ACADEMIC PROGRAMS THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING (BSN) Mother Teresa’s commitment to the poor and unwanted included medical care, which led to her becoming a nurse. In the spirit of Mother’s commitment to healing and caring for the sick, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Program at Ave Maria University launched in 2015. The curriculum instills the importance of administering compassion for the sick and the suffering, and respecting life, from conception to natural death. The small faculty-to-student ratio enhances learning and the program incorporates a “fundamentals and simulation lab” with advanced equipment and resources. Local healthcare organizations and agencies within the Southwest Florida community offer nursing students a wealth of clinical experiences. The Thomas and Selby Prince Building will be the permanent home of “Mother’s” nursing program. Nursing major, Michelle Zettel tried evacuating during Hurricane Irma in 2017, but by providence, her flight was canceled and she had to move from her home in Ave Maria to the dorms for shelter. She and two other nursing students emailed President Towey’s assistant informing them that they would be available through the storm. Shortly after, Michelle received a text message saying that there would be eight patients from Immokalee arriving to campus and their help was in fact needed. Michelle and the other nursing students examined the patients before the storm and assessed the situation to determine what the patients could do on their own and what they need for medication. “Our biggest struggle was the language barrier,” Michelle recalls, “Seven of the eight patients spoke only Creole, with one speaking little English. We used her as a translator.” With the training Michelle and the other nursing students had received, they were able to write down all the necessary medications for the Resident Director of the dorm who would provide care to the patients during the storm.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE The Entrepreneurship Initiative at Ave Maria University launched in the spring of 2018. This initiative assists students of all majors in living their faith as they create value and serve others. Student members benefit from acquiring life skills in the “science of association,” which includes project-creation, problem-solving, and collective action, all of which are essential to leadership, prosperity, a life of service, and good citizenship. The larger community also benefits from the intentional creation of social capital and the spirit of entrepreneurship fostered in these students.
