MNU


requirements on CACREP standards,” Frye says. “When students apply for licensure, one of the first questions asked is whether their degree is from a CACREP program and if they mark yes, they skip the next 35 pages of questions.”


In addition, the CACREP accreditation sets MNU apart on a national scale. Frye notes that MNU’s counseling program is one of only 20 faith-based programs nationwide that have accomplished CACREP accreditation.


“We’re also the only [faith-based]


CACREP program within 900 miles of here – the next closest is in Denver. We’re the first program in the nation to get CACREP accreditation under the new 2009 standards. So it’s something that we can be proud of.”


2010-2011 honors program students, left to right: Laurel Sutton, Brittany Fehr, Rebekah Wilkins, Christina Wilkins; Amanda Neufeld, Amanda Nigus, Amelia Collins, Hilary James, Megan Palmer; Erin Ashley, Michelle Morley, Brandon Kraus, Matthew Eastwood, Dr. Mark Hayse; Cody Vaught, Justin Stark.


The School of Business and School of Nursing have recently taken the first steps toward the highest accreditations in their respective fields.


For the School of Business, the highest accreditation is from the


Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), the main accrediting association for business programs. ACBSP promotes the improvement, quality, and integrity of business programs. It focuses on teaching excellence and the scholarly activities that develop and support those processes.


“Accreditation is increasingly important in the competitive realm of business education,” says interim dean for the School of Business, Jamie (Bearden ’87) Myrtle. “The level of accreditation achieved in any academic program is a competitive advantage when compared to non-accredited programs. Accreditation at this level increases the visibility of our institution and provides additional credibility to prospective students, as well as the business community we serve. The pursuit of accreditation also reinforces our commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and scholarship.”


The School of Nursing applied for accreditation of its newest


program, the Master of Science in Nursing, from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in late September 2010.


According to Karen Wiegman, chair, Graduate Studies in Nursing, the


CCNE accreditation is the standard for nursing programs. “CCNE is the only organization that accredits baccalaureate through


doctorate programs so having that accreditation will indicate that we meet industry standards at the master’s level of nursing education,” Wiegman says.


With Honors MNU students also play an important role in achieving academic


distinction. A new honors program is fulfilling the initiative to develop a high quality, creative honors program for exceptional traditional


undergraduate students. The program launched in the fall of 2010 with a group of 15 freshmen.


Entry into the program requires at


least a 3.5 GPA and a 28 ACT score. A committee of five faculty members evaluated applicants on achievements, sense of calling toward a vocation and mission in life, and an essay about the character of the Christian scholar.


To graduate with an honors certificate, each student must earn 30 points – one point per credit hour of qualified coursework and approved activities.


Dr. Mark Hayse (’88), professor of


Christian education, and chair of the department of Graduate Studies in Practical Theology, says the program


seeks to develop well-rounded students who practice scholarship in coursework and leadership outside the classroom.


This summer honors students will take an optional two-week trip


to Europe for a six-hour interdisciplinary course. The students will be based at MNU’s partner school, European Nazarene College in Switzerland, and will travel to other cities including Amsterdam and Vienna. ❡


More Progress on Academic Objectives


Changing the Mode Goal: Develop an innovative core curriculum for undergraduate programs.


Details: Instead of a cookie cutter approach to general liberal arts education courses that look the same at any university, MNU aims to create an innovative approach that reflects our uniqueness.


Status Update: A core committee is currently working on the new core curriculum – making recommendations and testing various models.


Grant Awards Further Demonstrate Excellence Recent awards to MNU by prestigious grant funding agencies are another indication of the strides being made in the recognition of MNU’s educational quality. For the second consecutive year, MidAmerica Nazarene University’s School of Nursing and Health Science is the only university in Kansas to receive funding to award $100,000 in scholarships from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing through the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program. Included with MNU in the funding of the scholarships are more than 60 universities such as Duke, Johns Hopkins and University of Missouri- Columbia. ❡


Fall 2010 | Accent magazine | 7


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