The School of Nursing recently honored Saint Alphonsus and St. Luke’s by awarding them recognition medallions at the school’s bi-annual convocation held on December 15 in the Jordan Ballroom of the Student Union Building at Boise State University. Both health systems have contributed to Boise State in many ways including contributions to the School of Nursing through their scholarships. The scholarship support demonstrates the hospitals’ recognition of the critical roles nurses play in the future of healthcare.
The Saint Alphonsus Degree Completion Program Scholarship is a creative and innovative approach to better care for patients by furthering their nurses’ educations. Baccalaureate nursing programs provide additional competencies in community and public health, gerontology, care coordination, and more that associate degree and diploma nursing programs do not include. These skills, as well as experience with technology, policy development, and organizational systems, are necessary as the healthcare environment becomes more and more complex. This one of a kind scholarship opportunity, distributed through Boise State University, has been awarded to 36 students and has provided more than $240,000 since the scholarship was first established in 2014 to address the clinical needs of the Treasure Valley.
St. Luke’s Medical Staff were honored at the convocation for creating and sustaining two scholarships in nursing: the St. Luke’s Medical Staff Scholarship for Nursing Excellence and The St. Luke’s Medical Staff Endowed Scholarship for Nursing. Established in 2006 and 2010, members of the medical staff at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center believed these scholarships would help promote the nursing profession and support nursing students of Boise State University. Recently, the medical staff agreed to combine their scholarships to grow their endowment and legacy with the university in an effort to provide more support to nursing students who represent the future of the profession. Their scholarship represents a multi-year effort by a group of physicians to assist the nursing profession, to recognize the critical role nurses play in healthcare, and to improve the health of people in the region. Since established, 20 Boise State School of Nursing students have received a scholarship from these funds.
“We greatly appreciate our community partners,” said Ann Hubbert, director of the School of Nursing. “They go beyond providing clinical spaces for our students. They also support our students with scholarships, mentor our students, partner with our faculty on research, and employ many of our students after graduation.”
The School of Nursing Convocation is a ceremony to celebrate and honor the academic achievements of nursing students. Fifty-seven pre-licensure Bachelor of Science nursing students are graduating this winter, 18 Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner students have earned their master’s degrees, 16 students are receiving their Healthcare Simulation Graduate Certificate, and three students are completing their Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner certificates, and 59 registered nurses are completing their bachelor’s degree through the RN-BS Completion Program.
Convocation provides an opportunity for nursing graduates to share their excitement and academic accomplishment with faculty, staff, fellow students, family, and friends at a special ceremony. Similar to the university commencement event, each individual student is recognized as they walk across the stage in their full graduation regalia. However, unique to convocation is the opportunity for students to invite an honored guest to walk beside them on stage. This person can be a parent, friend, partner, child, or faculty member who has significantly impacted their life and their education.
Students from the BS-Nursing Program and the RN-BS Program will be presented on stage with their apricot color stole by one of the School of Nursing Associate Directors. Masters graduates will be hooded on stage during convocation, whereas Doctor of Nursing graduates will receive their doctoral hoods during the commencement ceremony.
Convocation includes remarks from the School of Nursing Director and College of Health Sciences Dean. The ceremony features a keynote speaker and often includes recognition of special friends and donors of the School of Nursing. At the conclusion of the ceremony, nursing students and registered nurses in the audience will join together to recite the nursing oath.
The School of Nursing seeks to foster intellectual development and excellence in nursing education through teaching, learning, scholarship, and service. The school’s faculty are supportive teachers, passionate about nursing, and experienced educators with a wide range of clinical and academic expertise. Whether courses are taught online, in the classroom, or in a clinical setting, teaching and learning are highly interactive and multidimensional and the curriculum is designed to facilitate experiences that help students to integrate theoretical concepts into practice. The dedicated staff share the values of the School of Nursing community and provide high-touch services and support to students while supporting the coordination and promotion of our academic programs.