In this column from the spring 2025 issue of the Magazine of Elon, President Book reflects on the legacy of her mother's nursing career and the growth of Elon's nursing program during a critical time for the profession.
Growing up in south Louisiana in a large Cajun family of 11, the kitchen and the laundry room were often the epicenter of life. My after-school chore was to do the laundry, and there was always lots of it — three loads a day! When I think back to those moments, I can see our busy kitchen and, famously, my mom’s nursing cap stuck flat to the refrigerator.
She would starch it and then lay it flat to dry on the refrigerator. Once dry, she would fold it into its unique shape and pin it to her hair for a day’s work. In the 1950s, my mom attended the Sisters of Mercy nursing program in New Orleans. During that time, nursing programs each had a unique cap so that you could visually see where they had trained. The nurses’ cap and a pin, often worn like a medal, signaled a well-prepared nurse.
In the pages of this issue of The Magazine of Elon, you will read about the critical national shortage of nurses and how Elon University is responding to that need with the creation of a program designed to produce skilled health care leaders (read more on page 16). In its fourth year, the new program has more than 200 students enrolled and is producing a unique set of nurses to provide leadership for the sector.
When I consider Elon nurses, this is the moment where I see our graduates having the greatest impact — the moment when an Elon graduate takes their excellent education, joined by the values that drive Elon’s mission of compassion and human dignity, and provides care for a person in need.
During the development of the university’s strategic plan, Boldly Elon, the shortages and future demands for health care professionals were clear. When considering the strengths of Elon’s curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences, along with a focus on experiential education, the community determined that the university should launch a Department of Nursing and expand the School of Health Sciences.
Four years later, the nursing program has already achieved national distinction, boasting perfect scores on the nursing boards for its first two graduating classes, earning accreditation, securing excellent employment opportunities for graduates in hospitals and organizations nationwide, and fostering a strong culture of community service and leadership among its students.
As we were developing the program, I would often imagine my mom’s nursing cap on the refrigerator and the meaningful career she had specializing in labor and delivery at the local women’s hospital. She would often share stories upon her return from work about baby deliveries and the families she attended to at a vulnerable and precious moment in life. When I consider Elon nurses, this is the moment where I see our graduates having the greatest impact — the moment when an Elon graduate takes their excellent education, joined by the values that drive Elon’s mission of compassion and human dignity, and provides care for a person in need. That’s when we all need an Elon nurse.
The new nursing program at Elon is just one of the many ways our faculty and academic leaders continually innovate to ensure our curriculum meets society’s evolving needs. As we look to the future of both the university and our nation, we are committed to keeping Elon’s mission vibrant and meaningful in times of change. That mission serves as our foundation, anchoring the university in what matters most as we prepare the next generation of Elon graduates.