Dianne Greenhill, RN, BSN, EdD, is a living testament to the legacy of the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing. Not only did she graduate from the College and serve on its faculty for four decades, but she also wrote the College’s history, and her continued support in retirement has been remarkable.

Dr. Greenhill came to Memphis from her hometown of Tupelo, MS in 1958 to attend the College. After she graduated in 1962, she attended graduate school in North Carolina to study public health nursing. When she returned to Memphis, she became colleagues with the faculty who had taught her just a few years earlier. Dr. Greenhill taught hundreds of students throughout her career. Her roles at the College included faculty leader, academic dean, and interim dean. While on the faculty, she also held positions outside the college. She served as the director of nursing at the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department for several years and served as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve Corps for 24 years, retiring as a Colonel in 2000.

Dr. Greenhill’s dedication to the College of Nursing continued as she became its historian, writing the book “From Diploma to Doctorate: 100 Years of Nursing” to make the college’s 100th anniversary in 1998. While researching the book, Dr. Greenhill met with many alumni and with the college’s longest-serving dean, Dean Ruth Neil Murry, to gain their perspectives and knowledge. She also traveled to review original records, including going to the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

Since retiring, Dr. Greenhill has continued to generously support the College of Nursing. She has been a dedicated member of the College of Nursing Alumni Board and is a past president of that group. She donates to the annual giving program, supports nursing scholarship endowments, and is a member of the Hershel P. Wall Legacy Society. The college has created a scholarship in her name to honor her generosity.

Most recently, Dr. Greenhill has made an estate gift to the college to establish the Dr. E. Dianne Greenhill Chair of Excellence for Community and Public Health in Nursing. Having the chair in her name would ensure the college would always have a faculty leader to head the community and public health education efforts.

Although she has spent decades serving the College of Nursing in various ways, Dr. Greenhill hopes to continue giving back to the university that she said provided her with an education, a career, and a community: “UT supported me in so many ways.”