News Releases
Retired University of Maryland School of Nursing Professor Awarded Professor Emeritus Status
June 4, 2018
Proulx served at UMSON for more than 40 years.
Baltimore, Md. – Joseph R. Proulx, EdD, RN, has been appointed professor emeritus by University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Jay A. Perman, MD. Proulx served as a faculty member at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) for 44 years, 37 at the rank of full professor with tenure. He retired in December 2015.
A professor emeritus is a retired faculty member who has demonstrated an exemplary record of service to the School and to the profession. The faculty member must also express a desire to continue to support the School’s mission.
“After working for the School of Nursing for over 40 years, I never expected such an honor. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I appreciate Dean Kirschling and all others who made this honor possible,” Proulx said. “There is an old saying from an educator: ‘By your students you shall be taught,’ and indeed, I have learned a lot. I will always treasure the fond memories of my classroom interactions with all of the wonderful students who have crossed my path.”
During his tenure at UMSON, Proulx developed and taught graduate core courses for the Health Services Leadership and Management master’s program. He served on the Committee on Appointments, Promotions, and Tenure; Graduate Admissions Committee; Graduate Curriculum Committee; Master’s Program Committee; Specialty Coordinators Committee; and Faculty Council. He was instrumental in designing and implementing the dual-degree offerings for the MS/MBA and the former PhD/MBA from UMSON and the University of Baltimore’s Merrick School of Business, serving as a co-principal. Proulx was also a member of the UMB planning group for an interdisciplinary course on conflict management offered by UMSON and the schools of Medicine, Law, and Social Work.
“We congratulate Dr. Proulx on this well-deserved honor. Throughout his career at the School of Nursing, he gave generously of his time through teaching, mentoring students, and service to the School and University,” said UMSON Dean Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN. “We are very fortunate that Dr. Proulx chose to share his 44-year career with us and that he also shared his considerable expertise with such a wide array of community programs, educational institutions, and professional organizations. It is no surprise that he continues to be much loved by his former students and mentees and highly esteemed by his faculty colleagues.”
Regionally, Proulx has shared his expertise as a consultant to other nursing programs, including those at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, MedStar Montgomery Medical Center, the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Services Systems, George Mason University, Salisbury University, Georgetown University, and the University of Southeastern Louisiana. He also received the Award for Distinguished Achievement in Nursing Service from Columbia University’s Nursing Education Alumni Association of the Teachers College in 1985, and in 1989, he was named an Honorable Mention for the Outstanding Educator Award from the Maryland Association for Higher Education.
Since his retirement, Proulx continues to lecture at UMSON, teaching one class per semester as needed.
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The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the United States and is in the top 10 nationally for all of its ranked master’s and DNP specialties. Enrolling nearly 1,900 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.