A Message From the Dean

In the Decker School of Nursing, we attract exceptional students — both undergraduate and graduate — and we give them an incomparable education that prepares them to be leading nurses and nurse educators in the region and across the country. We pride ourselves on our longstanding commitment to excellence and to providing a breadth of programs ranging from undergraduate through PhD. In addition, our strong emphasis on rural health care distinguishes us from other nursing programs.

Serving underserved and rural populations is an important part of our nursing education programs at all levels. It has also become a major research emphasis for our faculty. In fact, our doctoral program in rural nursing is the only one of its kind in the country.

It is no secret there is a nursing shortage here in New York and elsewhere. The Decker School of Nursing does its part to alleviate this deficit by educating a third of all of the new baccaulaureate-prepared nursing students in the SUNY system — students who come from far and wide because of our excellent reputation. Our graduates are quickly hired and today are making their mark in health facilities across the country.

Quality nursing education, however, is extremely expensive. We must depend on private support to help us secure our leadership role as one of the nation’s best nursing schools. With your help, our nurses will improve health care for people in our region, our state, and far beyond.

Joyce Ferrario, Dean