SUNY Canton Names Nursing Laboratory for Founding Educator Virginia M. McAllister

A recent naming ceremony at SUNY Canton recognized two exceptional nursing faculty members who were integral to the college’s history.

The SUNY Canton College Foundation Inc. championed an effort to rededicate a Wicks Hall lab space for Professor Emerita and college-wide Hall of Fame member Virginia M. McAllister, who is credited with creating the nursing program. The process was spearheaded by Professor Emerita and patron Linda L. Fay, who passed away two weeks before the Nov. 13 naming ceremony.

“Today, we honor Virginia McAllister, the nurse who founded the nursing program in 1966 and, through her incredible determination, developed its strengths and built it into a cornerstone of our health education curricula,” said Vice President for Advancement Tracey Thompson Hastings at the event. “We will also remember Linda Fay, a truly beloved member of our SUNY Canton family, who got the ball rolling. Her efforts are one of the main reasons we are naming this space.”

McAllister’s career spanned more than four decades in the nursing profession. She began working at SUNY Canton in 1966 when she helped establish, develop and direct the college’s nursing program. In honor of her service, her friends and colleagues banded together to create the Virginia McAllister Award for Excellence in Nursing award in 1979, which is given annually to a senior nursing student who has demonstrated academic and clinical excellence.

SUNY Canton President Zvi Szafran said that the ceremony marked a milestone in the evolution of the Nursing program.

“I didn’t know Virginia McAllister,” Szafran said. “I do know that our nursing program has educated well over 1,000 students. Graduates are at the core of the quality healthcare here in the North Country. She was a mentor to those she worked with and is truly one of the college legends responsible for SUNY Canton’s evolution.”

Szafran also noted Fay’s absence during the event. “Linda Fay was someone who I was proud to know and work with,” he said. “I know she would have been sad to have missed this event.”

In addition to Fay, several retired Nursing educators and staff members contributed to the naming, including Christine Brassard, John Conklin, Mary Jane Doelger, Joan Eurto, Joan Fregoe, and Paula Bouchard Jacques, among others. Jacques assisted college officials with unveiling the new signage denoting the space.

“On behalf of the past nursing faculty members, we thank Linda and all of you for making our wishes come to fruition and recognizing Virginia's dedication and love of the nursing profession,” Jacques said. “Virginia’s professionalism and her quiet manner brought forth confidence in her faculty. She brought a profound sense of cohesiveness within the group and in our program.”

She also reflected on Fay's profound influence on SUNY Canton and the Nursing program. “Linda was known as the instructor with a heart,” she said. “Her respect for her mentor is personified by her endeavors to dedicate this lab to Virginia's honor and memory.”

Originally founded as a two-year associate degree program, Nursing evolved into one of SUNY Canton’s signature offerings. The college is now home to a one-year LPN program, a two-year associate degree, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The four-year program allows students to begin their careers while completing their education. These programs have agreements in place with Upstate Medical University for clinicals and further advanced studies, including a doctorate of nursing program.