On behalf of my faculty colleagues and staff members, I welcome you to the College of Nursing. For nearly 100 years, we have the dedicated presence of nursing on the University of North Dakota campus and since 1909, the College of Nursing has been part of the academic presence as an independent unit. The faculty and staff of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics merged with us in 1997 and bring another essential view to the education of health professionals community nutritionists and registered dietician tracks. The commitment to excellence of practice and creative research and scholarship of the faculty have drawn the brightest and most motivated students in the state of North Dakota, the surrounding states of Minnesota, South Dakota and Montana and the nation and world to join us as Our plans of nursing and nutrition and dietetics study emphasize a humanities and sciences education further focused on nursing science in the final five semesters of study. The synergism between our teaching and research work is never before more apparent as now as we work to complete the construction of the Northern plains Center for Behavioral Health. We anticipate a late spring 2008 dedication of the new building where exciting and healthy promoting research opportunities for nursing and psychology faculty and education for our students will be housed and nurtured.

Each day as I walk across campus, I check out the progress on this 25,000 square foot new building and the renovation plans for the new Clinical Simulation Nursing Center. The NPCBH is the first research & academic building supported by the National Institutes of Health for nursing research ever in the nation. It is dedicated fully to interdisciplinary and translational research with partners across the campus and the state, and reflects the value the College places on interdisciplinary research and learning. It is a "bricks and mortar" statement about our values as faculty and administrators for how effective education of contemporary nursing science will be lead by evidence based practice. The solution to 21st century health challenges lies in our ability as nurses and nutritional professionals to not only think "outside of the box" but to also think laterally challenging even logical thought with scientific revolutionary approaches to tenacious behavioral problems. A recent news story about a local industry whose 800 workers lost nearly 8000 pounds collectively after being inspired by a reality show on TV offers a glimpse of the future of behavioral health nouveau recherche. This also brings to life my vision for the College: Valuing interdisciplinary and promoting nursing and nutritional science learning. Thanks to generous donations from alumni and grants from Dakota Medical Foundation and the Otto Bremer Foundation, our dream for a Clinical Simulation Nursing Center is nearly realized. This will promote patient safety and the development of expertise of our students to learn highly technical skills of nursing arts.

In 2002, the College developed its strategic mission. We are well on our way to realizing these goals and look forward to our students, faculty, staff, alumni, partners, colleagues and friends in securing the final journey to complete our five years strategic mission and to plan for the new process of continued growth and achievements for the College.

I suggest you to explore our website and learn more about our community of scholars, undergraduate and graduate programs of study, priority themes of research, and our students. I encourage you to contact us if you have any comments, questions, or would like additional information.

Warm wishes,



Chandice Y. Covington
Dean, College of Nursing

chandicecovington@mail.und.edu

701-777-4555