College of Nursing Celebrates Golden Wildcats with Annual Homecoming Lunch
The College of Nursing celebrated the 50th anniversary of the class of 1966 - our Golden Wildcats - and the classes of 1976, 1986, 1996 and 2006 at the Signature Club on Friday, Oct. 7. Students and faculty gathered for lunch and heard from Dr. Janie Heath, dean and Warwick Professor of Nursing, Col. Marla De Jong, PhD alum, to honor the legacy and tradition of nursing excellence left by the Golden Wildcats.
Below is the Dean's address:
Welcome home to all our Wildcats and especially, our GOLDEN Wildcats! Can you believe we have so many of our graduates from the Class of 1966 here with us today? We celebrate you and your enduring commitment to the nursing profession. We’re so glad you “Wild Things” could join us for such a special occasion!
It’s taken “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly” to get you where you are today. Whether you wore your go-go boots or your ankle-length white dress, hose and cap, and later, your scrubs, you were and still are fearless women who trail blazed a path of excellence, determined to care for others. And as Florence Nightingale once said, “How very little can be done under the spirit of fear.” At a time when the Vietnam War and Civil Rights protests dominated the news, you, as nurses, gracefully accepted the challenge to face an uncertain world, one you faced with unwavering patience and care, for anyone who needed it.
Today, we continue to follow your path and nurture our students in a variety of programs, internships and other academically-enriching opportunities. In 1966, 170 undergraduate students were enrolled in the College. Now, we have more than 1,000 undergraduates enrolled. We are bursting at the seams, reaching for the pinnacle of nursing education, striving to grow the nursing workforce even more through our PhD and DNP programs. Dr. Marcia Dake would be so proud of each and every one of you and thrilled that you are together again today.
Our substantial growth is largely due to those who came before us, so we sincerely thank you for the endless support you’ve provided us for years and we hope you continue to follow the College’s nursing journey for many more years to come. You are the true pioneers of the College – without you, we would not be where we are today.
As we celebrate your class, I hope you all will have a chance to tell your stories, to share all you have witnessed and experienced. When we asked for memories of you time at the College, did you know Sherry Warden, Vicki Gorman and Charlotte Keen stayed up all night to study for an exam, only to “practically fail” the next day. Yes, rest IS important! Reva Harper, cared for a little curly blonde-headed boy named Chuckie with a congenital hip dislocation. She was nervous as he was a 3-year-old in a body cast, but she rose to the task. Reva even visited him during her time off because his parents couldn’t be there. The Class of 1966 was resilient and dedicated, destined to succeed!
We are all a family because of the profession we chose, the stories we tell and the experiences we share. While our students rarely do the “Twist” anymore, they are certainly connected to you and influenced in other ways by your success. I speak for many when I say we are honored to live through your legacy and stand alongside you today to celebrate the College of Nursing’s longstanding tradition of excellence. Please put your hands together as we celebrate you – the class of 1966!
