WINFIELD — Southwestern College President Liz Frombgen officially dedicated the nursing program as the Grace and David Nichols Division of Nursing, celebrating ongoing progress during a ceremony at the Beech Science Center.
Faculty and staff, Board of Trustees members, alumni, community partners, friends of the college, and nursing and pre-nursing students attended the event.
The Nichols family has deep ties to Southwestern College. David Nichols served as a longtime academic dean and is memorialized in the Southwestern College Academic Hall of Fame. Grace Nichols completed two years at SC before finishing nurse training at William Newton Memorial Hospital. She went on to a forty-three-year career in nursing, working in several roles while raising their children — Preston, John, Bonnie, Lonnie, and Lora — and later earning her bachelor’s degree from SC as a non-traditional student. She retired after nearly two decades as a school nurse at Winfield High School.
“The need for more nurses is immediate and urgent,” Grace Nichols said during the ceremony. “Many hospitals and nursing homes are suffering from a lack of staff needed to provide care for their patients. It is gratifying to know that the Grace and David Nichols Family Nursing Program is preparing nurses to help meet the need. To the students who will train here: you are choosing a profession of heroes. Our family, and this entire community, will be cheering for you.”
Frombgen also highlighted several new gifts supporting the program.
New furniture and carpet will soon be installed in the Nursing Student Lounge at the Simulation Center at William Newton Hospital, funded by a gift from Rob Fields and his son, Connor, in memory of Terri Ashida Fields — a mother, friend, and dedicated educator.
“The Fields family wants the best for our nursing program and students,” Frombgen said. “Their gift was an answer to a need — they simply wanted to ensure that nursing students had a comfortable place to study and gather between classes.”
Frombgen noted other community contributions to support scholarships and technology. One new endowed scholarship honors the memory of Dr. Shanti Samuel and will provide long-term support for nursing students.
Another dedication was also announced: the Anna Mae Wilcox Nursing Skills Lab, named by Winfield Economic Development.
“This lab stands as more than a physical space and the equipment that fills it — this is a living legacy, built on values of compassion, service, skill, and resilience,” said Shona Turner, associate professor of nursing and director of the BSN program.
Anna Mae Wilcox graduated from the William Newton Hospital School of Nursing in 1936. She began her career in New York City before returning to Kansas during World War II to serve as a nurse at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita. She later joined William Newton Hospital as an obstetrics supervisor and director of nursing, mentoring generations of nurses and providing care across the lifespan.
Turner, who once worked alongside Wilcox, said the program’s core values — patient-centered care, professionalism, cultural humility, and lifelong learning — were values Wilcox embodied daily.
“These gifts represent a profound act of vision and kindness, ensuring that future nurses will be trained not only with excellent tools and technology, but with the inspiration of a legacy rooted in community and care,” Turner said.
The full dedication ceremony can be viewed on Southwestern College’s YouTube channel.
Southwestern College is a private liberal arts institution founded in 1885 by Methodists in south-central Kansas. Its Winfield campus serves as the residential hub for traditional students, while Southwestern College Professional Studies offers online programs for learners worldwide and has been recognized as a top provider for military students. The college remains affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission to offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
