Stroke researcher Grady speaks to nursing grads
by Byron Kho
The Summer Pennsylvanian
May 20, 2004
During their 180th commencement ceremony -- which took place Monday afternoon -- graduates of the School of Nursing were reminded of their new responsibilities toward health care.
"Nurses are the most trusted members of the health care team," said Dr. Patricia Grady, director of the National Institute of Nursing Research, who delivered the graduation address. "As graduates, you have the ability to change the face of nursing."
Grady is an internationally renowned stroke researcher. She has published numerous articles and papers and is a member of the American Academy of Nursing, the Institute of Medicine, the American Neurological Association and the American Heart Association Stroke Council.
Dean of Nursing Afaf Meleis celebrated student opportunities at Penn in her speech, calling Penn "the best nursing school in the world."
Grady also referred to the quality of nursing education at Penn several times, noting that Penn Nursing was the first to offer 3 levels of nursing training -- bachelor, master and doctoral degrees.
However, Grady warned graduates that though Penn had prepared them well, they would now be "just going out there and seeing exactly what it is like."
Graduates were also addressed by several student speakers, including undergraduate Mark Krugman, master's candidate Danica Sumpter and doctoral candidate Donna O'Donnell.
Sumpter challenged students to continue their academic efforts into the future.
"We have begun a great work," Sumpter said. "Never stop learning and never come down."