management, and BSN completion to University Center at Macomb Community College in Clinton Township.

The enrollment growth signifies the continuation of the mission and vision of our College to prepare leaders in health care and to meet the industry’s current and emerging needs. We believe that we meet this challenge through our commitment to values-based and ethical practice for our graduates, our strong emphasis on building partnerships in the community, our commitment to student-focused attention and innovative teaching, integration of an interdisciplinary approach, and our ongoing commitment to an urban perspective that now includes national and international perspectives.

We are actively planning to move to the McNichols Campus in August 2004, which will be a major focus of our efforts this year. Plans have been finalized regarding where our new home will be located. We will have a new building addition connected to the south wing of the current Lansing-Reilly Hall, which will also be a part of our new home. We are tremendously excited about a new building and renovation of a large wing that will service our students, faculty and staff! Please see the architectural plans and renderings related to the new building addition. A major element in the planning has been incorporation of the traditions and heritage of the Sisters of Mercy, which will be reflected in this new location for our College and School.

Other important spaces in the new building addition will be state-of-the-art Physical Assessment and Instructional Practice Labs, a Virtual Simulation Classroom, Private Examination rooms, a Human Anatomy Lab, and a Computer Learning and Testing Laboratory. Our renovated wing will include student spaces for relaxation and group meetings, a faculty and staff lounge, a corridor of Health Professions Conference Room spaces for alumni and partnership meetings. Large faculty offices are also included in this renovated wing.

We welcome your involvement and commitment to this major undertaking for our College. Our College Advisory Board, Alumni Council and University Advancement Department are working diligently to ensure that this state-of-the-art facility will fulfill our vision for the future for our students, faculty, staff, as well as returning alumni. Each gift, particularly for the building, but also for technology and laboratory investment and student scholarship assistance, is greatly appreciated. Please feel free to contact me (mellonsk@udmercy.edu) at the College if you would like to be involved in this investment for our future.

Suzanne Mellon
Dean, College of Health Professions
McAuley School of Nursing