Dear Alumni,

As we enter the spring of 2007 and end the traditional academic year, I reflect on all that we have accomplished in the College this year, as well as the tremendous enrollment growth we continue to see in our programs. With health care being the largest employer in our region as well as the state, we are pleased with the increasing caliber of the student body who elects to come to the University of Detroit Mercy and our College. Nursing enrollments continue to be strong. We are welcoming a new class of accelerated nursing students and will be increasing the enrollment to 80 students, along with 100 pre-licensure students beginning in September in Detroit and 50 in Grand Rapids.

The second year of the five-year accelerated Physician Assistant program is proving to be a sought-after program with enrollments exceeded for this fall class. We are also promoting the "business of health care" for the undergraduate Health Services Administration program and recruiting more traditional undergraduates to that program. Graduate enrollments in the Physician Assistant and Nurse Anesthesia continue to be strong with more qualified applicants than we can accommodate.

The graduate nursing programs, along with the HSA program, are also positive for the upcoming year. With the national nursing shortage, we are actively recruiting for more full-time faculty lines in both Detroit and Grand Rapids. We have been pleased with the nurses interested in our new master's track in Nursing Education with a clinical specialization in adult health. As alumni, you can be proud of the strong tradition of excellence that you have set for the next generation of health professionals!

This year, as part of our Strategic Plan, we have made excellent progress in several areas: continued strength and growth in enrollment, investment and continued development in faculty scholarship and research, and increased technology integration throughout the curricula in all programs. Our faculty have been presenting and publishing at a higher rate this year, which is detailed in this newsletter. We have also had several faculty completing their doctoral degrees this year or are at candidacy status.

One of our key initiatives is to emphasize simulation technology in our health professions education. We have developed a business plan for this, and see this as a major advancement initiative in the next several years. We have a new Advancement Director, Nancy Maier, who will be assisting us with development efforts in the College. A new initiative we are also exploring is the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). A task force, comprised of nurse practitioner and nurse anesthesia faculty, has been working throughout this academic year to explore this option for our College.

Several weeks ago, we recognized four outstanding alumni for their leadership and excellence in their respective fields: Maria Strom, Nursing and current chair of our MSON Advisory Council; Michael Kobernick, M.D., Health Services Administration; Mary C. Mitchell, Physician Assistant; and Robin Cook, Nurse Anesthesia. Their achievements are quite notable and are featured in this newsletter.

As we approach graduation and the start of our summer courses, I want to thank all our alumni for your continued support to ensure that we deliver quality programs to all our students. Your support through participation on the Alumni Council that we are planning to expand, your support through precepting our students in clinical and administrative settings, your participation in various University functions, and your continued financial support for initiatives in scholarships, faculty research, and technology integration/physical facilities will ensure that we continue to prepare excellent practitioners, administrators and leaders that make a difference in our community.

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