Centennial
Compass 2.0
The Strategic Plan for Our Lady of the Lake College
2012
2017
C E N T E N N I A L C O M PAS S 2.0
Our Lady of the Lake College
Our Lady of the Lake College aspires to be a premier Catholic
college in the Gulf Coast region. By 2023, the College will
be a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Level V
(doctoral granting) institution and will serve an enrollment
of 2,500 students, with a majority of degree conferrals at the
baccalaureate level. The College will be known for excellence
in academics, civic engagement, and student and faculty
achievement. This will be accomplished by maintaining
relevant, rigorous program offerings, superior facilities,
community engagement, and excellent student support all
within a culture of Catholic faith identity consecrated to the
cause of truth which embraces diversity and lifelong learning.
PAGE
ONE
C E N T E N N I A L C O M PAS S 2.0
Our Lady of the Lake College
In 1911, six fearless Sisters from Calais, France boarded the ship,
The Rochambeau, for an arduous journey across the ocean to answer a
call to bring healthcare to Louisiana. Today, both the major state-wide
health system that the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady built and
the school they created, which is now Our Lady of the Lake College, are a
Central to the premise of the Centennial
documents and the commitments
to our students and to the wider
community is our intention to
testament to these Sisters’ faith, hard work and vision.
create
for Our Lady of the Lake College to thrive in the next century.
a distinctive
College identity
that is Catholic
and Franciscan in
character
focus
on active
learning and
civic engagement
across the
curriculum
further
develop
our curriculum
niche of health in
all its dimensions
Taking inspiration from the Sisters’ commitment to leading through
service, in 2007 Our Lady of the Lake College developed a strategic plan
called Centennial Compass, a document that demonstrates our desire to
build an environment encouraging spiritual growth, our dedication to
continue as a leader in healthcare education, and our wish to contribute
to the intellectual capital of the state. We believe that the ideas articulated
in this document and re-envisioned in Centennial Compass 2.0 are critical
Incorporating what we know about trends in higher education and likely
changes to the healthcare environment, Centennial Compass 2.0 lays out
a blueprint for the future, outlining goals and commitments for the next
five years, 2012-2017. We know that we can accomplish great things, and
we are pleased with the plan we have in hand.
With a clear vision for the future and this plan as our road map, we
are moving forward and taking steps on a daily basis to accomplish
these goals.
Since the development of the
original Centennial Compass, the
College has received independent
praises for our work in academics
and service:
• Reaffirmation from the Southern
Association of College and
Schools (SACS) as a Level III
Masters Granting Institution
• SACS approval for a distance
learning proposal related to
offering online classes
• A $2 million grant award funded
under the U.S. Department of
Education’s Title III Strengthening
Institutions Program
• A $1 million grant award jointly
sponsored by the Franciscan
Ministry Fund and the Louisiana
Board of Regents to support an
endowed chair in gerontological
nursing
• A Carnegie Foundation for
the Advancement of Teaching
Community Engaged Campus
designation for the College’s
commitment to community
service
• Inclusion on the President’s
Higher Education Community
Service Honor Roll, most recently
‘with Distinction’
C E N T E N N I A L C O M PAS S 2.0
Commitments to Our Students
Commitments to Our
Students
Build and Sustain a Culture of Academic Excellence
Our Lady of the Lake College will seek to foster a culture of academic excellence that allows students the
opportunity to grow in knowledge and in understanding of the human condition. To accomplish this, the college
community must have appropriate resources to ensure access, enhance academics, and ensure accountability. Our
Lady of the Lake College students should benefit from the evolving understanding of and approaches to learning in
the 21st century.
Key Actions to Achieve this Commitment
• Implement innovative education methodologies relevant to the dynamic 21st century
learning environment
• Explore the expansion and enhancement of degree programs in mission related fields such
as a biology 3 + PA 2 option, population health, religious studies, a nursing practice doctorate
(DNP), and related social science disciplines
• Explore the development of a scholar/teacher/practitioner model
• Create a Center of Excellence in Gerontology and Healthy Aging
Lisa Skemp, PhD, RN
Professor, Endowed Chair of
Gerontological Nursing
The percentage of the population age 65 and
older is rapidly growing with an associated
increase in persons with complex healthcare
needs. Our Lady of the Lake College is enhancing
gerontology and healthy aging learning
experiences in our nursing and interprofessional
education programs. Supported by the Sister
Agnes Marie Fitzsimons Endowment, the
Gerontology Infusion Group (GIG) is a dedicated
group of faculty, practice partners, students,
and community members who are working
together to develop programs to not only prevent
and manage chronic care but also advocate for
healthy active aging.
PAGE
Examples of GIG initiatives
and collaborations
• Collaborative relationships with the University of Iowa
Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence and
Rush University School of Nursing in the development of
gerontological and healthy aging curricula and research.
• Healthy Aging Mentor-Mentee program in which students
learn from a community partner such as a Franciscan
Missionaries of Our Lady Health System clinician or researcher
and a faculty member as they engage in gerontology practice
and/or research.
• A collaborative relationship with the University of Iowa Study
Abroad Program on Inter-professional Community Capacity
Building for Healthy Aging. In this program students from
different disciplines learn how to partner with community
members and health care providers to promote healthy aging.
FIVE
C E N T E N N I A L C O M PAS S 2.0
Commitments to Our Students
Create an Opportunity for Spiritual
Exploration, Analysis, and Growth
As the only Catholic college in Louisiana outside the New Orleans area and the only faith-based institution in the
Greater Baton Rouge area, Our Lady of the Lake College is in a position to impact student learning in a manner
that facilitates not only cognitive development of the individual but also spiritual development. Strengthening
the Catholicity of the College in the areas of curriculum, community (co-curriculum and civic engagement), and
collaboration (participation in external organizations) will enable Our Lady of the Lake College to solidify its
Catholic identity and illustrate the spiritually enriched education designed to help our society, especially those
most in need.
Key Actions to Achieve this Commitment
• Promote the Mission of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady and the College’s
Catholic and Franciscan identity and values through programming and liturgy
• Emphasize the Catholic and Franciscan Intellectual Traditions in the theology curriculum
• Determine the appropriate theology requirements for all Our Lady of the Lake
College students
• Design campus programming on the seven themes of Catholic social teaching
• Articulate the Catholic teachings regarding respect for all life detailed in the Ethical and
Religious Directives and other related documents
Recruit, Retain and Graduate a Diverse and
Highly Qualified Student Body
The State of Louisiana and the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System depend on having a highly
qualified workforce to serve as its healthcare professionals, its scientists, and its community and church leaders.
It is essential for the College not only to recruit students who can succeed academically but also to structure an
academic environment where students can expand their knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities to achieve
their academic goals and, ultimately, to serve their communities in a variety of leadership capacities.
Key Actions to Achieve this Commitment
• Achieve enrollment, retention, and graduation targets that are competitive
with our institutional peers
• Complete the implementation of a virtual campus
• Implement strategies and programs to comprehensively meet diverse student needs
• Increase the number of philanthropically generated academic and need
based scholarships
• Achieve enrollment of 2,000 students by Fall 2017
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SEVEN
C E N T E N N I A L C O M PAS S 2.0
Commitments to Our Students
Move toward a Unified Physical Campus
To ensure that the work of Our Lady of the Lake College students, faculty and staff occurs in a well-defined,
safe, and aesthetically-pleasing environment, a move toward a more unified physical campus is a necessity.
The College needs expanded, ultramodern facilities with innovative functionality to better serve the increased
number of students, faculty and staff. The College will construct and acquire buildings by the centennial year
of 2023 to meet the demand of an institution of higher learning with facilities to serve the various academic
disciplines as well as a library, student center, chapel, and administrative center.
Key Actions to Achieve this Commitment
• Complete the renovations of the Biological Learning and Research Building
• Expand simulation teaching with the ultimate goal of creating a Simulated
Environment Teaching Hospital
• Develop a Campus Master Plan that will guide the College to foster distinctive campus
character, create a long-term understanding of campus facility needs, and provide a
framework for property acquisition and financial planning
Recruit, Mentor, Reward, and Retain a Diverse,
Highly Qualified and Engaged Faculty and Staff
To best serve the students, Our Lady of the Lake College believes that faculty excellence must be a priority.
Accordingly, faculty recruitment efforts will place an equal premium on faculty qualifications and the diverse
range of experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives each can bring to engaged service, active inquiry, and
a genuine concern for the success of the students. The College is committed to providing the mentoring and
rewards necessary to retain a faculty, a staff, and an administration of excellence.
Key Actions to Achieve this Commitment
• Acknowledge the contributions and talents of each individual and cultivate an
environment in which all members can collaborate in addressing the needs of
civic society
• Develop, implement, and assess strategies for fostering a sense of vocation among
faculty and staff
• Implement a Mentor Program for faculty and staff with particular emphasis on
significant student/faculty interactions outside of the classroom
• Actively and fully support faculty members in achieving a terminal degree in their
academic fields
• Create an infrastructure to support research and scholarly activity
• Develop hiring practices that integrate the Catholic and Franciscan heritage of the
College and instill these values in new faculty and staff members
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EIGHT
C E N T E N N I A L C O M PAS S 2.0
Our Lady of the Lake College
What is Catholic
Social Teaching?
The Seven Themes of
Catholic Social Teaching
Life and Dignity of the Human Person: Belief that all life
is sacred
Call to Family, Community and Participation: How we
organize our society
Rights and Responsibilities: Belief that every person has
a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for
human decency
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable: A basic moral test –
how are our most vulnerable members faring?
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers: The
economy must serve people, not the other way around!
Solidarity: Belief we are one human family – we are our brothers’
and sisters’ keepers
Care of God’s Creation: Our stewardship of creation – care for
the Earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith
source: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
PAGE
TEN
“I wanted to be in a field where I could combine my love of science
with my desire to help people. The service-learning component of
my coursework has been a great way for me as a student to put
the skills I am learning into use early. It helps reinforce the idea
that medicine is much more than the science behind a disease.
Medicine at its core is about compassion and selflessness.”
Aaron Vicari
Student in the Master
of Medical Science in
Physician Assistant Studies
Program, Class of May 2014
C E N T E N N I A L C O M PAS S 2.0
Commitment to the Communities We Serve
Commitment to the
Communities
We Serve
Link Learning and Service with Catholic Social
Justice Teaching throughout the Communities
the College Serves
Catholic social justice teaching should be the theoretical underpinning of the service-learning and civic
engagement activities of the College as it maintains its Carnegie community engaged campus designation. Using
the Franciscan emphasis on serving those most in need, the College will collaborate with its community partners
to serve the community and reiterate that Our Lady of the Lake College serves the common good.
Key Actions to Achieve this Commitment
• Form partnerships with the Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Schools to serve as a resource
for the faculty, students, and administration of the Diocese
• Assist the Diocese in its instruction of Directors of Religious Education and other continuing
education needs
• Identify public needs in collaboration with community partners and use these issues as
learning opportunities to suggest systemic changes required to resolve those needs
• Determine curriculum linkages necessary to fulfill this commitment with the aim of
expanding course and academic program emphasis on mission and the call to serve
“I estimate last semester’s 100plus student volunteer hours to
be worth over $2000 in services
that might have had to come
out of our limited budget. Having
the students here allows us to
reallocate our efforts, thus giving
more time to serve our patients
and their families.”
Sandra Bongiovanni
“In this economy we are seeing so
much need – even from working
families who have never asked for
help before. Our biggest asset is
our volunteers, and Our Lady of
the Lake College students have
been invaluable!”
Bonnie Bordelon
Volunteer Coordinator of the
Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank
Volunteer Coordinator of the Carpenter
House, an inpatient hospice facility designed
for the comfort of terminally ill patients and
their families
Clinical Laboratory Sciences students teaching laboratory skills to
a class of fifth graders at Brighton Elementary, a school for children
with dyslexia and other learning disabilities
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THIRTEEN
C E N T E N N I A L C O M PAS S 2.0
Commitment to a Healthy Population
Commitment to a
Healthy
Population
Enhance the Health of the Population in
Collaboration with Our Lady of the Lake Regional
Medical Center, the Franciscan Missionaries of Our
Lady Health System, and the State of Louisiana
With the national health care delivery and reimbursement system undergoing major transformations, Our Lady
of the Lake College must take a leadership role in promoting synergy among the scholars in the College and the
practitioners throughout the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, while simultaneously advancing
a healthy population throughout the State and the region.
Key Actions to Achieve
this Commitment
Tara Hollins
• Determine the academic programming to address
the workforce needs of the populations the
College serves and of the Franciscan Missionaries
of Our Lady Health System components
• Participate in planning and implementation
efforts particularly related to health initiatives
in Louisiana with Our Lady of the Lake Regional
Medical Center, Franciscan Missionaries of Our
Lady Health System, the Baton Rouge Area Health
Network, the City-Parish of East Baton Rouge, and
the State of Louisiana
In the summer of 2012, senior
biology major Lisa McDivitt
traveled to Mombasa, Kenya to
participate with Elective Africa
which accepts pre-med and
medical students for work in
medical clinics. Lisa was able to
learn from observation, and she
was also allowed to perform minor
suturing, dress wounds, draw
blood and run labs.
“This experience has
been amazing. The
opportunity to do
medical work in
Kenya has not only
confirmed my interest
in medicine, but I am
more resolved than
ever that ultimately
I want to do mission
work as a doctor one
day and to work in
underprivileged areas.”
Student in Associate
of Science in Nursing
Program, Class of
May 2013
• Collaborate with entities in the Franciscan
Missionaries of Our Lady Health System and other
external organizations to achieve success in grant
writing and academic integration
• Assist Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical
Center in its aspiration to achieve premier status
as an academic medical center
Lisa McDivitt
Student in Bachelor of
Science in Biology Program,
Class of May 2013
• Maximize the Our Lady of the Lake College
Simulated Environment Teaching Hospital
through interprofessional development activities
among Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady
Health System clinicians, College faculty, and
other community partners
Despite the rigorous demands of pursuing a nursing degree, Tara Hollins
is dedicated to civic engagement, earning her the national Newman Civic
Fellows Award by Campus Compact. Tara has worked to advance youth
rights, serve families losing loved ones, and speak out for abused and
neglected children through organizations such as the Society of St. Vincent de
Paul and the Hospice of Baton Rouge.
“My faith is central to me, and becoming a nurse
will be one way to honor my commitment to
serving the people of God. There is so much need,
and I plan to devote my life to doing whatever I can
do to help others in my community.”
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FIFTEEN
C E N T E N N I A L C O M PAS S 2.0
Our Lady of the Lake College
Yesterday,
Today,
Tomorrow
Our Lady of the Lake College was founded in 1923
to provide the educational needs for those called to serve in the healing
ministry. As we look ahead and celebrate our centennial, that mission has not
changed. What has changed is the healthcare environment, influenced by the
continuous evolution of advanced research, innovative technologies, and a
dynamically changing population in the 21st century.
The aim of the Centennial Compass documents is to reaffirm our
commitment to cultivating healthcare professionals and leaders who are able
to meet the increasing public health demands of the communities we are
privileged to serve. Guided by Catholic and Franciscan values, the spiritually
enriched education of Our Lady of the Lake College is designed to help our
society and advance the mission of ensuring a healthy population with an
emphasis on holistic, compassionate approaches to care.
In order to achieve this, we will implement the key actions outlined in
Centennial Compass 2.0 and create a philanthropic spirit to broaden the
mission set before us.
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SIXTEEN
OUR M ISSION
Inspired by the vision of St. Francis of Assisi and in the tradition of
the Roman Catholic Church, we extend the healing ministry of Jesus
Christ to God’s people, especially those most in need.
We call forth all who serve in this healthcare ministry, to share their
gifts and talents to create a spirit of healing – with reverence and
love for all of life, with joyfulness of spirit, and with humility and
justice for all those entrusted to our care.
We are, with God’s help, a healing and spiritual presence for each
other and for the communities we are privileged to serve.
Seeking to be faithful to the ideals of its heritage and its sponsors,
Our Lady of the Lake College is committed to meeting the educational
needs of the people of God.
5414 Brittany Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(225) 768-1700
ololcollege.edu