A Special Place(Thu 11 Sep 2008)
One of the great joys I have as Dean is the first meeting with the new students as they arrive at YSN. It is an informal and fun gathering, and it always brings me back to my early days as a graduate nursing student at Yale over 30 years ago.
I always try to emphasize what a special place YSN is. We were the first university-based school of nursing in the United States, an experiment in nursing education that is now the norm for hundreds of programs across the country. I make sure to emphasize the involvement of our faculty in clinical practice or groundbreaking research, which enriches their education. These new students are also part of one of the great research institutions in the world - Yale University - and I encourage them to take advantage of the vast resources available to them.
Mostly, I try to convey to the students that they are embarking on a challenging and difficult journey, but one that will bring about great rewards for them, their future patients, and the health care systems that they will impact. I tell them how influential YSN was in my career, combining education, research, and practice. I also remind them of our mission, "better healthcare for all people," and encourage them to keep the social consciousness that brought them to us.
I believe in YSN. So do the faculty, staff, and 339 students currently enrolled and beginning a new semester. My pledge to these extremely bright, curious, and dynamic students - the best of the best - is to do my best to provide them with the resources they need to pursue excellence at YSN.
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