Oakland, CA–May 5, 2009. The Mills College first nursing cohort will graduate with their bachelor of science in nursing degrees on May 22 from Samuel Merritt University. Eleven students will be part of the new generation of nurses who will become leaders in their profession.

In an innovative partnership that began in 2005, Mills College joined Samuel Merritt University to address the nationwide shortage of nurses. The intercollegiate program allowed students to spend two years at Mills and complete undergraduate science and liberal arts requirements before transferring to Samuel Merritt to finish their nursing theory and clinical requirements. Unique to the Mills program is the leadership program where students develop the skills and knowledge needed to assume leadership roles in nursing by attending workshops and seminars on cultural literacy, conflict resolution, professionalism, and healthcare advocacy.

"The nursing students have benefitted from the women-centered environment and small classes here at Mills College," said Diane Jassawalla, director of the Pre-Nursing Program at Mills. "Our program emphasizes critical thinking skills, ethical decision making, and patient advocacy—the kind of education that is necessary for serving our multicultural community."

Funding for the program was started by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, which awarded Mills College with a five-year grant of almost $475,000 to increase the number of nurses entering the profession and to advance women as future leaders. Research has shown that there is a strong relationship between nurse career retention and the leadership characteristics of nurse managers/executives.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a 2004 study found that California ranked 50th nationwide in the number of registered nurses per capita, with only 589 nurses per 100,000 people compared to the national average of 825 nurses per 100,000.

For more information, visit the Mills Pre-Nursing Program.

Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California, Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering a dynamic progressive education that fosters leadership, social responsibility, and creativity to approximately 950 undergraduate women and 500 graduate women and men. Since 2000, applications to Mills College have more than doubled. The College is named one of the top colleges in the West by U.S. News & World Report, one of the Best 368 Colleges by the Princeton Review, and ranks 75th among America's best colleges by Forbes.com. Visit us at www.mills.edu.

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