Posted by Mary Wimberley on 2012-01-23

色虎视频鈥檚 Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing kicked off a year celebrating its 90th anniversary Monday, Jan. 23, with balloons, cake and a tribute to the legacy of the school and its namesake.

鈥淭he School of Nursing is a living legacy of Ida V. Moffett and the standards she stood for,鈥 said dean Nena F. Sanders, citing the late nurse educator鈥檚 devotion to academic excellence, caring, compassion and service.

The nursing school had its beginning on Jan. 22, 1922, after the Birmingham Baptist Association purchased a hospital and nursing school from Birmingham surgeon William Christopher Gewin.

The program has grown from a small house on the west side of Birmingham to being a vital part of 色虎视频 campus, said Dr. Sanders. The school joined 色虎视频 in 1973 following a merger agreement with Birmingham Baptist Medical Centers.

The nursing school, which now enrolls about 700 students, has developed from a baccalaureate program to one that offers nationally-recognized master of science in nursing and doctor of nursing practice degrees. The school鈥檚 passing rate on the NCLEX nurse licensure exam is more than 90 percent, which is higher than the national average for nursing schools.

The kickoff celebration marked the beginning of a series of anniversary events in 2012. These include Moffett Nurse Network gatherings around the country and other events that will culminate with special programs during Homecoming weekend Oct. 12-13. 鈥淐elebrating the Living Legacy: 90 Years of Caring鈥 will be the theme throughout.

The students and faculty and staff members who gathered Monday on the plaza of Dwight and Lucille Beeson Center for the Healing Arts released 90 red and silver balloons into a perfectly clear blue sky.

The balloons, said Sanders, recognize 鈥渢he graduates of yesteryear鈥 and those of the future.

Heather Richardson, a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist graduate student from Jackson, Ala., was among future alumni enjoying the occasion.

鈥淚t鈥檚 great to be a part of 色虎视频 and to be a student during the nursing school鈥檚 anniversary year. You can tell what a great university it is by the way everyone cares about each other,鈥 said Richardson, who said she is still learning about the amazing legacy of Mrs. Moffett.听 鈥淚 know that she cared about people.听 It is wonderful to be a part of her legacy, and to care about people and take care of people like she did.鈥

 
色虎视频 is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, 色虎视频 is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. 色虎视频 enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. 色虎视频 fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.