Grants & Collaborative Initiatives

There are several collaborative initiatives which are important to graduate education in Minnesota.

Grants: Minnesota State University Distance Learning (DL) Task Force

The "Enhancing Access to Graduate Nursing Education Grant" was funded for the 2003-2004 academic year and granted to the MSN program. The purposes of the grant are to:

1. Develop a series of courses in the graduate program in the School of Nursing for web-based delivery that will prepare students for graduation, either with a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) focus.
2. Support delivery of graduate nursing education to an expanded, primarily rural, geographical region in order to meet the goals of increasing years of healthy life and eliminating health disparities, promoting healthy behaviors, protecting health, assuring access to quality health care and strengthening community prevention.
3. Develop faculty knowledge regarding instructional design that promotes quality in the online learning experience for students.
4. Develop media resources that enhance the excellence of the online learning experience for students.

During the spring and summer of 2004, faculty members worked with an instructional design expert to create on-line courses to meet the needs of students and faculty in the curriculum.

Collaborations: Nurse Educator Partnership

Funded by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU), a partnership to expand access to graduate Nurse Educator and Post Nursing Masters Certificate programs was created in 2002 by Winona State University, Metro State University and Minnesota State University, Mankato.. Students admitted to this program may take 1/3 of their courses at the partner University closest to their home, some courses at the Winona State University-Rochester Center, Rochester, MN, and some courses using distance technology. Application for admission is made to Winona State University by January 1 of each year and Site Coordinators at all sites are available to assist students with academic advising, clinical and practice teaching placement, course selection and mentorship. Upon completion of the degree requirements, a student will graduate from Winona State University with a Master of Science degree, with a major in Nursing, Nurse Educator Focus. The Site Coordinator at Minnesota State University, Mankato is Sonja J. Meiers. More information regarding this program and the specific Minnesota State University, Mankato courses designated in the partnership is available on the Nurse Educator website.