A foundation for excellence

By Victoria Martineau Heim

Marcia Dake, dean 1980-1988

In 1987, a year before her retirement as the first and only Dean of JMU’s then College of Nursing, Marcia Dake put forth a call for “the need to dare.” She defined this call as “the need to have courage, the need to be bold, the need to not be afraid, the need to meet and resist, to face and defy, to venture, to challenge and to be brave!” These words stand the test of time, as this “need to dare” is ever more essential for nurses in today’s challenging health care environment and are a true testament to Dake’s legacy.

LeeAnna Farrall (’83) with Dean Dake before presenting a paper on “Excellence in Nursing” at the 1987 convocation ceremony.

Dake was hired in July 1979 to help create a nursing program at JMU that would help alleviate the severe shortage of nurses at Rockingham Memorial Hospital and Western State Hospital in Staunton. She received her nursing diploma from Crouse Irving Hospital School of Nursing in Syracuse, NY and a bachelor of science from Syracuse University, eventually earning a masters and doctorate from Columbia University. Dake also notably served with the Army Nurses Corps in Hawaii and Japan both during and after World War II, and was dean of the college of nursing at the University of Kentucky for 14 years. Before coming to JMU, she served as the director of program development for nursing and health services for the American Red Cross.

Although initially blocked by SCHEV (the State Council of High Education in Virginia), which cited that there was an adequate number of nurses to meet the demands of the state at the time, Dake, along with JMU President Ronald E. Carrier, persisted in getting the council to reverse its decision and approve the JMU nursing program. The program officially began in Fall 1980 and was developed to include two years of general studies and two years of nursing courses. Dake’s hope was to eventually accommodate those with hospital diplomas and associate degrees in nursing, and offer continuing education to practicing nurses. This hope ultimately came to pass as JMU’s nursing program moved from a department to a College of Nursing in 1982 after full accreditation by the Virginia Board of Nursing. Although the college returned to a department within JMU’s College of Health and Human Development in 1988, Dake’s stewardship started it on the course to where the School of Nursing is today, which includes a traditional BSN program, several masters programs, a doctorate of nursing practice program and a flourishing online RN-BSN program. Throughout her nine years at JMU, Dake was instrumental in recruiting essential faculty members and securing strong relationships with local and state hospitals, as well as other healthcare organizations to become clinical partners. The growth experienced under her leadership is evidence of her forward thinking, always in the pursuit of excellence. Professor Nancy Puffenbarger (’88) shared, “When I think of Dr. Dake I think of someone who set high goals for the nursing students because she wanted all students to be excellent nurses.”

Upon her retirement in 1988, Dake expressed heartfelt thanks and stated that after a career spanning four decades in nursing, “…[M]y major professional goal has been to assist young people to become all they are capable of being as professional nurses.” Today, the JMU School of Nursing stands as a proof of achievement of Dake’s goal and is proud to celebrate 40 years of excellence this year.

Dean Dake acknowledges Kate Love upon receipt of the Merck award for the highest GPA.

Dean Dake embraces faculty Lois Waters during her retirement celebration in 1986.