Centenary Medal – Alice Baumgart

A member of the Class of 1958, Alice Baumgart had a long career devoted to university nursing education and enlarging the presence of nurses in shaping health policy. She has a master’s degree from McGill University and a doctorate from University of Toronto and held faculty appointments at UBC, Queens University and Western Michigan University.

Upon graduation from UBC she was a staff nurse at University of Oregon Health Sciences Center in Portland. Within the year she accepted the invitation of Director Evelyn Mallory to return to UBC to become a clinical instructor in the newly minted baccalaureate program affiliated with St. Paul’s Hospital.  While a faculty member at UBC she was instrumental in initiating the nursing master’s program in 1968. She also undertook pioneering work to introduce interprofessional perspectives into health sciences programs.

In 1977, after her doctoral studies, she moved to Queens University where she held positions as Dean of the School of Nursing and was the first woman to achieve the senior administrative post of Vice-Principal. Always active in professional nursing organizations, Alice served as President of the Canadian Nurses Association as well as of the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing and as a Board member of the International Council of Nurses and the U.S. Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. She was co-author of a major nursing text, Canadian Nursing Faces the Future, and has been a keynote speaker at numerous international conferences. She continues to mentor women academics to become more valued and accomplished scholars and senior administrative leaders.

On retirement she moved to Pennsylvania where she has served as a Board member of local non-profit health care organizations and of continuing education programs for seniors.

She has received several honors and awards including UBC’s 75th Anniversary Distinguished Alumni Award, Distinguished Service Award of Queen’s University, Ethel Johns Award for distinguished service to university nursing education in Canada, and Commemorative Medals for Queen Elizabeth’s Silver and Golden Jubilees. In 2000 she received an honorary doctor of laws degree from UBC.