Four distinguished alumnae honored by College of Nursing

For their distinguished achievement, the College of Nursing awarded medallions to four alumni at its 21st Annual Mass and Alumni Awards Ceremony on April 17. With those honored are M. Louise Fitzpatrick, Ed.D., R.N., FAAN, Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor (left) and Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., University president (right) who thanked the recipients for “bringing Villanova to the world.” The Medallion recipients are (from left) Jocelyn Bessette Gorlin ’80 B.S.N., Florence Benas Smoczynski ’62 B.S.N., Carol J. Quinn ’70 B.S.N. and Mary Ellen Smith Glasgow ’87 M.S.N.

Villanova University College of Nursing honored four distinguished alumnae with its highest award, the College of Nursing Medallion. The awards were presented by Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor M. Louise Fitzpatrick Ed.D., R.N., FAAN at the 21st Annual Mass and Alumni Awards Ceremony on April 17 held in the St. Thomas of Villanova Church on the University campus. The event is co-sponsored by the College and its Nursing Alumni Association.

The 2010 recipients are:

Medallion for Distinguished Contributions for Nursing Education
Mary Ellen Smith Glasgow ’87 M.S.N., associate dean for Undergraduate Programs, MSN Programs and CE, Drexel University

Mary Ellen Smith Glasgow is a leader in nursing education, lauded by her colleagues for her accomplishments which are as numerous as her professional publications. At Drexel, Mary Ellen brought its co-operative model to their undergraduate programs and developed the standardized patient laboratory experience for undergraduate nursing students. She also implemented the use of mobile technology in the clinical setting and created the accelerated career entry BSN program. At the graduate level, in addition to her master’s program oversight, Mary Ellen was a member of the planning committee to start Drexel’s Doctor of Nursing Practice and Doctor of Philosophy Programs. Dr. Glasgow called her master’s education at Villanova “a strong, relevant academic program” and expressed gratitude for the faculty mentoring she received.


Medallion for Excellence in Clinical Practice
Jocelyn Bessette Gorlin ’80 B.S.N., nurse practitioner, Hematology Department, Minneapolis Children’s Hospitals and Clinics

Jocelyn Gorlin was honored for her dedication to the care of children with hemophilia and their families, and the energy and expertise that she shares with the underserved worldwide. She has educated and inspired numerous parents and families and has created models to educate school personnel about their students with hemophilia. She has also done research in the care of these patients and is a role model for other nurses, as a nursing representative on the boards of the National Hemophilia Foundation and World Federation of Hemophilia. With the Federation, she has presented hemophilia topics at their international conferences and done hemophilia and hematology outreach in Peru and Armenia, the latter an award-winning relationship recognized internationally. With the foundation of her Villanova Nursing education supporting her work, Gorlin acknowledged the children “whose care I gently held in my hand and who taught me I was not the teacher; I was actually the student.”


Medallion for Distinguished Leadership in Administration of Nursing and Health Care Services Carol J. Quinn ’70 B.S.N., president and CEO, Mercy Home Health and Mercy LIFE and senior VP, Mercy Health System

Carol J. Quinn was celebrated as an extraordinary leader, receiving the Medallion for her ability to influence quality care through management of vital community and home health services, and for expressing Villanova’s mission and values in her work. In each of her executive positions, she earned her reputation by not only growing the businesses she leads while navigating the tangled web of industry regulations, but exceeding national and industry quality standards as she brings sensitive and sensible care to the community her organizations serve. Regarding her undergraduate nursing education, Quinn recalled the influence of the “outstanding curriculum and faculty dedicated to excellence” at Villanova. This is reflected in her own practices, note Ray Welch, President and CEO of Mercy Health System and Sr. Kathleen Keenan, Senior Vice President of Mission & Sponsorship, who comment that she “is recognized as a visionary leader and woman of compassion for the sick and frail in the community. Building on her professional nursing experience at Villanova University, she inspires others to see the patient as the center of care and excellent quality of care as the hallmark of service.”


Medallion for Distinguished Service to the College and Nursing Alumni
Florence Benas Smoczynski ’62 B.S.N., assistant professor, George Mason University

Florence Smoczynski has contributed much to the advancement of nursing during her career but no matter where she was or what she was doing, all roads led her back to Villanova and her professional roots. She was honored for her many years of support and encouragement of nursing education at Villanova, and also for her pioneering efforts in the use of technology in nursing education which have been of great service to nursing students everywhere. She encourages both neophyte and seasoned faculty to venture beyond traditional modes of instruction in order to hone students’ ability to make critical judgments about patient conditions and institute appropriate clinical interventions. Dr. Smoczynski has been among the most loyal of College of Nursing alumni since her graduation. She says “Villanova has always been in my heart,” crediting the leadership, support and role modeling of the faculty for her professional growth.