Legacy

Our Legacy as Healthcare Leaders

In 1952 Saint Anselm College responded to a compelling need: hospitals in the surrounding communities were desperate for well-educated, qualified nurses. This led the College to expand its liberal arts curriculum and establish the first bachelor of science in nursing program for high school graduates in New Hampshire.

Since then, more than 4,000 Saint Anselm graduates have gone on to provide extraordinary nursing care and healthcare careers as practitioners and leaders. Our nursing program stands out for its academic rigor—each year nearly every graduate passes the NCLEX-RN board exam on the first try. 

However, Anselmian nurses and healthcare professionals are known for much more than their excellent academic preparation and technical proficiency. Our graduates benefit from a liberal arts education that broadens their cultural perspectives, inspires them to reflect on moral and ethical issues, develops critical thinking and communication skills, and offers a well-rounded understanding of the human experience. This comprehensive education equips our graduates with the leadership qualities they need to navigate a constantly evolving healthcare landscape with a thirst for knowledge and the ability to adapt and lead.

In conjunction with Saint Anselm’s Benedictine traditions of hospitality, community, compassionate service, and stewardship, our graduates leave here able to truly connect with the people in their care. An Anselmian nurse or healthcare professional is, in short, a lifelong learner who has a profound respect for others and acts with intentionality, adaptability, and a willingness to put others before themselves.

Saint Anselm College consistently earns a spot among the nation’s top 100 liberal arts colleges and our nursing program ranks among the region’s best. It would be easy to rest on our laurels, but that has never been the Anselmian way. Today we are even more committed to ensuring that the education, values, and traditions of Saint Anselm remain vibrant and relevant.

As our nation faces a host of newly emerging healthcare challenges, we feel compelled to respond by elevating the excellence of our existing nursing, public health, and health sciences programs to prepare healthcare practitioners and leaders to address those challenges. With your support, we can continue in our role as a leader in shaping the nurses and healthcare professionals of tomorrow.

A Legacy of Community Involvement

Saint Anselm College is one of 40 colleges to receive the 2024 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement. The College has a long history of community engagement, starting with its founding purpose of providing education to the children of immigrants working in the mills. Today’s nursing, public health, and health sciences students become involved in communities worldwide in a variety of settings.