As Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing celebrates its centennial, we spoke with the school’s alumni association board president, Karen Hogan (NUR ‘83), DNP, RN, on her perspectives about the future of the school and the field of nursing.
Q: What are some of your primary goals for your term as alumni board president?
A: In addition to helping elevate the dean’s strategic priorities, the board provides support to the School of Nursing by linking students and new graduates with alumni through career connections, mentoring and continuing education. We also lead initiatives to secure the financial resources needed for student and faculty programs. Of course, this year, we will play an active role in the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing Centennial. And, with my class celebrating our 40th reunion, this is a very special year for me to serve as president of the Alumni Association board.
Q: With the school celebrating its centennial, what about this year excites you most?
A: There is a growing list of activities planned for this year—including representation at international conferences, published articles about the role of Frances Payne Bolton in formalizing changes in nursing education and public health, displays of historical memorabilia as well as smaller events throughout the year.
Our centennial gala takes place Oct. 14 as part of Case Western Reserve University’s Homecoming and Reunion Weekend. The evening event for alumni and friends will include online and in-person auctions with items donated by local businesses and alumni. I’m proud of the role our board has played in helping make this celebration a reality.
Q: What is your vision for the next 100 years for Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing?
A: The greatest challenge to nursing is ensuring that we don’t view nurses in terms of numbers. While the nursing shortage is challenging us to recruit and retain nurses to meet targets, we must elevate the quality of care. As one of the top nursing schools—both nationally and internationally—and with some of the best thought leaders in the field, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing is prepared to address this challenge and set standards for delivering the best care to our patients.
This article was published in the Summer 2023 issue of Forefront Magazine. To view the digital issue and other stories, visit https://case.edu/nursing/news-events/forefront-magazine.