Alumni Profiles
She Had a Dream
Fifty years ago, she was the school’s first African American graduate. Today, she is one of our most distinguished alumni.
In 1956, Gertrude Theresa Jones Hodges ’59–known as “Trudy” to her friends–ignored the advice of her high school guidance counselor. Johns Hopkins and the citizens of Baltimore are grateful that she did.
Defying the guidance counselor, who questioned whether the nursing profession was even open to blacks, Hodges sent a letter inquiring if The Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing accepted “colored” students. She followed her dream, and in 1959 became the first African American graduate of the nursing school.
Hodges went on to earn her master’s degree, then began to teach nurses–at Hopkins, at St. Agnes, and finally at the two-year institution known today as Baltimore City Community College. It was there that she spent decades inspiring students, many of whom were from disadvantaged backgrounds, to work hard and achieve academic degrees in nursing. For her relentless pursuit of excellence in health care education, Hodges has been honored with a JHU Distinguished Alumna Award.
Learn more at http://alumni.jhu.edu/distinguishedalumni.
An Angell Among Us
Student, alumna, nurse, nurse manager, admissions counselor, assistant dean–Sandra Stine Angell ’69, today the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, has undoubtedly given a lifetime of outstanding service to Johns Hopkins.
“Sandy is totally committed to each and every student having nothing but a quality experience at Johns Hopkins,” a colleague recently praised. “She is driven by what is best for the students. Frankly, the students are truly fortunate to have someone like her in their corner. And because of her commitment to the highest level of quality, and personal service to students, the entire staff in Student Affairs follows her example.”
For all her contributions to the university and alumni association, Angell has received a 2009 JHU Alumni Heritage Award.
Learn more at http://alumni.jhu.edu/heritage2009, or send a note of congratulations to [email protected].