Madison, Wis. (January 30, 2008) – Edgewood College today announced that a partnership with the University of Minnesota has led to a $1.5 million grant for the University of Minnesota to be funded as a John A. Hartford Center for Geriatric Nursing Excellence. Funds will serve to provide academic leadership in geriatric nursing for programs in the upper Midwest region and Tribal Colleges nationally.

“We’re pleased to partner with the University of Minnesota in this important work,” Margaret Noreuil, Dean of the School of Nursing at Edgewood College said. “Dr. Colleen Gullickson, Professor in the School of Nursing and a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner, will take the lead in working with faculty at the University of Minnesota in providing leadership in strengthening geriatric nursing content in academic programs across the Midwest,” Noreuil added.

The Center will help increase the number of new and existing nursing faculty who can provide leadership in strengthening geriatric nursing at all levels of academic nursing programs. It will particularly benefit populations in the Midwest where the highest proportions of adults above the age of 65 reside. The opening of this center will strengthen and further establish the Upper Midwest Geriatric Nursing Alliance (UMGNA) which is currently composed of 25 schools. The UMGNA is meant to encourage dialogue between schools to strengthen geriatric nursing curricula at the college level.