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Bethlehem, Pa., May 13, 2016—ɫ��ɫ College will honor Helen Breidegam by naming its Department of Nursing and Public Health, the Helen S. Breidegam School of Nursing. The naming is in recognition of the support that the Breidegam family has given the College over the years, and is reflective of Helen’s career as a nurse, as well as, her longstanding support of those who pursue nursing as a career. 

“In 1998, ɫ��ɫ College and St. Luke’s Hospital joined together to launch what has become one of the finest nursing programs in the country,” said Bryon L. Grigsby, president of ɫ��ɫ College. “What a fitting honor it is for us to name the program for a woman whose support for ɫ��ɫ College and caring for those who pursue the nursing profession are unparalleled. Our nursing students have had one of the highest N-CLEX exam pass rates in the region, and 100% of our graduates have been employed since the program began. Mrs. Breidegam’s support of our nursing programs has had and will continue to have a direct and positive impact on the many students who graduate from ɫ��ɫ and go on to serve communities in Pennsylvania, the country, and the world.”

The College offers a traditional four-year pre-licensure baccalaureate (BSN) program, a 16-month long pre-licensure accelerated BSN program for college graduates, a baccalaureate degree completion program for registered nurses (RN to BSN), and a master’s (MSN) program that prepares clinical nurse leaders, nurse administrators, nurse educators, and nurse practitioners. Additionally, ɫ��ɫ’s public health major is an interdisciplinary curriculum preparing the student for diverse careers and graduate studies in public health.

“The naming of the Helen Breidegam School of Nursing, as the first named school here at ɫ��ɫ College, and the first named School of Nursing in this region, is certainly fitting,” said Kerry Cheever. “That Helen Breidegam is also a fellow nurse, who understands and who practiced the art and science of nursing, makes the naming of our school so much more meaningful to the nursing faculty and staff.  We are thankful and honored to continue Helen’s legacy.”

The Breidegam family has left a lasting legacy at ɫ��ɫ College. Helen’s late husband DeLight Breidegam who served on Board of Trustees of ɫ��ɫ College for 37 years, spearheaded and supported dynamic growth and improvement in the College’s programs and facilities over the years. The Timothy M. Breidegam Track at Steel Field, and the Timothy M. Breidegam Fieldhouse stand in honor of his son Timothy, who was a member of the class of 1978.

The Breidegam family also established the Helen S. Breidegam R.N. Scholarship Fund to support nursing education, the Timothy M. Breidegam Scholarship Fund in memory of their son, and the Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz Scholarship Fund in memory of their daughter.

The family continues its deep roots at the College, Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz’s son Daniel is a 2014 graduate of ɫ��ɫ, her daughter Katelyn is a member of the Class of 2016, and her son Matthew just finished his sophomore year at the College. Her son Timothy graduated from the University of Scranton in 2014.

ɫ��ɫ College’s is building a $23 million academic building on its Main Street Campus to house its growing nursing, health sciences, public health, and other health related programs. The facility will be named the Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz Center for Health Sciences, to honor the late Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz ’84, an alumna who was a member of the ɫ��ɫ College Board of Trustees from 2008 to 2014.