There’s a new nursing school in the state of California being run by experts in the field who happened to be Filipinos. That is worth celebrating amid the need for nurses in the aftermath of a pandemic, and considering the estimable reputation of Filipino nurses and educators.
Aberdeen Institute, located at the heart of San Fernando Valley, was launched last Jan. 13 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by key figures in the community.
If you’re guessing that 13 must be a significant number and in no way unlucky for those behind the foundation of the school, your guess is right. There are 13 key individuals who have poured in their years of experience and proven expertise in the profession to put up Aberdeen Institute.
Dr. Bernard Riccomini, director of nursing education programs, expressed high hopes in realizing the vision of the new school. He shared, “The community in San Fernando Valley is going to be affected in many ways with the unveiling of Aberdeen Institute. Our mission is to be able to ameliorate the gap of nursing shortage made worse by the pandemic.”
The new nursing school had gotten the necessary approvals for it to formally open, as it targets to start classes by March.
Dr. Riccomini noted that they are currently screening and selecting students, expecting to tap those qualified within the community or even in neighboring places, be they Filipinos or non-Filipinos.
Interestingly, they have also been getting inquiries from the states of Arizona, Texas, and Nevada.
The de facto leader of Aberdeen Institute’s Magic 13 shared that he handpicked each one of them by partly considering significant personal connections. “Being in the profession of nursing for 29 years, I have met a lot of wonderful teachers, friends, and colleagues “Dr. Riccomini said, “Several of them were my nursing student graduates. Dr. Em Garcia holds office in two different hospitals. A couple more are deans in colleges of nursing outside of Los Angeles. We’re a pretty solid team.”
Part of the team’s dream is to be able to provide the future with nurses that are caring and compassionate, and molded through a good nursing school. The inaugural event’s success was also reflected during the networking sessions which organizers believe were “truly invaluable” and “will contribute greatly to the growth and development of Aberdeen Institute.”
The power of personal connection among owners was further emphasized by the speech of Leila Villon who shared her thoughts over her involvement. She said, “The roots of my relationship with the visionary mind behind Aberdeen Institute go beyond the realm of professional collaboration. We are high school classmates, business partners, and, most importantly, long-time friends.”
Aberdeen Institute has its facilities situated at 7136 Haskell Avenue in Van Nuys, California. It is being eyed as the first of many.
The urbanized San Fernando Valley contains a large portion of Los Angeles, and is notable for having the film studios Warner Bros. and Walt Disney, as well as Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.
Dr. Riccomini, who takes pride in being a traveler, having been to 130 cities in nearly 40 countries, revealed that he had Aberdeen Institute named after a city in Scotland known for its sandy coastline. The motto of that Scottish city is “Bon Accord,” meaning “good agreement.”
There’s certainly a good one for the 13 fellows who came together to open Aberdeen Institute.