With deep roots in the community, members of the Sault College nursing program’s first graduating class of 1975 gathered for a 50th anniversary reunion this week.
An afternoon social was held at the college on Thursday and a luncheon at North 82 is planned for today.
“This is fabulous. To have the group of us come together 50 years later is just phenomenal,” said Marilyn Travaglini, a graduate of the first class of the nursing program at Sault College.
Travaglini is a member of the reunion organizing committee.
Class of ‘75 grads from the Sault, Ottawa, southern Ontario and Edmonton attended the reunion.
“We have 33 people from the Class of ‘75 here,” Travaglini told SooToday.
“We started out with just over 70 people in the program and we graduated 54. Unfortunately we've lost some of our classmates and there are other ones who couldn’t attend for various reasons.
"We're thrilled with the turnout because we’ve got over 50 per cent of our graduating class here today. I would say close to 85 per cent of us are Sault girls,” Travaglini said.
She was inspired to go into nursing by an interest in medicine and with encouragement from a mentor from the former General Hospital.
Travaglini worked in several departments at the hospital including oncology, pediatrics and the operating room, experiencing both joy and challenges in the nursing profession.
“I think one of the biggest challenges for me when I was a young nurse was the first time I had to deal with losing a patient. But the doctors were so supportive and they understood how tough it was for somebody 21 years old.”
Working as part of a team was satisfying, Travaglini said.
“Everybody was very, very close. We worked in teams and we had some great nurse managers. They mentored you and helped you out. It just was like a family environment.”
Being remembered by patients is another source of gratification from nursing, Travaglini said.
“After working in pediatrics, I still see some of the kids I looked after . . . I see them in the grocery store with their own kids.”
Travaglini later moved into several administrative roles - including the office of Vice-President of Acute Care - and witnessed the amalgamation of the General and Plummer hospitals into Sault Area Hospital.
She left the hospital sector in 2003 and became a part-time Sault College nursing instructor and also worked for Algoma Family Services before retiring in 2007.
“I had a fabulous career,” Travaglini said.
Dr. Kay Vallee graduated from Sault College’s three-year nursing program in 2003 before earning a Master's degree and a PhD from the University of Western Ontario. Vallee also visited the Class of ’75 event on Thursday.
“I think it's fantastic to have the first group of graduates from our nursing diploma program here. They graduated back in 1975 and that's a fantastic milestone to celebrate,” said Vallee, a Sault College nursing program professor.
Vallee was inspired to go into the profession by her aunt - a nurse. She discussed the benefit of studying at Sault College.
“We've been in the business of nursing education for a long time and now we have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program. It's nice to transition into this new degree program and celebrate with these nurses that are engaging in a pretty cool milestone,” Vallee said.
Both Travaglini and Vallee said the nursing profession is a good career choice for young people.
“I see the load that nurses carry and the difficulties of trying to get everything done. But it's a rewarding career and I would still recommend it,” Travaglini said.
Class of ‘75 members have lunch together every year in June to share memories and some are involved with each other in activities such as golf.
“It really is a sisterhood,” Travaglini said.
SooToday spoke with Class of '75 member Maureen Mousseau in March.