B.S. in Nursing, The Ohio State University | M.A. in Medical-Surgical Nursing/Administration, The Ohio State University | Ph.D. in Administration and Higher Education, College of Education, Michigan State University
The Alumni Service Award is presented to Michigan State University alumni who have demonstrated service to MSU and/or meritorious public service on a local, state, national or international level.
She’s a 50-year-career MSU University Distinguished Professor Emerita, MSU College of Nursing Associate Dean Emerita and a Spartan.
With a nearly 60-year career in nursing instruction, including more than 50 years at Michigan State University, Dr. Barbara Given is revered for her immeasurable impact on generations of Spartan nurses through teaching, inspired support for compassionate care and expansive research. A pioneer of oncology nursing, she led MSU’s College of Nursing’s efforts to improve the care of cancer patients during treatment. She received over 34 years of National Institutes of Health funding for research focused on the relationship between the formal healthcare and informal patient and family care systems.
Among her numerous awards and honors, Given is a 2019 recipient of the American Cancer Society Trish Greene Quality of Life Award. In 2001, she was named MSU University Distinguished Professor and is an MSU College of Nursing Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
Given and her husband, MSU Professor Emeritus Dr. C. William Given, are strong supporters of MSU, donating to the College of Nursing and College of Music to support student scholarships, the arts and behavioral health.
“In this pandemic, we have seen wonderful work within the MSU campus community: with our hospital systems, with the homeless and greater community…”
Spartans will step up and care.
