The Alverno College Nursing Education Building, opened in 1967. It was rededicated Christopher Hall in 2006. This is a photo of the east entrance which no longer exists since the construction of Alexia Hall.
Sister M. Christopher McGuire
Alverno's Nursing Education Building was renamed Christopher Hall in 2006 as a tribute to Sister M. Christopher McGuire. Her contributions to the development of the early nursing program and her leadership as the first academic nursing director served as a model for future nursing educators at Alverno College.
Sister Christopher was a pioneer in nursing education. She was the Director of the Sacred Heart Diploma School of Nursing when it officially opened in 1930. The school, a precursor to the Alverno School of Nursing, was run under the auspices of the Sacred Heart Sanitarium and the School Sisters of Saint Francis. She served as the director of the school up until her death in 1940.
Focusing on the development of a three year nursing curriculum, Sister Christopher understood the need for educating nurses to adhere to state and national health standards. Medical advancements and patient needs were paramount to the nursing practices followed. Alverno College’s School of Nursing was able to grow and flourish because of the strong foundation and nursing philosophy of Sister M. Christopher McGuire.
