Historic Omaha

CLARKSON
COLLEGE
✧
Above: Clarkson College, c. 1905.
Below: Students in the Clarkson College
radiology program.
HISTORIC OMAHA
126
Clarkson College, a leader in educating
healthcare providers since 1888, offers the
core values of learning, caring, commitment,
integrity, and excellence. The story begins
with the Ladies’ Hospital, founded by a group
of charitable women. Then the hospital
transferred to Nebraska First Episcopal
Bishop Robert H. Clarkson, who established
the facility as one of Omaha’s first charitable
hospitals. Following Clarkson’s passing, his
wife, Meliora, continued to work tirelessly to
promote and advance the hospital. As the
demand for health services rose, she helped
found Nebraska’s very first nursing school,
the School of Nursing at 1721 Dodge Street.
In 1892 the facility was incorporated under
Nebraska law as the Bishop Clarkson
Memorial Hospital for Children. Today,
students study in state-of-the-art facilities and
Clarkson College is an educational partner
with The Nebraska Medical Center.
The College has a rich historical perspective.
In 1902 a formal three-year course of study for
nurses training was adopted. In 1909 the new
Bishop Clarkson Memorial Hospital opened at
Twenty-first and Howard Streets. In addition,
the Nebraska Legislature created the state’s first
board of nurse examiners, leading to a change
in the school from one of apprenticeship
training to one organized under the Nurse
Registration Act. In 1917, five of the ten
Nebraska Red Cross Nurses sent to France in
WWI were Clarkson School of Nursing
graduates. As medical advances continued, the
school innovated. In 1927 the National League
for Nursing Education curriculum was
adopted. In 1931 the school affiliated with
University Hospital to enhance pediatric and
obstetric training. In response to the WWII
nursing shortage, thirty-one students enrolled
as Clarkson’s first Cadet Corps Nurses. By
1953, Clarkson Hospital had moved to Fortysecond
and Dewey. In 1958, planning began for
a new facility. Nebraska’s largest nursing school
opened its doors in 1960 as the Bishop
Clarkson Memorial Hospital School of Nursing.
In 1982 the School of Nursing formally
became Bishop Clarkson College and received
its North Central Association accreditation,
allowing it to offer a four-year bachelor of
science in nursing degree. In 1991 master’s
level programs were initiated in nursing and
health services management. Always a leader in
healthcare education, the curriculum
expanded into a full range of health science
programs, including nursing, healthcare
business management, health information
management, medical imaging, radiologic
technology assistant, occupational therapy
assistant, and physical therapist assistant.
Clarkson College is committed to the
community and connects with children of all
ages. True to its mission, values and goals,
supporting programs such as the Adopt-A-
School Educational Partnership, spark the
interest of children in future health careers.
Clarkson College remains on the cutting edge of
health science career training and is poised to
meet the challenges of the future.
Please visit www.clarksoncollege.edu for
more information.