Southwestern College President Liz Frombgen, in celebration of the progress of the nursing program, officially dedicated it as the Grace and David Nichols Division of Nursing at Southwestern College.

In attendance for the dedication in Beech Science Center were Southwestern College faculty and staff, Board of Trustees members, alumni, community partners, friends of the college, and nursing and pre-nursing students.

(Photo: John Nichols, Grace Nichols, Bonnie Shaw, Lora McDougall, & Nate Lee. Not pictured: Preston Nichols, Lonnie Boyd.)

The Nichols family has been intertwined with Southwestern College for many years. David was a beloved Academic Dean at SC and, according to Frombgen, is rightfully memorialized in the Southwestern College Academic Hall of Fame. Grace completed two years at Southwestern before attending two years of Nurse Training at William Newton Memorial Hospital. She served as a nurse in a variety of interesting capacities throughout her career, while raising their children: Preston, John, Bonnie, Lonnie, and Lora. She also completed her bachelor's degree at Southwestern College as a non-traditional student. Eventually, Grace retired after a nearly 20-year run as a school nurse at Winfield High School. In total, her nursing career spanned 43 years.  

“The need for more nurses is immediate and urgent. 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,” said Grace Nichols to conclude her remarks at the dedication ceremony.

Frombgen also highlighted a couple of additional generous gifts that have recently come in to support the success of the nursing

New furniture and carpet will soon be installed in the Nursing Student Lounge at the Simulation Center on the campus of William Newton Hospital, made possible by a gift from Rob Fields and his son Connor – in memory of Terri Ashida Fields, a mother, a friend, and a 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 also noted gifts from the community to support scholarships and technology.

“We are also continuing to work with donors who are interested in supporting the nursing program and nursing scholarships. We are incredibly grateful for each and every investment,” Frombgen says. “One such nursing scholarship has been established to celebrate the memory of Dr. Shanti Samuel by local donors. We are so very grateful for this endowed gift, which will support nursing students in meaningful ways well into the future.”

(Photo: Shona Turner and President Frombgen.)

Another dedication was announced by Frombgen, 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, Director of the BSN Nursing Program.

Anna Mae Wilcox graduated from the William Newton Hospital School of Nursing in 1936. She began her nursing career in New York City and returned to Kansas during World War II to serve as a nurse at Boeing Aircraft in Wichita, supporting the health and safety of the wartime workforce. She later joined William Newton Hospital, serving as obstetrics supervisor and director of nursing, mentoring generations of young nurses and providing care across the lifespan—from the delivery room to the final moments of life.

During the dedication, Turner, who worked for a time alongside Wilcox at William Newton Hospital, highlighted that the values upheld in the Southwestern College nursing program: patient-centered care; professionalism; cultural humility; and lifelong learning-were lived daily by Anna Mae Wilcox.

“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,” added Turner.

Dedication of the Grace & David Nichols Family Division of Nursing

Friday, October 24, 2025

The presentation also included the dedication of the Anna Mae Wilcox Nursing Skills Lab.