Dear College of Nursing Community,
I write to you all at the conclusion of yet another impactful academic year. Hundreds more Marquette Nurses have joined the profession, ready to make a difference in the lives of thousands of patients. While my own daughter’s college graduation left me unable to attend this year’s Commencement exercises, I still found ways to celebrate with students and am so proud of all our graduates for their hard work and dedication.
One of the most important things we can do to fulfill our mission as a college is to expand access for every Wisconsin nurse who wants a Marquette education. Our remote AGACNP program is a great example of that principle in action. We are now offering students in the Fox Valley and north-central Wisconsin opportunities to take courses from where they live and complete clinical hours with local preceptors. Anyone who works in rural nursing knows we have a dire shortage of health care professionals in these areas. Marquette Nursing is committed to addressing the problem through scholarships and flexible learning opportunities, allowing nurses practicing in rural-serving areas to continue working while they get their degree.
In this newsletter, you’ll also read about the Marquette University Student Nurses Association, a student organization that puts young nurses in leadership positions. I’ve gotten to know their president, newly graduated senior Madeline Fullerton, quite well during her time serving as a student-faculty liaison. I’m excited for you all to get to know her as well!
At some point in your nursing career, you may have used the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scales to determine whether a patient is ready to leave the hospital. Did you know that Marquette Nursing professors invented them? Drs. Marianne Weiss and Stacee Lerret saw a need for better guidance on this issue and collaborated on a solution that is now in use around the world. When we talk about the transformative impact of our college’s research, this is a perfect example.
I hope you all have a wonderful summer. The 2026-27 academic year will be here before we all know it!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jill Guttormson
College of Nursing Dean
