Yesterday, the Wildcat reported that a 3.7 grade-point average was required to get into the College of Nursing. The actual required GPA is 2.5. The Wildcat regrets the error.

The nationally high-ranked UA College of Nursing celebrated its 50th anniversary and the expansion of its new learning center Monday.

The Steele Innovative Learning Center was built to alleviate a local nursing shortage, according to the center’s Web site.

Arizona is now the fastest-growing state in the nation with the least number of registered nurses, according to a College of Nursing press release.

“”We need the nurses, and this (expansion of the Nursing College) is a great opportunity to meet the needs of the community,”” said Shannon Porter, a student in the college’s 14-month accelerated BSN Partnership Program.

A recent financial campaign raised $1.3 million for the new 4,785-square foot learning center and three hospital-like units.

The Steele Foundation, for which the center is named, and the Louise Foucar Marshall Foundation were the principle donors.

Judith Brown, the college’s director for development and community affairs, said she was pleased that many alumni and past faculty attended the ceremony last night. Many past and present deans attended, as well.

UA President Robert Shelton and Wilma the Wildcat were among some of the notable participants at the anniversary festivities.

“”I have never seen one (a nursing program) with the innovation and drive that this college has,”” Shelton said in a speech.

The College of Nursing is one of the nation’s top-ranked schools, ranking No. 15 by US News and World Reports. That ranking puts the UA in the top 6 percentile of nursing schools nationally.

The college offers a traditional undergraduate program or or the BSN , which allows students with a bachelor’s degree in something other than nursing to switch to the nursing field.

The college opened in 1957 with very humble beginnings. Since its inception, the school’s budget has seen an annual budget increase from $23,000 to $12 million. The program started off with 46 students and now has more than 500.

The college has achieved many milestones over the years, such as the state’s first Ph.D. in nursing and the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. The UA is one of only 25 programs nationally that offers the DNP degree.

The college remains extremely competitive, taking only about one in four students. Applicants need a minimum GPA of 3.7 to be admitted.