KSU renames College of Health and Human Services in recognition of its long−standing relationship with WellStar Health System

The College of Health and Human Services has a new name‚ as does the School of Nursing and the Women’s Wellness Center. Each has been renamed in honor of WellStar Health System.

Georgia (Jul 14, 2003) — The College of Health and Human Services has a new name‚ as does the School of Nursing and the Women’s Wellness Center. Each has been renamed in honor of WellStar Health System. This follows on the heels of an agreement between the university and WellStar that significantly strengthens the relationship between Cobb County’s second−largest employer and one of the top producers of nurses in the state.



Part of this arrangement will result in the creation of four distinguished scholar positions within the College of Health and Human Services focused specifically upon the areas of African American health‚ gerontology‚ ethics and women’s studies. The agreement also incorporates into its plans existing WellStar sponsorships such as funding for the School of Nursing’s lab coordinator and the Center for Community Health Services‚ which administers three clinics providing care to medically underserved citizens of Cobb County. The WellStar Health System Board of Trustees issued a unanimous endorsement of this agreement in April; the University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved the proposal in June.



“WellStar’s 2‚700 nurses are the lifeblood of our health care system‚” said Dr. Robert A. Lipson‚ president and CEO of WellStar. “One of the ways we’ll keep our organization thriving is to model health care excellence to nursing students who may one day provide care as a WellStar nurse. Our relationship with KSU is an example of this ongoing commitment to excellence in nursing education.”



This collaboration is the latest chapter in a fruitful relationship that spans more than three decades‚ starting with a grant program that helped fund faculty positions at what was then Kennesaw Junior College. KSU long ago shed the junior college label‚ but the relationship with WellStar — as evidenced by the new moniker that will soon adorn the College of Health and Human Services — is stronger than ever.



“KSU and WellStar have a longstanding‚ productive relationship‚ and this collaboration will significantly enhance our ability to reward and attract stellar leadership for program development and implementation‚” said KSU President Betty L. Siegel. “This enables us to bridge the gap between our current capabilities and our vision for the future.”



Kennesaw State has long been recognized for the strength of its nursing school‚ which granted 672 degrees (bachelor’s and master’s) between 1998 and 2002. Graduates of the school routinely average one of the highest scores in the state on the licensing exam. “Our relationship with WellStar enables us to enhance and broaden the curriculum we offer our students‚” said Dr. Richard Sowell‚ dean of the college. “Aligning ourselves with a celebrated health system like WellStar allows KSU to further invest in the future of healthcare.”



The school’s nursing degree programs are already recognized as some of the university system’s top academic initiatives. In 2002‚ the RN to BSN Online Nursing Completion Program received the prestigious Research in Undergraduate Education Award from the Board of Regents in recognition of the strides it has made in filling the urgent need for more baccalaureate−prepared nurses in the workforce.



“With the close proximity and growing clinical relationship‚ WellStar could be considered a campus annex of KSU‚” said Dr. David Bennett‚ chair of the nursing school. “We are indebted to WellStar for providing real−time healthcare experiences to our nursing students and boosting our reputation for producing quality nurses in the medical community.”

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.