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The Â鶹´«Ã½ on September 8, 2009 hosted alumni of Westbrook College to celebrate the naming of the Westbrook College of Health Professions on the University's Portland campus. 

The name honors the College's alumni and long history of excellence.

"Like many of my fellow alumni, I am proud that the Westbrook College name will appear on the diplomas of a new generation of students," said Diane Collins Field, president of the Westbrook College Alumni Association.

In the Westbrook College of Health Professions, more than 1,000 students, faculty and staff participate in graduate programs in social work, physician assistant, occupational therapy, physical therapy and nurse anesthesia in addition to undergraduate students in nursing, dental hygiene, applied exercise science and athletic training.

"I am so proud of what the Westbrook College name has meant to so many of our alumni, and I am grateful that we have so many dedicated students, faculty and staff who are excited to carry on the tradition," said Â鶹´«Ã½President Danielle Ripich, Ph.D.

The Westbrook College of Health Professions on the Portland campus is also home to the Clinical Simulation Program which employs high tech patient simulators that are integrated with computer programs in real time to respond to students' actions and even hold discussions surrounding their care.  The Clinical Simulation Program is also training professionals from the region's healthcare institutions.

In September, the College also launched the first fully online Master of Social Work program in the nation, with its first class of 24 students participating from across the country - 52 percent are from the Southeast and Midwest.

The College's Physical Therapy and Nurse Anesthesia programs grew by more than 25 percent in the past year - there are now 44 physical therapy students and 39 students in nurse anesthesia.

The Physical Therapy program will celebrate its 25th anniversary later this month with alumni.