• The quality education provided by SUCN to equip graduates with the knowledge-base and skills-set needed to excel in their professional work in different nursing fields of specialization at home and worldwide, and
• A good number of SUCN graduates holding various leadership positions at the national and international arena.

SUCN alumni and friends in Southern California started to organize and explore ways to support SUCN in their continued pursuit for excellence in nursing and expand their influence in advancing nursing education, research and policy development for improved health outcomes in the Philippines and ASEAN Region. This cadre of alumni then decided in 2007 to formally organize and form the Silliman University College of Nursing Alumni Association of America International (SUCNAAI).

SUCN alumni from around the world supporting each other and working together with SUCN for a healthy ASEAN region through leadership excellence in nursing.

SUCNAAI’s original support / contributions to SUCN’s quest for academic excellence in nursing education were in the form of technical support, providing financial and educational resources, mobilizing experts to provide on-site expertise in area/s of needs.

Based on SUCN’s expressed needs, SUCNAAI provided and funded:

• an adjunct professor in the MSN program,
• Organized a research workshop and bootcamp to address the area identified by the Philippine
• Academic Accreditation Body as needing improvement in SUCN’s BSN Program.
• Launched and supported the annual Balik-Talent Program which involved SUCN alumni from
• abroad- sharing their talents/expertise in nursing education and/or practice- with nurses from all parts of the Philippines.
• Initiated the Advocacy to the Philippine Congress and organized the First High Fidelity Simulation at SU
• Initiated, linked and enhanced SUCN partnership with Texas Tech University, California Baptist
• University and the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing, AAPINA, Aspen Inc, and various colleges of nursing in the Visayas and Mindanao.
• received donations and turned over gifts to SUCN for Memorial Scholarships, such as NANCY UYAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP (2 undergraduate recipients), CARMEN ESPERAT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP (one graduate recipient)
• organized and sponsored training programs and research workshop on clinical simulation
• enhanced communication links among SUCNAAI membership with regular newsletters, reunion booklets and assisted classes in organizing and celebrating their Golden and Ruby Jubilees

PoLEN is a SUCNAAI-SUCN Partnership which explores and opens new opportunities for nursing leaders to address emerging challenges and imperatives of nursing education in the light of current educational reforms in the Philippines and across the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) SUCN through PoLEN aims to be a leader in cutting-edge research, nursing education and health policy development to improve health outcomes at the local, national, and ASEAN region.

Over a decade, PoLEN has delivered programs and services with positive impact and influence in improving nursing education and enhancing health care services at the local, national and regional levels. Its programs contributed to Silliman University’s Level IV Accreditation status (the highest Accreditation recognition awarded to an academic institution); the designation of the Silliman University College of Nursing (SUCN) as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED); substantial USAID grant to support the rollout of innovative learning strategies to academic institutions in the Visayas and Mindanao; staffing all city health clinics with registered nurses to enhance community access to quality health care; life-long- learning through the SUCNAAI funded Balik-talent Programs provided by SUCN alumni from around the globe. Also, invited distinguished speakers and researchers in their respective specialization.

SUCNAAI organized a Nurse Advocacy Initiative to lobby for Congressional action on the revision of the Philippine Nursing Act to legalize Advanced Nursing Practice (RA 9173). SUCNAAI supported the participation of SUCN and representatives from select Colleges of Nursing in this advocacy endeavor. SUCNAAI along with the Philippine Nurses Association, the Philippine Board of Registered Nurses and elected Representatives (Congressmen) from Negros Oriental successfully obtained the approval of RA 9173 and the Philippine Nursing Act 0f 2002 by the 15th Philippine Congress.

In recognition of SUCN’s alumni achievements, SUCNAAI’s established the following Awards:

• The Lifetime Achievement Award,

• The Maria Concepcion Roble Medallion of Honor Award

• Mary Marquis Smith Trailblazer Award

Note: SUCNAAI also established a Recognition Program for the first SUCN graduates who were “top notchers” in the Philippine Board of Nursing Licensure Exams.

Membership: 

SUCNAAI ‘s regular membership is open only to SUCN graduates. Each currently paid organization member

is entitled to participate in the deliberations and to exercise the privilege of one vote on matters brought to vote.

Associate membership is open to any person 18 years of age or older, who supports the SUCNAAI Bylaws, and pays the prescribe dues.

At Governing Board Meetings, organization members who are not members of the Governing Board are wel- come to speak on the invitation of the Presiding Officer but shall not have any voting privileges on matters brought to vote.

The Governing Board:

SUCNAAI’s governing authority is vested on a duly elected Governing Board (GB).

The Governing Board is composed of: A President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and at least six (6) members of the Board At-Large. The total will be ten (10) Board Members

The Advisory Board:

The Advisory Board is made up of no more than five (5) duly approved SUCNAAI Lifetime members. The President, Vice president, and Chairperson of the Education Committee shall meet to select duly qualified Nominee whose names shall be presented to the Governing Board for approval as members of the Advisory Board. It is also the duty of these same individuals to seek duly qualified Members who will fill in any vacan- cy in this position

A special invitation is extended to all SUCN Alumni and friends from all over the world to join forces in mak- ing SUCN the hub for Leadership Excellence in Nursing in the Philippines and ASEAN region.

It is believed that any and every SUCN Alumnus can contribute to this important endeavor through one or all of their three Ws:

• Work (sharing your experience and expertise),

• Wisdom (provide advice and advocating for SUCN and nursing at the academic, community, national and ASEAN decision -making levels)

• Worth (contributing financial resources to support the programs and viability of the Program of Leader-

ship Excellence in Nursing (PoLEN).