A national figure who helped write the book on nursing education will open a new chapter as dean of the College of Nursing this fall.

Lea Acord, who holds a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Pittsburgh, was appointed to the post formerly held by Madeline Wake. Wake vacated the post to fill the new role of university provost created by an administrative shuffle in spring of 2001.

Wake, who was involved in hiring a replacement for interim dean Judith Miller, said that Acord's experience and know-how in the field of Nursing education separated her from a field of 11 other candidates from all over the country.

"I think that her experience as dean of nursing at other schools helps her bring a lot of knowledge to her position," Wake said, referring to Acord's work as dean of Nursing at Montana State University. "Acord is a visionary as a person and an excellent leader."

Wake also said that Acord headed an American Association of Colleges of Nursing task force on baccalaureate nursing education in the United States.

A monograph produced by the task force, "Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Programs in Nursing," is the model upon which, according to Wake, 99 percent of the nursing programs in the United States are based, including Marquette's.

"I feel welcome here," Acord said shortly after her first meeting with Nursing faculty. "There is a really outstanding faculty here."

Miller, now associate dean and professor of Nursing, said she looked forward to Acord's tenure as dean.

"Acord has a leadership and management style congruent with Marquette's," Miller said. "She'll enable us to meet our future goals in the College of Nursing."

Acord said her goals as dean at Marquette include enacting a 2003-08 strategic plan adopted by the college last year to maintain a student focus in her administration and to help raise funds for the college.

She served as director and associate professor of Nursing at the University of Maine-Orono, executive director for the Illinois Nurses Association and assistant professor of Nursing at the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned her doctorate in higher education administration.

In 1999, she received the Anna Shannon Award for Excellence in Formal Nursing Education from the Montana Nurses Association. In 1994, Acord received the Jean Mclean Nursing Education Award from the Maine State Nurses' Association.

[email protected],”Brian O'Connor”

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