MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A social justice advocate and health policy expert will be the featured speaker for the West Virginia University School of Nursing’s Jenab Lecture at 7 p.m., Friday, April 15. The biennial event will take place at the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center’s Okey Patteson Auditorium and is free and open to the public.

Sister Rosemary Donley, Ph.D., will present “Nursing Practice to Assure Justice for Vulnerable Populations.” Sister Donley is a professor of nursing and the Jacques Laval Chair in Justice for Vulnerable Populations at Duquesne University. As she describes her life in nursing as “a wonderful adventure,” Donley’s clinical and research interests are directed toward improving the lives and health of the underserved.

A native of Pittsburgh and member of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, Dr. Donley is a past Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow. In addition to holding six honorary degrees, she was designated as one of the American Academy of Nursing’s Living Legends in 2006 in recognition of her continued professional and societal contributions. 

Donley received a diploma from the Pittsburgh Hospital School of Nursing and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. Louis University. She earned her Master of Science and doctoral degree in nursing education from the University of Pittsburgh. She is a certified adult nurse practitioner.

Donley served as past president of the National League for Nursing and is co-chair of the organization’s think tank on expanding racial, ethnic and gender diversity in nursing education. She was appointed to the United States Department of Health and Human Service Secretary’s Commission on Nursing and has been a consultant to the medical commands of the United States Army and Navy.

The lecture is named for Lorita D. Jenab, dean of the School of Nursing from 1968 to 1992.

For more information on the WVU School of Nursing, visit www.hsc.wvu.edu/son.