Center of Excellence

The National League for Nursing (NLN) officially recognized Adelphi University and the College of Nursing and Public Health as a Center of Excellence for 2014–2018 at a September 19 banquet during the NLN’s Education Summit in Phoenix, Arizona.

Although none of the honorees made remarks at the event, statements were read for each of the newest Centers of Excellence. The College’s statement cited “a focus on advancing the science of nursing education. The outcomes of the research undertaken by the faculty have influenced maintaining excellence in our three levels of education programs. The faculty engage students in their research and projects and have widely disseminated their findings in their peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. Adelphi’s [College of Nursing and Public Health] plans to continue a focus on advancing nursing education science through more collaborative research with their clinical partners and interprofessional colleagues.”

Dean Patrick Coonan, Ed.D., R.N., NEA-BC, FACHE, called the designation “exciting news” in late August, when Beverly Malone, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, chief executive officer of the Washington, D.C.-based NLN, announced that the league had singled out Adelphi “for creating environments that advance the science of nursing education.”

The NLN also considers Adelphi and five other Centers of Excellence institutions to be “role models whose faculty, deans and researchers are available to share expertise, insight, knowledge and experience to lift the entire nursing community to a higher level of achievement,” Dr. Malone said.

Dr. Coonan praised “our faculty, who have continued to contribute to advancing the science of nursing education through publications, presentations and supporting our students in their research and projects.”

In addition, he cited Jane White, Ph.D., the College’s associate dean for research, for sprearheading the Center of Excellence application process over the last year. “Her committee members helped compile documents necessary for the application, which were many….We are indebted to them,” he said.

Dr. White’s committee members were Patricia Donohue-Porter, Ph.D., Maryann Forbes, Ph.D., Andrea McCrink, Ed.D., Deborah Murphy, M.S., and Janet Raman, Ed.D.

The COE honor is the latest news in an eventful period for the College that began in Spring 2013. The 70th anniversary of the former School of Nursing segued into Adelphi changing the name and mission of its nursing school. Renamed the College of Nursing and Public Health, it has expanded into such programs as the Master of Public Health and the M.S. in Nutrition. In addition, Adelphi began construction of the 100,000-square-foot Nexus Building and Welcome Center, which will serve, as of Fall 2015, in part as the College’s new home, with ultramodern simulation labs and more.

During the years in which these institutions carry the Center of Excellence designation, their faculty and administrators serve as advisers and sounding boards to others who intend to seek its status, Dr. Malone said.

The six newest additions bring to 35 the number of Center of Excellence designees chosen by the NLN Board of Governors since 2004—31 higher education institutions and the rest healthcare organizations.

All told, the NLN has 40,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members.