In 1925, the first class of nurses graduated from the Fort Wayne Methodist Hospital School of Nursing. Born of a desire to stay connected and involved with the school, the nurses formed The Alumnae Association of the Fort Wayne Methodist Episcopal Hospital the following year. The group only asked for a place to hold their meetings, which the healthcare facility provided.
In 1938, the word Episcopal was dropped, and on April 14, 1953, the Methodist Hospital Board of Directors announced that the alumni group would be called the Parkview Methodist School of Nursing Alumni Association.
For more on Parkview’s early years, watch this video.
While names and members have changed throughout the years, the mission of the group has stayed strong. Since its inception, the Alumni Association has been a devoted supporter of Parkview nurses. The members, all graduates of the hospital’s since-closed school of nursing, remain fiercely devoted to representing the values of the health system.
As part of their support, the Alumni Association has given many gifts to nursing students and the health system. In the early years, when the school was open, the alumni funded hospital initiatives and awarded the seniors who graduated from their school with the highest scholastic average every spring. Since the closure of the school, the compassion to financially support Parkview co-workers pursuing their passion for nursing has remained.
Since 1972, the Alumni Association has worked closely with the Parkview Health Foundation to continue these donations. Denise Andorfer, director, Parkview Health Foundation, explained that the Parkview Health Foundation holds a Nursing Alumni Scholarship Fund. In the last few years, this fund has awarded $12,000 to new applicants and renewals.
“The Alumni Association doesn’t have a nonprofit status, so the group of 100 graduates of the Parkview Methodist School of Nursing sits under the Parkview Health Foundation as a legacy organization of Parkview,” Denise shared.
The Foundation partners with members of the Alumni Association to hold an annual banquet, during which scholarships are handed out to deserving recipients and donations are collected to support future students. “Our relationship with the alumni and Parkview’s nurses is very strong,” Denise said. The Foundation holds 12 nursing scholarships for high school and college students and Parkview nursing co-workers. “Many of our scholarships are in place due to the legacy nursing leaders have left, like Sue Johnson, Darlene Teilker, Karen Denney and Shirley Traster.” In 2026, the groups will celebrate 100 years of hosting this annual luncheon.
The Foundation team prioritizes thoughtful stewardship of alumni gifts. “These nurses leave a legacy of care and compassion,” Denise said. They lived and worked on the Randallia campus. Some of them became nurse leaders. They had an impact on Parkview.”
As we celebrate Nurses Week, we are grateful for the caregivers connected to the roots of our health system, who continue to give and show such incredible support today.
Through the generosity of our donors, the Parkview Health Foundations can assist Parkview co-workers and area students pursuing their nursing degrees or EMT certifications. To learn more about our scholarship opportunities, visit us here.
