Capella University PhD Graduate Appointed Prestigious Endowed Chair Position

Rodney Hicks appointed nation's first endowed chair for patient
safety in a school of nursing
MINNEAPOLIS--(Business Wire)--
Rodney W. Hicks, PhD, R.N., a 2006 PhD from Capella University, an
accredited, online university, has been appointed by Texas Tech
University Health Sciences Center School of Nursing to the nation's
first endowed chair for patient safety in a school of nursing. The
position was created through a partnership between University Medical
Center (UMC) Health System and the Texas Tech University Health
Sciences Center in Lubbock, TX, because of a growing concern for
patient safety; an important priority for hospitals across the nation.

"When you step into the hospital there is risk everywhere", said
Rodney Hicks. "We have a responsibility to make the system safer so
patients don't have to worry about losing their life. It's not bad
people working in the health system, rather, the system itself is
flawed".

His responsibility as endowed chair is to promote a culture of
patient safety for nursing students and the clinical staff at UMC. The
objective is to create a partnership between academic institutions and
teaching hospitals, while allowing students to gain an appreciation
for patient safety while attending school.

"In part, the real success of our fully online approach to
learning is demonstrated by the accomplishments and successes of our
Capella graduates", commented Chris Cassirer, dean of Capella
University's School of Human Services, and a patient safety expert.
"We are extremely proud of Rod's appointment and dedication to
improving patient safety".

Hicks was chosen to be the inaugural UMC Health System Endowed
Chair for Patient Safety because of his meticulous research. He became
a nationally recognized leader in patient safety from conducting and
evaluating medication error studies while employed at the United
States Pharmacopeia (USP), where he gained a very strong knowledge of
patient safety issues at the national level.

Hicks recognizes his success in researching patient safety from
his extensive course work while pursuing his doctorate in health care
administration at Capella University. "What I learned in the course
room was immediately relevant to the work I was doing at USP. Capella
encouraged a synergy between my professional responsibilities and
academic opportunities".

About Capella University

Founded in 1993, Capella University is an accredited(a), fully
online university that offers graduate degree programs in business,
information technology, education, human services, psychology, public
health, and public safety, and bachelor's degree programs in business,
information technology, and public safety. Within those areas, Capella
currently offers 104 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 15
certificate program. The online university currently serves more than
22,000 students from all 50 states and 45 countries. Capella
University is committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence
and pursuing balanced business growth. Capella University is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Capella Education Company (NASDAQ: CPLA),
headquartered in Minneapolis. For more information, please visit
http://www.capella.edu or call 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552).

(a)Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning
Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of
Colleges and Schools (NCA), http://www.ncahlc.org.

Capella University, 225 South Sixth Street, Ninth Floor,
Minneapolis, MN 55402, 1.888.CAPELLA (227.3552), www.capella.edu.

Capella University
Irene Silber, 612-977-4132
irene.silber@capella.edu

Copyright Business Wire 2008