This event marks the transition from a school started at the request of the Archbishop of Boston in the middle of the 20th century, to a school positioned to have a major impact on improving patient care through research. Bill Connell was vocal in his support of this school and of its fit within this university. He understood the importance of preparing nurses in the best schools, and especially in a Jesuit school with its focus on ethical-decision making, and its commitment to excellence in service to others.
This school has always been known for its excellent teachers who prepared students to become outstanding nurses. Today, the faculty are also pushing the frontiers of knowledge through their research. Currently, we have major funding from NIH in the such areas as the care of the elderly; preventing the damaging effects of postpartum depression; and understanding and treating the causes and effects of bullying, teasing, and interpersonal violence.
Bill Connell’s legacy will enable us to advance in our efforts to produce the best nurses possible, and to improve health care through our research. We are proud to be named for an individual who exemplified what it means to be “a person for others.”