Power of collaboration: Cameron dedicates building serving Trine ASN students

Officials from Cameron Memorial Community Hospital and Trine University celebrated the ribbon-cutting of the new Joyce and Al Gutstein Education and Innovation Center, a three-story, 32,000-square-foot facility that serves Trine’s Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) students.

Announced in March 2023, the building includes multiple classrooms, four simulation rooms, two control rooms for the simulation rooms, one debrief room, a ten-bed skills lab, and offices for Trine faculty, Cameron educators and staff.

The facility also includes a recently opened family medicine and pediatrics clinic.

Vital hub

Angie Logan, president and CEO of Cameron Memorial Community Hospital, said the new center will serve as a vital hub for clinical education, health programming and hands-on training.

She thanked Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., Trine University president, for his visionary leadership, Tony Kline, Ph.D., executive vice president, for continuing to look for ways to create innovation in the space, and Lisa Clemens, dean of the Brooks College of Health Professions, Angel Jennings, director of nursing, and Amy Bortner, director of the ASN program, as well as “the entire Trine team” for launching and sustaining the ASN program.

“The Cameron Education and Innovation Center is a great example of the power of collaboration—the idea that when we come together, great things can be achieved,” said Angie Logan, president and CEO of Cameron Memorial Community Hospital. “Collaboration is not merely a buzzword; it is the driving force behind innovation, progress and success in every aspect of our lives. We have so many partners to thank who’ve played an instrumental role in helping to see this vision closer to reality and we find ourselves fortunate to add such a unique addition within this community.”

“This is an exciting time for Trine University and Cameron Memorial Hospital, as we together forge a partnership that will produce highly qualified, outstanding nurses ready to make an impact on healthcare and in the communities they will serve upon graduation from the program,” added Tony Kline, Ph. D., executive vice president, Trine University. “Through this collaborative initiative, the students will develop as nurses, the university will grow and the hospital will thrive, all of which will be of benefit to the City of Angola and the surrounding community.”

Betsy Gutstein, a daughter of Al and Joyce Gutstein speaking on behalf of her and her sister Susan, praised both Cameron and Trine for the partnership.

“Susan and I wish you every success as the people of this remarkable facility leverage their talents and compassion to help people in this community live fuller, healthier lives,” she said.

Preparation for nursing career

Trine’s ASN is a five-semester program that allows graduates to apply for licensure as a registered nurse by examination.

Offering personal attention, practical experience and state-of-the-art facilities in Trine University’s Best Hall expansion as well as Cameron’s new Education and Innovation Center, Trine’s ASN program graduates nurses who are equipped with the nursing knowledge and critical thinking and reasoning skills to provide safe, compassionate, patient-centric holistic care to diverse populations while working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals.

Beyond the partnership with Trine, Cameron plans to engage with local schools, first responders, and community members, allowing access to this new environment supporting education and hands-on training that will benefit the region. The Joyce and Al Gutstein Education and Innovation Center will further allow students from all over, especially within Steuben County, to well-position themselves to take advantage of the demand for healthcare professionals, find employment within the region, and join a rewarding profession that allows them to directly give back to their community.