Sister Mary Alma, R.S.M.

who co-founded the College of Nursing with Sister M. Margarella, O.S.F. is seen with nursing students in Austin hall, 1952.  Sister Mary Alma, R.S.M., a faculty member at the diploma school of Misericordia Hospital, was recruited to assist Father Francis X. N. McGuire, O.S.A., Villanova College President with the preliminaries of establishing such a program.  Shortly afterwards, Sister M. Margarella joined the pair. In June of 1951, they began to develop the plan, which established the nursing division at Villanova College.  In 1952 the division was relocated to the ground floor of Austin Hall, the original college library.  In September 19532, eight high school graduates were admitted as basic students and began their studies toward a B.S.N. at Villanova.  (Photograph by Jules Schick)