Fiscal Year 2017-2018 Annual Report

Letters from the Deans

When someone asks 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 made sacrifices to bring that vision to fruition. The whole history of this college has been this way — just people doing the right thing, right now, for the right reasons. That is why MCN’s reputation for 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.

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, while still shifting our gaze forward? How do we preserve the same quality of program while adapting to both changes in technology and the demands of today’s student? How we navigate those questions will define the success of this college for the next 100 years.

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. And for me, a large part of that comes down to research. MCN’s America’s Promise, PROUD, and CAUSE grants allow us to play around with different models of healthcare administration locally — models that can then be 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.

Dean Judy Neubrander

Update from the Office of Nursing Research, Scholarship, and Innovation

In 2018, the Office of Nursing Research, Scholarship, and Innovation had a great year! First, I would like to thank the late Margaret Randolph and her family. Margaret’s donation to MCN is allowing us to support research endeavors of faculty members, and is being used for small studies to develop evidence needed to justify larger external research funding—a critical step in building the research acumen and reputation of the college.

I am proud to announce that our faculty published 25 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals, up from 16 in 2017. They presented nationally and internationally at major conferences. We received two large program grants, continued work on two other program grants, and submitted an additional grant to the Health Resources and Services Administration. These grants have enhanced our curriculum to provide cutting-edge experiences for both undergraduate and graduate nursing students.

As we move into 2019, we are facilitating faculty research and accomplishments with a goal of several faculty receiving National Institute of Health research funding in the next few years.

Looking forward to an exciting and productive 2019!

Mary J. Dyck, PhD, RN, LNHA
Associate Dean for Research