Timeline
1930s-40s
Villanova Bachelor of Science degree awarded to RNs through the Division of Nursing, College of Arts and Sciences, at Hallahan High School
1951
Sister Mary Alma Lawler, RSM, RN, MA (right) and Sister Mary Margarella O’Neill, OSF, RN, MS (left) were appointed co-directors to develop Division of Nursing.
[In 1956, Sr. Margarella was recalled by her order to earn her PhD at Catholic University of America; she later served as President of then Neumann College from 1983 to 1989.
In 1960, Sr. Alma left her position as administrator of the program when Dean Schrum arrived.]
1953
Generic baccalaureate program in nursing for high school graduates started. First ten nursing students are admitted initiating the education of full-time undergraduate women on the campus.
First female resident students are housed in Franciscan House of Studies, affectionately called “The Convent.”
1957
Nursing program receives initial accreditation from National League for Nursing.
First six students graduate from the College of Nursing and awarded the BSN degree.
1960
Marion M Schrum, EdD, RN, becomes first dean of the College of Nursing. She served till 1968.
College of Nursing moves to St. Clare Hall.
1966
Installation of Alpha Nu as the 35th chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, nursing’s honor society.
1968
Dorothy R. Marlow, EdD, RN, becomes second dean of the College of Nursing. (She had previously served as Assistant Dean since her arrival in 1965. During her sabbatical in the 1971-72 academic year, Mrs. Julia Boland Paparella served as Acting Dean. Dr. Marlow stepped down in 1976, at which time Mrs. Evelyn Behanna served as Acting Dean until Dr. Fitzpatrick arrived in January 1978.)
College of Nursing students reside in first residence hall for women on campus, Good Counsel Hall, called “New Dorm.”
College of Nursing expands to St. Clare Annex (now Stone Hall).
1972
College of Nursing moves to St. Mary Hall.
1978
M. Louise Fitzpatrick, EdD, RN, FAAN (photo) becomes third dean of the College of Nursing.
Margaret McClure, EdD, RN, FAAN is the first speaker at the Distinguished Lectureship in Nursing, initiated at College’s 25th Anniversary celebration.
1979
Program in Continuing Education for Nursing and Health Care established with federal funds under the direction of Assistant Dean Dr. Barbara Heller.
1980
Master’s Program in Nursing approved and developed with partial grant from the U.S. Public Health Service. Joan T. Large, EdD, RN is first director.
Villanova University awards first Presidential Scholarship to a nursing student – Mary Alice Rice, BSN ’84.
1982
First students graduate from MSN program.
First College of Nursing Medallion awarded to Ellen Cooper, BSN ’82.
1983
Master’s Program receives initial accreditation from National League for Nursing.
1984
Continuing Education Program receives initial accreditation from American Nurses Association.
Sandra Myers, BSN ’85, is first Villanova nursing student elected President of Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania.
1985
Nursing Alumni Society founded.
1987
Community health administration component in Graduate Program established with a federal grant.
Cynthia Rich, BSN ’89 elected President of National Student Nurses’ Association.
1990
First College of Nursing Mass and Alumni Medallion Ceremony held in St. Mary Chapel.
Two-year continuing grant awarded by Federal Government for continued support of community health component of Graduate Nursing Program; continuing accreditation by the National League for Nursing.
1992
Opportunity for nursing students to study abroad through affiliation with Kings College, London, England. Michelle McInerney, BSN ’95, is the first to take part.
First international students enroll in MSN program from Jordan and the Palestinian West Bank.
1993
Grant awarded by Division of Nursing of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for initiation of Case Management option in MSN program.
The Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies provides support to establish Health and Human Values lecture series.
First student from the People’s Republic of China begins Master’s program.
First students from the Sultanate of Oman begin Master’s program.
College of Nursing conducts first summer institute for Japanese nursing students.
1995
College of Nursing conducts summer institute for Korean nurses.
College of Nursing co-sponsors 4th Middle East nursing conference in Irbid, Jordan with University of Windsor, Ontario and Jordan University of Science and Technology.
Students from Jordan, Oman, Lebanon, Peoples Republic of China, Botswana, and Taiwan are evidence of the College's appeal internationally.
College of Nursing becomes collaborating center for Operation Smile International.
1996
First nurse practitioner program established in Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner studies.
1997
First Distance Learning initiative developed in the College.
Three-year federal grant establishes Nurse Anesthesia component in Graduate Program.
1998
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner option established in Graduate Program.
Students begin practicing health promotion at the Augustinian mission in Chulucanas, Peru.
College of Nursing receives three-year grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation for Health Promotion for Women with Disabilities Project.
1999
First twenty RN students from Oman complete their BSN degrees at Villanova.
College of Nursing co-sponsors first International Nursing Conference in Beirut, Lebanon with University of Michigan and American University of Beirut.
Graduate option in Health Care Administration, in collaboration with College of Commerce and Finance (presently, the Villanova School of Business), enrolls its first students.
Villanova nursing student, Jenny Yost, BSN ’00 elected President of Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania.
Four Villanova nursing students spend their sophomore year of study at the University of Manchester in England.
Geriatric Nurse Practitioner option established in Graduate Program.
2000
College of Nursing granted preferred status by U.S. Army ROTC – the only non-host school in country to gain this designation.
Continuing accreditation by the National League for Nursing. Initial accreditation granted by Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education for Baccalaureate and Master’s Degree Programs in Nursing.
2001
College of Nursing increases use of electronic teaching models.
College of Nursing receives extension of grant from Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation for Health Promotion for Women with Disabilities Project.
2002
Establishment of Doctoral Program in Nursing approved, pending funding, by University Board of Trustees.
2003
The Connelly Foundation announced an endowment of $4,000,000 to the College of Nursing on the occasion of its 50th Anniversary which was celebrated on April 26, 2003. This gift established an endowed deanship in the College of Nursing and provides resources for program and faculty development, technology related to nursing studies and Connelly-Delouvrier scholarships to help support nursing students with international and multi-cultural learning experiences.
Fourteen-month second degree accelerated program option, BSNExpress, admits first students.
2004
Inaugural class of 12 doctoral students begins the new PhD in Nursing program on June 1, 2004.
College of Nursing is one of only three schools in the nation to receive the new designation 'Center of Excellence in Nursing Education' from the National League for Nursing on October 1st.
2005
College of Nursing co-sponsors international scientific nursing conference in Beirut, Lebanon with American University of Beirut and the University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania and University of California, San Francisco.
Graduate Nursing Program celebrates its 25th anniversary during the 2005-2006 academic year.
2006
Graduate Nursing Program celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner track during the 2006-2007 academic year.
New Center for Nursing Research established.
Site for new College of Nursing building announced in June by University President Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA. Building will be constructed on central campus on former softball field next to Health Services Building and behind Sullivan Hall.
2007
Construction started on new building site on March 1.
The College's inaugural Board of Consultors convenes March 24.
Re-designation as NLN Center of Excellence in Nursing Education
2008
Dean Fitzpatrick celebrated for her 30 years of leadership at the College of Nursing.
Bonnie Baloga-Altieri, a member of the inaugural doctoral class, becomes first to graduate with PhD.
Faculty and staff move into new building, Driscoll Hall, on July 30, 2008. Dedication of Driscoll Hall was held on October 6, 2008.
2009
In September, the College of Nursing received approval from the State Board of Nursing to add a Family Nurse Practitioner option to its MSN and post-master's certificate offerings in the Graduate Nursing Program.
2010
In March, the College of Nursing inaugurated its Center for Global and Public Health.
On October 1, the College was honored for the third consecutive time as an NLN Center of Excellence in Nursing Education, in the category “Creating Environments that Advance the Science of Nursing Education.”
2011
The College launched a project for Saudi Arabian nurses to earn their BSN degree.
MacDonald Center for Obesity Prevention and Education established.
College of Nursing designated a Stellar School by the National Student Nurses' Association.
2012
First cohort for the new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program starts.
2013
College announces its first endowed faculty chair. The Diane L. & Robert F. Moritz, Jr. Endowed Chair in Nursing Research in the Villanova College of Nursing established April 2013 through the generosity of Diane L. & Robert F. Moritz, Jr. DDS '51 VSB. Professor Helene Moriarty, PhD, RN is the inaugural appointee to the chair.
Online RN to BSN program option launched through villanovau.com.
College of Nursing named NLN Center of Excellence in Nursing Education for fourth consecutive time, recognized for “Creating Environments that Advance the Science of Nursing Education.”
2016
On March 30th, Christina Reilly Whitehouse ’04 BSN, ’16 PhD, AGPCNP-BC, CDE successfully defended her dissertation “From Hospital to Home: Aiding in Patient Transitions Through Education for Obese Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus” to become our 50th PhD.
In May, the DNP program received full accreditation without recommendations from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Patrick Smith '16 BSN, the College's first male Presidential Scholar, was named a Fulbright Scholar and traveled to the Kingdom of Lesotho to study "Community Understanding and Perceptions of Lesotho’s National Health Reform."
2017
On September 1st, M. Louise Fitzpatrick, EdD, RN, FAAN, the long-time Connelly Endowed Dean of Villanova University’s College of Nursing, passed away peacefully following a nearly three-year battle with cancer. Dean of Villanova’s College of Nursing since 1978, Dr. Fitzpatrick was instrumental in the College becoming one of the nation’s premier nursing programs. For her leadership, Villanova bestowed upon her an honorary degree in 2015.
On September 16th in San Diego at the National League for Nursing's (NLN) 2017 Education Summit, the College of Nursing was once again honored as a Center of Excellence (COE) in Nursing Education, a designation from the NLN that it has held continuously since being one of three inaugural COE schools in 2004. This year, the College is a continuing designee in the category Creating Environments that Advance the Science of Nursing Education.
On September 18th, Lesley A. Perry, PhD, RN was named Interim Dean of the College of Nursing.
On December 13th, Villanova University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, announced the naming of the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, honoring the college’s visionary dean, who passed away in September. Villanova’s College of Nursing developed into a premier nursing program during Dr. Fitzpatrick’s tenure and was recognized repeatedly by the National League for Nursing as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education.
“Louise Fitzpatrick will be remembered as one of the most vibrant, transformative leaders in the history of Villanova, and I can think of no more fitting an honor than to name our College of Nursing after her,” said Father Donohue. “Dean Fitzpatrick was a visionary who embodied the spirit of what it means to be a Villanova nurse and a true Villanovan. Her leadership set a course of greatness for the College of Nursing and our University—and through this naming, we are ensuring that such vision and excellence continues to be a hallmark of the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing.”
2018
On January 16, 2018 the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing celebrated the 40th anniversary of the late Dean M. Louise Fitzpatrick assuming the leadership of the college. The new logos for the college were unveiled.
On February 8, Villanova University announced a $5 million commitment from alumna Deborah “Dee” Silvers Adams ’86 FCN and her husband, Nick, that provides anchor support for the naming of the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing. It is the largest philanthropic commitment in the history of Villanova Nursing.
On April 7, the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing is dedicated by University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, following the College's 29th Annual Mass. A new monument sign is installed outside the doors of Driscoll Hall
During the College's 29th Annual Mass, its newly inaugurated and most presigious award - the M. Louise Fitzpatrick Award for Transformative Leadership - is given to Mary Duffin Naylor '71 BSN, PhD, RN, FAAN. She is Marian S. Ware Professor in Gerontology and Director of the NewCourtland Center for Transitions and Health at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and a member of the Villanova University Board of Trustees.
Following the Mass and Dedication, the portrait of the late M. Louise Fitzpatrick, EdD, RN, FAAN was unveiled. It was painted by Philadelphia artist Garth Herrick.
Professor Suzanne C. Smeltzer, EdD, RN, FAAN, director of the College's Office for Nursing Research, is announced as the inaugural holder of The Richard and Marianne Kreider Endowed Professorship in the Nursing of Vulnerable Populations. She has worked for decades to address the health issues of people with disabilities through education, research, and advocacy.
Donna Sullivan Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN was announced on June 4 as the new Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor of the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, effective June 30. Her appointment was the result of a national search.
Dean Havens is a Villanova alumna, having earned her MSN in nursing education in 1983 from the University. She completed postdoctoral study at the University of Pennsylvania in the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, and she earned her PhD at the University of Maryland, and her BS in Nursing at Cedar Crest College.
As dean of the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, Dr. Havens will serve as the chief administrator of the College, leading its strategic and academic planning, faculty scholarship, teaching and service; strengthening the student experience; promoting clinical and community partnerships; providing financial oversight; and overseeing fundraising and alumni relations.
2019
In December, FCN establishes the Gerontology Interest Group ("The GiG") under the direction of Associate Professor Melissa O'Connor, PhD, MBA, RN, FGSA. It is a campus-wide collaboration of students, faculty, and staff who engage in research, advocacy and workforce development to support the needs of the aging population.
2020
WHO named 2020 The Year of the Nurse and Midwife, in celebration of Florence NIghtingale's 200th birthday, nursing's impact on healthcare worldwide and to elevate nursing globally. The year quickly focused on nursing in an even more critical role as nurses stepped to the frontlines across the world to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
For the first time in its history, the University and its Colleges converted to virtual learning after campus temporarily closed March 13, 2020. Clinical rotations were cancelled as hospitals were focused on containing the virus and conserving PPE (personal protective equipment). Dean Havens gathered area deans to collaborate on solutions to challenges, and FCN donated PPE from the Simulation Center to the campus Student Health Center as PPE was a scarce resource across care settings. The College also pushed out calls for help from local health care systems and epicenter New York City.
The GiG started Villanova ReachOut to combat loneliness in older adults who were isolated in their homes.
In May, the College launched the Caring About Health for All Study (CHAMPS), a study of the experience and self-reported health and well-being of essential workers and first responders, service staff and healthcare professionals, who provided support for patients, treatment sites and the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal is ultimately to inform future planning for their well-being and for public health emergencies in our country.
The College donated equipment and shared contacts with colleagues in the College of Engineering as nurse anesthesia students who were also experienced critical care nurses volunteered to collaborate on the design and building of a prototype ventilator, technology that was increasingly in short supply.
Adjunct faculty Sandy Gomberg '85 BSN, '90 MSN, was asked by Philaldephia officials to open a COVID-19 Surge Center in the basketball arena at Temple University. She was aided by College faculty and student experts.
The College's Center for Global and Public Health launched a "Let's talk COVID-19" webianr series to get the most accurate public health information at the time out to the public. Further, Dean Havens and faculty shared their expertise with the media to educate the public.
Over 70 frontline stories were collected from Villanova Nurses across the country, posted on villanova.edu/nursing and sent to the University archives, as was the Summer 2020 issue of Villanova Nursing magazine where more detail can be found.
On September 14, Associate Professor Patricia K. Bradley, PhD, RN, FAAN, is appointed by Dean Havens as the College's inaugural Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence. A faculty member since 1997, she brings decades of experience as an educator, scientist, advocate and communicator to serve as lead diversity, equity and inclusion officer.
2021
In the 2021-2022 academic year, the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing’s MacDonald Center for Obesity Prevention and Education (COPE) celebrates its 10-year anniversary with the theme Feeding the Need, Developing Solutions.
Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN) faculty and students unofficially kicked off the spring semester with a blast of collaborative creativity January 14-16 during the inaugural Villanova Health Hack 2021. The event was hosted by Villanova’s Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE) Institute with innovation experts at Independence Blue Cross (IBX). FCN was a major proponent and prize funder of the hack, as well as a co-sponsor and planner of the event with the other colleges and schools on campus.
M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN) receives a $2.5 million gift from the Bedford Falls Fund thanks to philanthropists William E. Conway Jr., co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, and his wife, Joanne, which will allow FCN's Accelerated BSN degree track to expand—creating new pathways for students to embark on nursing careers.
Sunny G. Hallowell, PhD, PPCNP-BC, IBCLC, a pediatric nurse practitioner and assistant professor, was selected as a Macy Faculty Scholar, the first in FCN's history. She joins a forward-thinking group of five researchers in the 2021 class of nurses and physicians, honored for their creativity and impact. As a Macy Faculty Scholar, Dr. Hallowell will design, develop, and test Inclusive Clinical Advocacy - Responsible Education through a web-based virtual gaming simulation (ICARE-VGS) to support healthcare providers’ development of clinical and communication skills to promote equity, diversity and belonging in the communities they serve. She is also a Harvard Macy Scholar and is mentored by Professor Elizabeth Burgess Dowdell, PhD, RN, FAAN.
In December 2021, FCN graduated its first class of 21 Nurse Anesthesia students with the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree.
2022
In January, the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing received another $2.5 million commitment from the Bedford Falls Fund, increasing the Fund’s giving to the College over the past year to a total of $5 million toward expanding the College’s Second Degree Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree track. This program creates new pathways for those who already have a college degree to embark on a nursing career.
Philanthropists William E. Conway Jr., co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, and his wife, Joanne, have given millions to support nursing education and scholarships to address the nation’s nursing workforce shortage.
The Fund’s initial commitment of $2.5 million in May 2021 launched the Joanne and William Conway Scholarship Program to recruit and enroll an annual cohort of 20 Conway Scholars over each of the next five years in the Second Degree Accelerated BSN track, starting in 2022. With the doubling of the gift, there will be an annual cohort of 40 Conway Scholars over each of the next five years, for a total of 200 Villanova nurses supported by this program.
Helene Moriarty, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Diane & Robert Moritz Jr. Endowed Chair in Nursing Research at the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, contributed to the report Traumatic Brain Injury: A Roadmap for Accelerating Progress, released February 1 by an ad hoc National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Committee on Accelerating Progress in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Research and Care. She worked for over a year with the committee on its recommendations - one of two nurses in the group of 18 experts representing many disciplines. Dr. Moriarty is also a Nurse Scientist at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Philadelphia.
The Simulation and Learning Resource Center (SLRC) is among the first simulation centers worldwide to be endorsed by the International Nursing Association of Clinical and Simulation Learning (INACSL) in their new Healthcare Simulation Standards Endorsement program. The award was presented on June 17.
In July, the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, for the sixth consecutive time, earned the honor of Center of Excellence (COE) in Nursing Education, a designation from the National League for Nursing (NLN) that it has held continuously since being one of three inaugural NLN COE schools in 2004. FCN is a continuing designee in the category Creating Environments that Advance the Science of Nursing Education, and of the seven schools in the US to be so named, has held that distinction for the longest period of time, since 2010.
In August, FCN received another $2.5 million commitment from the Bedford Falls Fund to launch an accelerated PhD track. This latest gift from philanthropists William E. Conway, Jr., co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, and his wife, Joanne, establishes the Joanne and William Conway PhD Fellows Program to support 25 students over the next five years who want to pursue the 3-year, accelerated PhD in Nursing, and brings the Fund’s giving to a total of $7.5 million to the College.
The Simulation and Learning Resource Center (SLRC) learned on October 7 that it has achieved Provisional Accreditation from the Society of Simulation in Healthcare (SSH). Provisional Accreditation is granted for two years and allows simulation programs to seek accreditation earlier by focusing on the structure and processes to accredit those aspects of the applying program.
By receiving SSH Provisional Accreditation, the SLRC demonstrates compliance with Core Standards and Teaching/Education Standards. The SLRC will be eligible for full accreditation in 2024 by demonstrating two years of programmatic outcomes in addition to continued compliance with SSH’s Core Standards and Teaching/Education Standards.
In October, the Villanova School of Business (VSB) and the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN) announced they will jointly offer a new Certificate in Healthcare Design & Innovation beginning spring 2023. The online executive education program will provide healthcare leaders with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to manage the increasing complexities of the healthcare landscape.
2023
The Fitzpatrick College of Nursing (FCN) in March announced it received $250,000 from Bedford Falls Foundation in response to its Conway Innovation Challenge, supported by philanthropists William “Bill” Conway Jr., co-founder of The Carlyle Group, and his wife, Joanne. FCN has previously received three gifts from the Bedford Falls Fund.
The challenge gift, which required additional donor support of $150,000, is to develop an innovative pilot program to increase enrollment of undergraduate nursing students or graduate students preparing to become nursing faculty to ultimately develop more registered nurses in light of the national nursing shortage. FCN will develop and implement an accelerated Clinical Faculty Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree that reduces the time to completion by 50%. This innovative program design connects academic-health care partners, Villanova Nursing and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, to develop a stream of clinical educators and impact the nursing shortage.
Effective August 21, 2023, the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing assumed sole ownership and control of the Post-baccalaureate Nurse Anesthesia Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP-NA) program and this major program change received approval by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA).