Sister Patricia Whalen, RSM ’63, at left, and Mercyhurst Vice President for Technology Jeanette Britt ’94 get construction briefng from Mickey Young, facilities manager for the Sisters of Mercy. (© Greg Wohlford – USA TODAY NETWORK) Keeping with traditional values, nursing moves to Motherhouse By Kristian Biega ’20
The center area of the Motherhouse, including the chapel, common room, cafeteria, and the McAuley Wing and St. Joseph Wing, will remain occupied by the Sisters. Renovations will continue through the fall as the Hilltop and Marian Wings will house classrooms and simulation labs, while the Grandview Wing will be converted into faculty ofces. All of the state-of-the-art technology and lab equipment will move from North East to Erie over the winter break so the space will be ready for students as they return in early 2022. “We are very lucky,” Kiskadden said. “Not very many schools have that compassion and willingness to jump in and help out like the Sisters did. They are very excited to have us with them and we plan on maintaining that good relationship and respect as well.”
Since their humble beginnings in 19 th century Dublin, the Sisters of Mercy have pioneered schools, hospitals, and other ministries around the world. The Sisters’ commitment to education and to health care continues today in Erie as the Mercy Motherhouse undergoes renovations to house Mercyhurst University’s growing health care programs, driven by the consolidation of its North East campus with the Erie campus. “We are honored and excited to be in a place that is so special to Mercyhurst,” said Nursing Department Chair Candice Kiskadden. “Nursing follows the Mercy tradition and speaks back to the values of the Sisters. We plan to continue the tradition to make a positive impact in the Erie community.” Instead of being split between the North East and Erie campuses, Mercyhurst’s nursing programs — including practical nursing, registered nursing, and the RN
to BSN program — will be located in the Motherhouse beginning in January 2022. The master’s in Integrative Nursing Leadership will continue as a fully online graduate program. “The move also allows us to collaborate with the other health sciences ofered at Mercyhurst, such as physical therapy and athletic training,” Kiskadden said. “It will be a great opportunity for students to learn from each other, and that will be a great beneft once they go into practice.” The available space in the Motherhouse lent itself to be just what the program needed, said Vice President for Technology and CIO Jeanette Britt ’94, who has been overseeing the logistics of the move. “It was truly divine intervention that the Motherhouse became the solution to our need for the nursing program. We think it will be a great experience for both the nursing students and the Sisters to be together in the same building,” Britt said.
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