Columbia Nursing Welcomes its Largest Incoming Class During Orientation Week

Columbia University School of Nursing welcomed its largest enrollment of incoming combined BS/MS and MS students for its 2014-2015 academic year which starts in June.

Dean Bobbie Berkowitz welcomed 270 incoming students during a week of orientation events at Columbia Nursing including a New York City boat cruise, a scavenger hunt, and the school’s first ever Self Awareness training led by Cheryl Franks, PhD, associate professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice who led the group in a series of challenging dialogues involving issue of race, gender and sexuality in the academic environment. Other events planned for the week include a welcome breakfast sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations and tour of the Cloisters museum.

The incoming group is more diverse than previous classes, with Asian, Hispanic, African-American and Native American, Pacific Islander and Alaskan ethnicities all represented from states across the country.

"Our students come to us with a strong, deep desire to make a difference in people’s lives," saysDean Bobbie Berkowitz, PhD, RN, FAAN. "Before they apply to Columbia Nursing, many have already made substantial contributions to community service, everything from serving in the Peace Corps to serving in the military."

In August, Columbia Nursing will welcome the new class of PhD and DNP students.