Coming from a family of educators and having earlier worked at Regis University and the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Case felt a yearning to return to higher education. Recent experience in the acute-care setting reinforced her desire to contribute directly to undergraduate education in nursing.

On Nov. 1, Case did return to higher ed, beginning work as chair of the Department of Nursing and director of the Accelerated Nursing Program.

"I saw this as an opportunity to have more direct association with students," she said.

Before coming to Metro, Case was director of Workforce Development and Education at Exempla Lutheran Medical Center, where one of her duties was finding clinical placements for nursing students. Prior to that, Case spent 10 years at Regis University's Department of Nursing, including three years as associate dean of the School for Health Care Professions.

In her new role, Case will oversee the completion in February of the first cohort of 31 students in the Accelerated Nursing Program, for students who already have a bachelor's degree and want to pursue a second career in nursing. She also hopes to begin a second cohort of students in the program in 2005. Case's ultimate goal is to have two cohorts of students enrolled in the accelerated program each year.

Case also hopes to expand the appeal of the college's bachelor degree program for registered nurses. "I'm hoping we can cast a wider net to appeal to those who are registered nurses but don't yet have a bachelor's degree."

Longer range, Case would love to establish a four-year undergraduate nursing program. "There's definitely a demand for such a program if we can find creative solutions to the shortage of clinical placement sites for students in the metropolitan area."