Beginning July 1, Georgian Court University’s popular nursing school will become the Hackensack Meridian Health School of Nursing and Wellness at GCU. The name change comes as Georgian Court adds new academic departments to the nursing school and broadens its focus to the integrated nature of health, nursing, and wellness.
“Interdisciplinary teams are the future of health care,” said GCU President Joseph R. Marbach, Ph.D. “Adding the Department of Integrative Health and Exercise Science and the Department of Social Work and Gerontology to our nursing school will deliver more collaborative experiences to better prepare students for their careers.”
GCU, which has long excelled in preparing students for the caring professions, expects a greater focus on nursing and wellness to offer a wide range of benefits.
Combined, Nursing and Wellness Offer More Options
“Our equitable culture brings together diverse teams for meaningful learning experiences in cultural humility and client-centered care,” said Teri Wurmser, Ph.D., dean of the nursing school. “With programs in nursing, health science, exercise science, integrative health, and social work, our students will have opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and research.”
Under the Hackensack Meridian Health School of Nursing and Wellness at GCU, students may earn several degrees, including:
- Nursing, B.S.N. (traditional four-year, accelerated, and RN to B.S.N.)
- Nursing, Direct-Entry M.S.N. (Master of Science)
- Social Work, B.S.W.
- Exercise Science, Wellness, and Sports, B.S.
- Health Sciences, B.S.
- Health Profession Studies, B.A.
- Integrative Health, M.A. (Master of Arts)
In addition, students can also pursue minors in gerontology; social work; coaching; exercise science, wellness, and sports; and integrative health.
Through a new partnership with the Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation, Hackensack Meridian Health is also seeking to fund key priorities to support nurses in their clinical advancement and education. This includes funds to support the New Career Initiative, which will provide loan forgiveness incentives to talented students in accelerated degree programs, such as the A.B.S.N. program, in exchange for a three-year commitment to work within the Hackensack Meridian Health network.
At the heart of GCU’s decision was the desire to give students a competitive edge, along with the best possible preparation for the profession. “They will have rich experiences in comprehensive and truly integrated health care,” said Janice Warner, Ph.D., the university’s provost and chief academic officer. “As a result, we envision a future where our graduates maximize wellness in our community while advocating for the most vulnerable populations.”
