Brodie leaving legacy of accomplishment

By Katherine Thompson Jackson

The effort took 10 years.......... But a group of former students and colleagues was determined to honor Barbara Brodie with an endowment fund that carried her name. Now the endowment provides financial support for doctoral and nurse practitioner students.

“It is a humbling experience when graduates come back and say, ‘We’d like to name something after you because you’ve made a difference in our lives,’” said Brodie.
Humility is a trait that makes her one of the University’s most popular teachers. Brodie was named as one of the 10 all-time favorite professors at U.Va. in the 1997 Alumni News magazine.

In December, Brodie will retire. A self-described demanding instructor, she has worked with a variety of nursing students over the years.

“Dr. Brodie expects people to do their very best and give the best they can to the institution, and she sets an excellent example herself,” said Jeanette Lancaster, dean and professor of nursing.

Brodie’s influence has been the genesis of several academic programs. She developed nurse practitioner education at U.Va. and spearheaded development of doctoral education in nursing at U.Va. and the entire Southeast.

She will be missed on many levels, but her absence from the classroom might be the most telling.

“Dr. Brodie is one of the best teachers I have ever known,” said one of her University nursing students.