School celebrates 110-year legacy, affirms its future

University of Minnesota School of Nursing alumni, faculty, students and special guests filled McNamara Alumni Center May 1 to celebrate the School of Nursing’s 110-year legacy and affirm its future.

Nursing education and the profession were forever changed when Richard Olding Beard led the first successful effort to establish nursing in an institution of higher learning at the University of Minnesota in 1909.

Speakers at the 110 celebration included retired US Army Lt. Gen. and OptumServe CEO Patricia Horoho, retired US Army Brig. Gen. and Living Legend Clara Adams-Ender, Executive Vice President and Provost Karen Hanson, Vice President for Clinical Affairs Jakub Tolar and Northeast Middle School nurse Nathan Grumdahl, BSN ‘16.

A few highlights from the night are below.

Patricia Horoho, CEO of OptumServe and retired U.S. Army Lt. General

“Thank you, when the world was watching, that you all stepped forward in World War I and supported training military nurses. Thank you, when the world was watching, that you all stepped forward for World War II and you trained military nurses. You all have shown the moral courage, the resiliency and what it takes when a nation is watching to be able to stand up and have an impact.”

“I think we have an opportunity to carry this legacy of care and service forward and engage the next generation of nurses so that we arm them with the imperative of moral courage, resiliency and agility.”

“We are better together when we have differences in education and ethnicity, in our culture and experience, in our gender, it only makes all of us better.”

Karen Hanson, University of Minnesota executive vice president and provost

“When this school was founded in 1909 as the University of Minnesota School for Nurses it was the first out of more than 1,000 nursing schools in the country that was under a university umbrella. While the other nursing schools for the most part were part of a hospital, our school was focused on educating rather than simply training for duty.”

“Then and now, the School of Nursing has been a key contributor to the university’s fulfillment of the fundamental land grant mission.”

“Today we celebrate a faculty and student body with unlimited potential.”

Jakub Tolar, University of Minnesota Medical School dean and vice president of Clinical Affairs

“I have a tremendous sense of gratitude to nursing, which, in my world, is absolutely fundamental. Nursing is the backbone of everything we do in health care.”

“It is under the enlightened leadership of Dean Delaney and others that we have the opportunity to be such good partners in what health care represents. It’s an honor, on behalf of the vice president and dean’s office of which I serve, to congratulate you on this exceptional anniversary.”

Nathan Grumdahl, BSN ’16, school nurse at Northeast Middle School and Boynton Health

“We as nurses carry a special burden or gift depending on how you look at it. We all have a light that we can shine on the dark places.”

Connie White Delaney, School of Nursing dean

“At the University of Minnesota School of Nursing we can be tremendously proud of where we have come from over these past 110 years. More importantly, we can dream and envision where we are headed.”

“Thanks to Beard and those who followed, we have been honored to serve individuals, families, communities and organizations. Advancements, initiatives and innovations in nursing and health continue to radiate from this land grant institution of higher education and our partnerships with systems, societies and our planet.”