Dear Alumni, Colleagues, and Friends of the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing,
I invite you to join me in congratulating the Spring and Summer 2021 graduates and welcome them to the highly coveted Penn State Alumni Network! As we continue to navigate this unorthodox time, I continue to commend our nursing community for their commitment to keeping each other safe through vaccinations and CDC recommendations.
As we hope you’ve heard, the college has again become the beneficiary of Ross and Carol Nese’s generosity. With their transformational contribution, we are beyond optimistic about our very bright future. A future that will position us to carry out our mission to improve the lives and health of people for whom we provide care. I am proud to reintroduce our beloved college as the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, now the only named nursing college in the Big 10.
Compounding our excitement is the start of in-person classes, we cannot wait to be back in the classroom! With the University hosting vaccine clinics, it has become easier for the Penn State community to access the vaccine. We each must do our part to keep each other safe and keep our society and nation moving forward, especially in the face of the Delta variant.
I also wanted to take the time to acknowledge the designation of June 19th as Juneteenth National Independence Day, an official federal holiday. The holiday not only recognizes the end of American slavery, but also celebrates the advancements of the Black culture and Black history. As a nursing community, we must stay committed to compassionate, unbiased care that preserves the dignity of every person we encounter. I call upon all in our community to stand together, embrace, and create a future where peace and respect come first.
Moving forward, hybrid learning experiences will continue to be an expectation, as the University and college are working tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition back to in-person learning.
Thank you for your unwavering encouragement and involvement in the Alumni Society and the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing. Please stay connected with us on our social media pages to follow all of the great work our college is continuing to achieve in the Year of the Nurse!
Be well,
Laurie Badzek
Laurie Badzek, LLM, JD, MS, RN, FNAP, FAAN
Dean and Professor
Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing
