Kent State University College of Nursing Celebrates History of Diversity on 50th Anniversary

The Kent State University (KSU) College of Nursing celebrated their 50th anniversary this past Monday, Jan. 23. Gathering together the entire college of nursing, students and faculty showed up to celebrate the college’s historic past while focusing on diversity and staying on the cutting edge of technology as they move forward.

KSU President Beverly Warren and Dean of the College of Nursing, Dr. Barbara Broome, both attended the celebration to give speeches about their experiences in nursing and predictions for the future of healthcare. According to KentWired.com, President Warren emphasized the importance of diversity with a snippet from her past: “In my generation, I was told, as a female, you can either teach or be a nurse. 50 years later, I’m proud to say you have so many options before you. Whether you’re male, female, transgender, no matter how you identify yourself, there is a career for you in nursing.”

Both nursing leaders gave recognition to their students who they said are a legacy of bright new ideas. Nursing isn’t just a women’s profession anymore and students love Kent’s approach to diversity and drive to break stereotypes of what defines the typical nurse. Dr. Broome summed up diversity simply:

“Inclusiveness means males, females, different races, ethnic groups, religious beliefs and lifestyles, and I think that nursing should be a lot more inclusive than it has been…It’s for anyone who has a desire to make an impact and change things.”

Looking to the future, President Warren hopes for more nursing specialties and to bring state-of-the-art technology to Kent because she believes technology drives healthcare. Kent’s nursing leaders embody the college’s values and have no plans of letting up. They’re striving for graduates who impact their communities and beyond by staying at the cutting edge of nursing.