Patricia Gilmore Chiverton, Class of 1965

Patricia Gilmore Chiverton, Class of 1965, is Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Rochester and Vice President for Strong Health Nursing. She fondly recalls Rush-Henrietta’s math and science departments, and remembers how one staff member’s sage advice helped launch her professional career.

That staff member, a high school guidance counselor named Frank Giannone, took the unusual step of encouraging Patricia to pursue a four-year college degree, rather than a diploma program, which was the norm in 1965 for prospective nurses. "If I had gone down the other path," she says, "I'm sure I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today. That really set the stage for my career advancement."

Patricia Gilmore Chiverton was honored with the Distinguished Alumni award in 2005.