A Vision for the Future

When one thinks about an organization’s culture—who they truly are at their core—sometimes that is a really difficult question to answer. But at Mennonite, that answer is simple:

Mennonite College of Nursing is a group of people who see a need, come together with a common purpose, and work really, really hard to make it happen.

Way back in 1919, our founders weren’t sitting in a room thinking “100 years from now…” Instead, they focused on the impact they could have in that moment. They had a vision of a healthier community and they sacrificed to bring that vision to fruition. The whole history of this college has been that way—just people doing the right thing, right now, for the right reasons. That is why MCN’s reputation of excellence is so strong. That’s why our ties to this community are so strong. And frankly, that’s a large part of what drew me to this college.

Health care is changing.

I think it is common knowledge that healthcare is changing—and rapidly. In order to keep up with that change, we must shift our gaze forward, be proactive, and innovate. I firmly believe that nurses must stand up and lead. Thinking about the now is no longer enough—we need to think about the next 5, 10, 50 years.

Change like that can be hard, and we don’t want to just change for change’s sake. The critical piece of any shift or change is figuring out how you do it without losing that which makes you special. How do we honor and hold close to who we have always been as an institution, and still shift our gaze forward? How do we preserve the same quality of program while adapting to changes in technology and the demands of today’s student? I think that how we navigate those questions will define the success of this college for the next 100 years.

And nurses need to lead that change.

So what is my vision for the college moving forward?

I want MCN to be a thought leader for how healthcare is administered in the future. I want us to maintain our reputation and respect our great history. I want us seen as a premier college of nursing nationally.

For me, a large part of that comes down to research. MCN’s America’s Promise, PROUD, and CAUSE grant-funded projects allow us to explore different models of healthcare administration locally—models that can then be replicated and used to positively impact health on a greater scale. And ultimately, that’s what it’s always been about here—a group of people working together toward a common goal, caring about one another, collaborating passionately, and improving the health of their community.

We invite you to join us.

So on that note, I invite you to join us not only as we celebrate our history, but also as we look ahead. Let's work together to imagine a brighter future for healthcare. And then, let's work (really, really) hard to make that future happen.

Sincerely,

Judy Neubrander, Ed.D., FNP-BC
Dean
Mennonite College of Nursing
Illinois State University