Dear Alumni, Colleagues, and Friends,
As we begin to navigate 2025, we renew our commitment to our mission and capacity for impact. Creating nurse leaders who will transform lives and health around the world is no small feat. As higher education continues to evolve, we find reassurance in knowing our mission serves as a beacon of guidance. At the core of that mission are engaged alumni, excellent educators, innovative researchers, and the next generation of nurse leaders — who, as they have for decades, will drive our profession to new heights while bringing hope and enthusiasm with each passing year.
Our Penn State Nursing community makes a difference. Stories from our nursing community reinforce our commitment to nursing education, research, and the healthcare landscape as a whole. Leah and Wendy Edgar’s story offers a glimpse into a most inspiring journey that makes the Penn State Nursing experience so unique and give us great pride in saying We Are.
In continuation of the We Are spirit; we have many opportunities for all to come together throughout 2025. Events such as the WE LEAD Inspirational Speaker Lecture, the CGNE Alumni & Friends Spring Brunch, or the Center for Nursing Research seminar series, give us a chance to reconnect, create new networks, and celebrate our college’s transformative work.
The Nursing Sciences Building renovation at University Park is making great progress, and with an anticipated completion timeline of Fall 2025. Soon students will be able to reap the benefits of the state-of-the-art facilities. Beyond the classroom, students in the WE LEAD and Conway Scholars programs are building leadership acumen, cultivating entrepreneurship, negotiation, and innovation competencies. Their dedication to excellence creates pride for all of us.
However, none of the great work we do would be possible without your support. Whether you give financially or with your time through mentorship or volunteering, you give our students a better chance at success. Please, explore this most recent newsletter edition for upcoming opportunities to stay involved or get involved, if you aren’t already!
Thank you for being an invaluable asset to our college — it does not go unnoticed. Together, we can continue to enhance the future of nursing and healthcare one Penn State nurse at a time.
Be well,
Laurie Badzek, LLM, JD, MS, RN, FNAP, FAAN
Dean and Professor
Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing
