Alison Gates Brown ’78, MPH, BSN, remembers her mother as an independent, self-sufficient woman who lived her life in service to others. Her father, a research pharmacologist, turned cleaning a fish on the shores of Lake Champlain into an anatomy lesson, fostering her love of science. These early influences led her to a nursing education at The University of Vermont. From there, she launched a 45 plus-year career at the forefront of health care, including serving as president of the University of Maryland Medical Center. 

In 2026, Brown and her husband, Ken Kolodner, ScD, made a gift to expand the scholarship they had established in 2024 to support students in the Direct Entry to Master of Science in Nursing Program (MEPN) at UVM’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS). MEPN provides a direct path for college graduates with a non-nursing major to pursue a nursing career. This scholarship removes potential barriers to entry by addressing some of the challenges students face when pursuing a graduate degree. 

Opportunities such as this can be life changing. Brown knows this firsthand. “The nursing education and training I received at UVM set a strong foundation for a varied and rewarding career delivering direct patient care, as a heath care management consultant and as an academic health system executive leader,” said Brown. “Like the professional nurse, each position I held required effective collaboration as part of teams comprised of people with an array of expertise, capabilities and interests.” 

Brown’s parents also instilled the value of lifelong learning and encouraged her pursuit of a graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University. “I was fortunate to witness my parents’ commitment to education, community service and charitable giving. They taught me the value of living a life in service to others and making an impact.”

Brown continues to find ways to express this ethic. In the fall of 2025, she joined the CNHS faculty as an adjunct professor to mentor graduate nursing students. In this role, her core message benefits students at every stage of learning. “To spend your life sharing your knowledge, your expertise, your compassion and, most importantly, your time and your energy in service to others is what this world needs. Nurses are leading important work in a variety of roles and organizations. Embrace the opportunity for change and do not fear taking a risk to try something new that also helps you keep learning.”

To help build the nursing workforce and drive excellence in the field, contact Regina Farrell, Regina.Farrell@med.uvm.edu, 802-656-3416.