Congrats, and FYI: http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20100824/pl_usnw/DC54700_1

Saint Xavier University's School of Nursing will celebrate its 75th Anniversary with a series of commemorative events on Sat., Sept. 11.

The first event is a Celebratory Mass presided over by Monsignor Kenneth Velo at 1 p.m. at McDonough Chapel. Velo is an Archdiocese of Chicago priest, Senior Executive of Catholic Collaboration at DePaul University and President of the Big Shoulders Fund.

Suzanne Gordon will deliver a guest lecture at 2:30 p.m. in McGuire Hall, L-216. Gordon is an award-winning journalist, author, lecturer and patient advocate. Campus tours will follow the lecture. All of these events are at the University's Chicago Campus, 3700 W. 103rd Street.

A reception and dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. at Beverly Country Club, 8700 S. Western Ave. Participants must register for events online (https://www.sxu.edu/Academic/Nursing/anniversary_reservation.asp? Keyword: SON75) or by calling (773) 298-3706.

"The Sisters of Mercy collaboration 75 years ago between Mercy Hospital and Saint Xavier has had a deep and lasting impact on Chicago, on Illinois and nationwide," said School of Nursing Dean Gloria Jacobson, R.N., Ph.D.

"I congratulate the School of Nursing on its 75th anniversary," said Saint Xavier President Christine M. Wiseman, J.D.

"The work of this exemplary school has become a lasting testament to the Mercy spirit, which also led to the founding of our University in 1846 by the Sisters of Mercy."

Saint Xavier and Mercy Hospital, both founded by the Sisters of Mercy, joined forces in 1935 to create the first integrated baccalaureate nursing program in Illinois. Today, 75 years later the SON remains strongly committed to linking innovation and concern for community, to providing basic and advanced nursing education programs, outreach programs, and to providing clinical services to surrounding communities.

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SXU Chicago Campus: 3700 W. 103rd Street, Chicago, Ill. 60655 – (773) 298-3000

SXU Orland Park Campus: 18230 Orland Parkway, Orland Park, Ill. 60467 – (708) 802-6200

Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1846, Saint Xavier University was the first Mercy college in the United States and is Chicago's oldest Catholic university. Serving more than 5,000 students at its campuses in Chicago, Orland Park and its Loop location, the University offers 43 undergraduate majors; more than 40 graduate program options in arts and sciences, business, education and nursing; and a variety of program options in continuing and professional studies. Recognizing Saint Xavier's excellence in education, U.S. News and World Report has ranked SXU consistently among the Best Colleges in the Midwest.