PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE The year was 1980. The administration and its relatively new president, Paul Dixon, considered the possibility of starting a nursing program at then-Cedarville College. The institution had historically been known for teaching Bible and education. Any new program would bring risk. Would the upfront cost ever be recovered? What would happen if the program failed? Could the program achieve professional accreditation? How would it shape the future of the college? Dixon, who had served as an evangelist prior to serving as Cedarville’s president, had assembled a great team of advisors. He also possessed the gift of strategic planning and making wise decisions for the future of Cedarville. He and the administration decided to launch the nursing program in 1982. Forty years later, we look back upon the success of what continues to be one of Cedarville’s largest and most in-demand programs. We thank God for guiding the administration to start a program that fits so well with a biblical worldview. In time, this program brought expertise and experience to campus that opened the door to the University starting other healthcare degrees including the Doctor of Pharmacy and our PA (Physician Assistant) Studies program that will enroll its first class in May. In the pages of this magazine, you will read more about what makes our School of Nursing distinct. You will learn about the faculty members who started the program and the history of its early years. You will read about how some of our graduates have used nursing to serve others sacrificially in big and small ways. You also will hear from our current Dean, Angie Mickle, as she casts the vision for the next 40 years. In the past, present, and, Lord willing, long into the future, Cedarville University’s School of Nursing will continue to produce nurses who serve God and others well. In Christ, Thomas White, President cedarville.edu/president @DrThomasWhite facebook.com/DrThomasWhite instagram.com/drthomaswhite linkedin.com/in/jthomaswhite 2 | Cedarville Magazine Cedarville Magazine
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