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By Al Bahe, development director for the College of Nursing

 

“Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back.” – Babe Ruth 

“Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.” – Chinese proverb 

“Success is a journey, not a destination.” – Ben Sweetland 

In preparing to write this column, I couldn’t decide which statement was the best fit for the topic, which is growth and expansion. So, why not use all three? 

“Don’t let the fear of striking out hold you back.” 

Baseball season is in full swing (pun intended), so let’s start with the quote attributed to Babe Ruth. After his retirement in 1935, he was hailed as the Home Run King of baseball. The Babe knocked a pitch out of the park 714 times during his career. Did you know he also struck out 1,330 times? That means he averaged nearly two strikeouts for every home run; he was not afraid to swing the bat in order to connect on a big hit. 

The key is to swing at pitches that can be hit. South Dakota State University and the College of Nursing have recently taken swings at good pitches, resulting in a couple of home runs. 

On the eastern edge of Rapid City, construction is well underway on a wing that will be the one and only home to ������Ƶ’s nursing program in western South Dakota. This project is a collaborative effort that includes Black Hills State University and Monument Health. Three partners in health care and education joining forces to bolster the nursing profession, striving to address the workforce challenges that exist in South Dakota and across the country. 

Monument Health has graciously committed a lead gift. The ������Ƶ Foundation is working to secure gifts from individual donors to match that lead gift, working toward the needed amount of $4 million. These private funds will provide clinical skills labs, simulation areas, high-tech classrooms and equipment that will enable our students to be successful. 

Earlier this spring, news of the ������Ƶ Metro Center in Sioux Falls was announced as a partnership between ������Ƶ and Avera Health. When renovations are complete, the College of Nursing will join the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions under one roof. A lead gift of $1 million has been secured toward the goal of $4 million, so there is more work to be done, more swings to take, if you will. 

“Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still.” 

������Ƶ continues to move forward as a premier university, not content with status quo or standing still. The Chinese proverb is the foundation for a vision for the future. These two projects will eventually increase the number of students graduating from ������Ƶ with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. 

It will take time to build and renovate the structures; both are tentatively scheduled to be ready by fall semester of 2025. And then it will take more time to recruit enough students to fill all available spots. 

As an example, there are currently 72 available spots twice each year in the BSN degree program at the Rapid City location. Eventually, the number of available seats is projected to reach 120 spots twice per year. The ������Ƶ Metro Center in Sioux Falls will allow for a controlled increase in the number of spots available to admit students into the BSN degree program. Slow, positive growth carried out in a manner to best serve the people of South Dakota, the region and the nation. 

“Success is a journey, not a destination.” 

Ben Sweetland was an author and psychologist born in Sioux City, Iowa. The seven-word quote attributed to him suggests that success is a constant state of evolution. ������Ƶ and the College of Nursing continue to evolve as leaders in nursing education, always looking forward, anticipating changes that may be needed. 

These two projects are an example of working with our partners in both health care and higher education to determine what can and should be done differently to best prepare these BSN students for a successful entry into the nursing profession. Rest assured, there will be more to come; we need your help now as well as on the next steps of this journey. 

Which one of those three statements resonates with you? 

Are you ready to step up to the plate, take a swing at a pitch you can hit and help the College of Nursing? 

Maybe you’re at a standstill, feeling tentative, unsure how you can help; if that’s the case, let’s start slow, build your confidence and help you feel comfortable moving forward. 

As for the journey, there are destinations, though the trip doesn’t end when you arrive. The question to ask at each waypoint is, “What’s next? Where will we go, where will we grow, from here?” 

You’re invited to get in touch with me today. Let’s talk about swinging at a good pitch; let’s talk about growing slowly; and let’s talk about a plan for what’s next on our journey.