By Docker Haub
Student Reporter
Northwestern Oklahoma State University announced the naming of the Division of Nursing as well as the Doctoral Program in Rural Nursing Practice on Monday, March 25.
It is the first time in school history that any program has been officially named. The programs will now be known as the Charles Morton Share Trust Division of Nursing and the Wisdom Family Foundation Doctoral Program in Rural Nursing Practice (DNP).
“Today marks the first time in Northwestern history that an academic department and program have been named,” said Dr. Janet Cunningham, president of the university, “and it is reflective of the extraordinary support provided by the Charles Morton Share Trust and the Wisdom Family Foundation.”
Both the Share Trust and the Wisdom family have had a history of involvement and support for Northwestern and the Alva community.
The Share Trust has helped to provide leadership gifts for several projects that have taken place on campus including: The J.R. Holder Wellness Center, Ranger Field and the construction of the Dean Linder Press Box and football complex.
As for the Wisdom Family, they have also provided support for the baccalaureate program in agriculture education by offering scholarships and the construction of the Wisdom Agriculture Education Center. The Wisdom Family also has a hand in visual arts with two endowed chairs.
Dr. Shelly Wells, the Division of Nursing Char, recognizes the importance of this moment and what it means for the nursing program.
“It’s such an honor to be named after these two particular foundations that have meant so much to Northwestern and the community in general,” Wells said, “because they truly go beyond our walls and make an impact on many lives.”
Wells also knows just how different the nursing program at Northwestern is from any other in the state.
“This is huge deal because it sets us apart from every other graduate program in the state,” Wells said. “There is nobody else in the state that specializes in rural healthcare the way that we do, and now that we have a solidified Doctoral program, we will only continue to separate ourselves in a great way.”
Back in 2014, Northwestern first began working to create a Doctoral program in nursing. With the Share Trust being the first entity to back the program, Northwestern secured final approval from Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in 2016.
Then later in 2017, support from the Wisdom Family Foundation came for the nursing program, which allowed Northwestern to enroll its first class into the Doctoral program in the fall of 2017. “The support of the Wisdom Family Foundation solidified the DNP program and allowed us to establish a program that rivals any in the country,” Cunningham said.
The nursing program has gone a long way since 2014. They now find themselves with a solidified DNP and the first program names in school history.
The first class of graduates from the DNP program is expected in the spring of 2020.