The Department of Nursing at Southeast Missouri State University, established in 1958, was one of the first of its kind west of the Mississippi and still boasts a nearly 100% graduate placement rate. Southeast's nursing progam, shaped by a variety of visionary figures throughout its history, proudly maintains a reputation of being the best in the region and one of the best in the nation. Looking back over the last 50 years, Southeast celebrates one of its proudest academic traditions and anticipates yet another 50 years of excellence in nursing education.