First Director Named

Alice Fitzgerald was a graduate of Johns Hopkins Hospital Training School for Nurses and Teachers College at Columbia University. Fitzgerald had been a nurse leader at two East Coast hospitals before arriving in Indianapolis in 1913. After establishing the school, Fitzgerald departed Indiana for an esteemed career in the United States and Europe during WWI and later in Asia for the Rockefeller Foundation.

Long Hospital Opens

On June 15, 1915, the hospital opened to patients with 106 available beds. Eighteen of those were private rooms. The first patient and first student arrived on June 19.

Second director, Ethel P. Clarke, named

Ethel P. Clarke served until 1931. (She was born in 1875 in England and died May 30, 1970, in Connecticut.) According to the Shore Line Times, June 4, 1970: She died at 95. Born October 3, 1875, in Lynton, Devon County, England, she was the daughter of the late Frederick Tancock and Alice Snell Palmer. Mrs. Clarke graduated from the University of Maryland training school for nurses in 1906. She was superintendent of DeSoto Sanitarium, Jacksonville, FL, until 1911, when she returned to the University Hospital at the University of Maryland and became superintendent of nurses. In 1914, she entered Teacher's College at Columbia University. In 1915, Mrs. Clarke became superintendent of nurses at the University of Indiana Medical School [as written] Indianapolis, Indiana. Mrs. Clarke organized the school of nursing at Indiana University. She moved to Bridgeport in 1933, where she was superintendent of nurses at Bridgeport Hospital. She held this position until she retired in 1941. Mrs. Clarke was a life member of the Nurses Alumnae Association of the University of Maryland and a member of Holy Advent, Episcopal Church. She was predeceased by a brother, F. Flynn Palmer, and two sisters, Mrs. Maude Palmer Wilke and Miss Vera Palmer. She is survived by a nephew John F. Wilke of Cedar Vale, Kansas; and two great nephews, Lynne Wilke of Peru, New York, and Douglas Wilke of East Rockaway, New York.

Hull named director

Josephine Hull served as director until 1933. Under her leadership, chemistry and massage courses were added to the curriculum.

Eve

Commissioned by the IU Alumni Nurses Association in 1931, artist Robert Davidson designed the sculpture “Eve” that sits in Ball Nurses' Sunken Gardens. Students nicknamed her “Flo” in honor of Florence Nightingale and would dress her in nurses’ uniforms, undergarments, balloons, and towels during graduation time.

Hoeflin named director

Cordelia Hoeflin, a Canadian citizen, served as director until 1946. These were the war years (WWII) and saw the formation of the Cadet Corps. The first capping ceremony took place under Hoeflin's tenure.

Peacock named director

Mary Peacock served until 1948.

Webster named director

Jean Coffey Webster served until 1954.

First African-American student

The first African-American student to graduate was Anne Mitchem-Davis in 1953. She went on to serve as a school nurse for the Marion County Department of Health and Hospitals and became the assistant dean of Howard University’s College of Nursing.

Halstead named director

Crystal Halstead served until 1956.

First dean named

After a reevaluation of the school’s curriculum, practices and administration, Emily Holmquist was named the first dean in August 1957 in order to lead the school during its important revolutionary years. She served until 1973.

Akers named director

Martha Akers served until 1957

First African-American faculty member

Dr. Lauranne Sams helped to build the foundation of IUPUI's academic excellence. She joined the Maternal Nursing faculty in 1958 as the first African-American faculty member. For 16 years she served as a leader for both the School of Nursing and the broader IUPUI community. Dr. Sams was a leader in curriculum development and program evaluation, contributing to the excellence of the school as it transformed into what is now known and recognized as a national leader in education, practice, service, and research. She served on two committees for IUPUI - the Committee for Metropolitan Affairs and the Science and Humanities Programs for Equal Opportunity. She was actively involved in the recruitment and retention of minority students, including recruitment for the School of Medicine. In 1971 Dr. Sams was appointed by Governor Bowen to the Indiana State Board of Nurse Registration and Nurse Education. She became dean of Tuskegee Institute of Nursing in 1974. The National Black Nurses Association was organized under her leadership in 1971.

Second dean named

Elizabeth Grossman, PhD, RN, led the School of Nursing as its dean for fifteen years. As dean, Grossman created the School of Nursing's first doctoral program and developed the first nurse specialist program in Indiana. She also pioneered distance education for the school's master's degree program and expanded the nursing school's courses to all eight Indiana University campuses. Grossman was instrumental in bringing the headquarters of Sigma Theta Tau nursing honorary society to IUPUI, now known as IU Indianapolis. As a nurse, Grossman specialized in maternity nursing and was widely regarded for her innovative ideas in maternity nursing. Grossman pioneered the idea of bringing fathers into the delivery room. She founded the Maternity Family League of Indiana with her nursing colleagues. Grossman served on the boards of many local organizations and was an active community volunteer. In 2000, she received a Sagamore of the Wabash award. She died September 24, 2007.

Third dean named

Constance M. Baker served until end of 1990

Fourth dean named

Angela McBride served until 2003

Fifth dean named

Marion Broome served until June of 2014

First dean of the IU School of Nursing in Fort Wayne appointed

Chris Coleman appointed the first associate dean. July 1, 2018. Served until July 1 of 2022.