For Release:         Immediate – August 8, 2016

Contact:                Jerry Gretzinger, Vice President of Strategic Communications and Public Relations ­

(518) 956-7359 | jgretzinger@sunypoly.edu

SUNY POLY RECEIVES NATIONAL GRANT TO HOST WHITE COAT CEREMONY FOR NURSING STUDENTS AT UTICA SITE

American Association of Colleges of Nursing selects SUNY Poly as one of just

50 grant recipients nationwide

UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute today announced it has been selected to receive a national grant from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the Arnold P. Gold Foundation to participate in hosting a White Coat Ceremony for new nursing students.  White Coat Ceremonies are designed to instill a commitment to providing compassionate care among future health professionals.  The grant to SUNY Poly was one of just 50 awarded to nursing programs nationwide and will be used to host SUNY Poly’s first White Coat Ceremony at its Utica site in the upcoming academic year.

“We are extremely proud to have been selected by AACN to host our first White Coat Ceremony.  Not only is this a national endorsement of SUNY Poly’s nursing programs but it also demonstrates the opportunities those programs are generating for our students,” said Dr. Alain Kaloyeros, SUNY Poly President and CEO.  “Today’s announcement represents another achievement by our passionate and dedicated faculty and staff, and I would like to thank SUNY Poly Dean Dr. Robert Yeh and Department Chair Dr. Kathleen Rourke for their tireless efforts and commitment to our students.”

“The White Coat Ceremony will be a wonderful way for nursing students to begin their studies at SUNY Poly and pledge their commitment to providing high quality care,” said Dr. Robert Geer, SUNY Poly Sr. Vice President and COO.  “Our nursing programs are among the very best and we are thankful to AACN for acknowledging that with this grant.”

White Coat Ceremonies for Nursing are held to promote the importance of compassionate, patient-centered care to new nursing students. Students take an oath pledging their commitment to the highest professional standards and receive a commemorative Humanism Lapel Pin, provided by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation and AACN.  Schools chosen by AACN to host the ceremonies receive $1,000 in financial support for the event.

“Our Nursing programs are a major source of pride for SUNY Poly and this recognition from AACN is another reminder for students and their families of the outstanding education we provide,” said Dr. William Durgin, SUNY Poly Provost.

“The faculty and staff members within SUNY Poly’s nursing department are second to none.  Their passion for caring for others is exemplary and our students are incredibly fortunate to have them as role models.  The White Coat Ceremony will be an impactful way to begin their studies here,” said Dr. Robert Yeh, Dean of the College of Health Science and Management.

SUNY Poly’s academic offerings in nursing include: R.N. to Bachelor of Science in Nursing, 1+2+1 AAS/BS program in collaboration with St. Elizabeth College of Nursing, and Master of Science degrees in Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Administration and Nursing Education. SUNY Poly also offers advanced certificates in Family Nurse Practitioner, and Nursing Education. SUNY Poly’s undergraduate and graduate nursing programs are registered by the New York State Education Department and accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

“The White Coat Ceremony will impress upon students the significance of their decision to serve their communities by providing world-class, patient-centered care.  By reciting the pledge they are making a promise to themselves and to all of us to be the best nurses they can be,” said Nursing and Health Professions Department Chair Dr. Kathleen Rourke.

“The addition of this ceremony is a great way to show students that a commitment to quality care begins at the inception of their studies, not the conclusion of them,” said Dr. Jennifer Klimek-Yingling, Assistant Professor of Nursing and Health Professions.  “I believe this will be a very impactful event for our students and I’m proud that AACN has given us the opportunity to host it.”

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SUNY Polytechnic Institute. SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem, formed from the merger of the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and SUNY Institute of Technology. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience and nanoeconomics programs at its Albany location and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica/Rome location. Thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts more than $43 billion in high-tech investments, over 300 corporate partners, and maintains a statewide footprint. The 1.65 million-square-foot Albany NanoTech megaplex is home to more than 4,000 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, faculty, and staff, in addition to Tech Valley High School. SUNY Poly operates the Smart Cities Technology Innovation Center (SCiTI) at Kiernan Plaza in Albany, the Solar Energy Development Center in Halfmoon, the Children’s Museum of Science and Technology (CMOST) in Troy, the Central New York Hub for Emerging Nano Industries in Syracuse, the Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center (STC) in Canandaigua, and the Photovoltaic Manufacturing and Technology Development Facility in Rochester where SUNY Poly also leads the American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics. SUNY Poly founded and manages the Computer Chip Commercialization Center (Quad-C) at its Utica location and also manages the $500 million New York Power Electronics Manufacturing Consortium, with nodes in Albany and Rochester, as well as the Buffalo High-Tech Manufacturing Innovation Hub at RiverBend, Buffalo Information Technologies Innovation and Commercialization Hub, and Buffalo Medical Innovation and Commercialization Hub. For information visit www.sunycnse.com and www.sunypoly.edu.