The faculty, students, and staff of San Jose State University's School of Nursing (SON) welcome you to the launch of our Alumni and Development program. Having been founded in 1955, ours is among the best and most soundly established nursing schools in the West. More than 300 faculty members have instructed over 4,400 BS and MS students since the school's inception.

As we move into our next 50 years, the SON has developed three key goals. First we want to increase the amount of support our students can expect from us. We hope to provide stipends, scholarships, and creative work-study prospects to students. Second, we will strive to increase the number of graduates from our program each year, knowing that historically our students remain in the community and continue to be active in their careers. Finally, we want to create a Technology Center of Excellence, in which our students can get a leading-edge education in nursing informatics, a combination of traditional nursing course-work and technological instruction.

Now is the time to consider the future of the SON. During the next year I will endeavor to reach as many of you as I can to solicit your ideas and impressions of the state of nursing and our school. We all understand the limits of our resources, but we also know to extend those limits for the sake of others. I ask you to get involved in this effort. I know that if you do, together we can make a difference by heightening the expectations of those who serve in and are served by our healthcare community.

Sincere good wishes,

Dr. Jayne Cohen
Director and Professor,
San Jose State University
School of Nursing