Purdue Nurse - Summer 2001 - School of Nursing - Purdue University

Development
It’s been an exciting year at the
School of Nursing. Many new development
initiatives have been implemented.
Overall, our level of giving is up
257%, thanks to the generous supporters
who share in our vision. In addition, the
number of alumni giving back to the
school this year has increased more than
three-fold.
Recently, we have established two
new endowed scholarships for the
school that will directly benefit our
students, the Katie Schmal Wagner
Research Fellowship Award and the
Betty Blatchley-Sensiba Scholarship (see
stories next page).
RuthAnn Smolen, Director of the
Center for Nursing Education, Research,
and Practice (CNERP) has been working
hard to secure gifts-in-kind from our
corporate sponsors and as a result we
have received some very useful gifts for
the CNERP. Among these are two
hospital bed units from Hill-Rom that
will simulate the critical care environment
and allow our students to gain
more experience through familiarity
and practice.
In addition, Notre Dame University
made a gift to support a research project
by Dr. Barbra Mann-Wall, one of our
new faculty members.
Other foundations making gifts to
our school this fiscal year include the
Fort Wayne Medical Society, The
Tippecanotes, Landscapes Unlimited,
Sigma Theta Tau, New England Health
Care Edvantanges, and MDM Home
Health Care, Inc. We have had a wonderful
year and are very grateful to all
of our supporters.
Vierk Gift Aids Graduate Program
Karen (AAS ’67) and Dan Vierk, both members of the
School of Nursing Advisory Board, have been long-time
supporters of the Purdue School of Nursing. They have
once again have demonstrated their generosity by making a
very significant gift to the school to aid in the establishment
of our own graduate program.
Although we currently have a consortium graduate
program in conjunction with Purdue-Calumet, we would
like to offer a master’s with an Adult Nurse Practitioner
(ANP) specialization. The Vierks responded to our request
for help and were ready to offer their support as we go
through the process of developing such a program.
Mrs. Vierk was a nurse for eight years and recognizes
the top-quality program that Purdue offers. She and her
husband, local business owners, were impressed at the high
percentage of Purdue School of Nursing graduates hired by
Lafayette-area hospitals. They are committed to improving
the quality of life in our town and want to help us expand
educational opportunities for our students.
Currently the Vierks have provided the funds to support
the planning of a graduate program and they would like to
challenge other supporters to make their pledge. Please
consider joining the Vierks in their support of our school.
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