Martin-Herold College of Nursing & Health

Where leaders are empowered

Learning by doing.

We offer high-quality, integrated theoretical nursing content, clinical lab simulation (including telehealth), and hands-on experience. Our full-time nursing faculty are recognized as the best in their field. Nurses from local hospitals and agencies also serve as professors—bringing their real-world experience from the hospital into the classroom.

Why a health degree from Mount Mercy?

Through internship and service opportunities at local hospitals (Mercy Medical Center and UnityPoint Health–St. Luke’s Hospital), community clinics, and home health agencies, students work directly with a diverse population in the rapidly-changing health care landscape.

Transformational gifts

Mount Mercy received a truly transformational gift from Ron Herold and his wife Paula Martin Herold RN ’61 to establish the Martin-Herold College of Nursing & Health and launch the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in 2018.

Mount Mercy also received a grant from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust to update assessment and simulation labs and to implement telehealth simulation experiences across all our nursing education programs.

In 2023, generous gifts from the Francis J. Pruss Education Trust, Margaret Murrin Christiano Trust, and Terri and the late Art Christoffersen made significant improvements to spaces inside Mount Mercy University’s Donnelly Center. This included renovations to several classrooms and updates to the student lounge.

That same year, two more gifts were announced. Abby (Hitchcock) Heydman ’64 announced a gift to create the F.E. (Fritz) Hitchcock Endowed Nursing Lecture Series—an annual lecture series on nursing and health topics for both students and the community. Additionally, a generous estate gift from Jack and Marjorie Fraenkel established the Jack Runnels and Marjorie Hansen Fraenkel Endowed Chair in Nursing at Mount Mercy.