Long time President retiring; successor named

After 13 years at the helm, Lois Hamilton will retire as president of the Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing June 30, 2011. Patti Stockert has been named president of the College effective July 1.

During her tenure, Hamilton has played a part in many exciting changes at the College. Under her leadership, enrollment has tripled and online Master’s and Doctorate programs have been added. Hamilton oversaw the renovation of the Greenleaf building, home of the College of Nursing, and the integration of simulated learning through the use of six state-of-the-art simulation labs.

“The changes have been the result of the commitment and hard work of our students, faculty, and staff,” said Hamilton. “The continuous growth of the College has led us to dream and plan for a new building. I am confident that even greater accomplishments, including the new building, will occur in the future.”

Succeeding Hamilton as president is Patti Stockert, RN, PhD. Stockert received her doctorate in nursing from Saint Louis University in 2000. She has been with OSF Saint Francis since 1976, beginning her career as a surgical nurse. While earning her master’s degree, she served as an instructor at St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing, and later became an assistant professor when the facility became the College of Nursing in 1986.

Sue Brown, RN, PhD, will succeed Stockert as Dean of Undergraduate Programs at the College. Brown began her career at OSF Saint Francis in 1996 as a critical care nurse in the cardiovascular intensive care unit.