Donna Williams ’86
I wanted to take a moment to tell you how grateful I am for my nursing colleagues and our shared Jesuit mission. The enormity of the impact of COVID and civil unrest weighs so heavily in the thoughts of people around the globe. On this gorgeous summer day, I am counting my blessings. I am so grateful to be in one of the most trusted professions that can help make a difference today and in the future. I would like to express to the new grads in this chaotic time that you have entered the nursing profession during a time of unprecedented virus which is devastating individuals, families, and the financial health and security of many. This palpable adversity has been magnified by the civil unrest of the last few weeks. While I can never begin to understand the racism that perhaps you and those you love experience, I share in the outrage, disgust and sadness of many. Nursing is a profession rooted in professional ethics and ethical values that inform practice and everyday life. I encourage you to be change agents and draw on the strength of nursing values- human dignity, integrity, autonomy, altruism, and social justice. In Boston, you serve patients who are among the most vulnerable in the nation. I encourage you to embrace your responsibility to provide equitable care for a diverse population and be respectful of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation and identity, disability, national origin and citizenship status, age, language, culture, religion and economic status or any other characteristic that could be perceived as contributing to inequity. I graduated into the AIDS epidemic, and it very much impacted me personally and professionally. As ‘new’ nurses, you have the power to create much-needed change that benefits not only our patients, but empowers our organization to better serve the community at large for years to come. I firmly believe that our shared compassion for humanity will carry us forward and together we will make a difference, one life and one community at a time. Wishing you a safe and supportive environment both in your home and work environments. May God Bless you and keep you well.