Retired healthcare administrator and dedicated philanthropist, Dr. Jeanne Donlevy Arnold ’83, will receive an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service during Saint Joseph’s College’s 2017 Commencement Exercises on May 13. Arnold is a nursing alum, member of the Saint Joseph’s Board of Trustees, and Chair of the Alfond Challenge for The Center for Nursing Innovation at SJC.
One of the College’s distance education pioneers, Arnold earned her BS in professional arts from Saint Joseph’s College in a groundbreaking program that enabled registered nurses who lived anywhere in the country to earn their bachelor’s degrees while remaining in the workforce. About her experience, Arnold reflected, "I am proud of how Saint Joseph’s College set my life on a new course so many years ago. Saint Joseph’s gave me the confidence to succeed and to follow my dreams. The advanced degree was the critical element that opened many doors for me. I am honored and humbled to receive an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service from my Alma Mater, Saint Joseph’s College.”
In June 2016, Arnold joined the Saint Joseph’s College Board of Trustees and subsequently agreed to chair the College’s campaign to create The Center for Nursing Innovation on campus. With a $1.5 million challenge grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation, Saint Joseph’s is now raising the $3.5 million in matching funds to establish the Center, which will directly address the severe nursing shortage in Maine and the nation. Enhanced scholarship support for Maine nursing students and state-of-the-art technology and simulation technology are included in the proposed $5 million initiative.
“Jeanne understands the critical need to expand the number of nurses, and qualified nurse educators in Maine and nationally,” said President James Dlugos. “The leadership, vision, and passion that Jeannie is providing as chair of our campaign for the Center for Nursing Innovation is one more example of the way that Jeanne has, time and time again, committed herself to advancing the interests of a wide range of organizations and, more importantly, the people they serve. She is a shining example to us all at Saint Joseph’s of the College’s desire to prepare people to make a difference in the world. I am so pleased to recognize her with an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service.”
A Dedicated, Caring Philanthropist
Arnold retired as Senior Vice President at Good Samaritan Health Systems in Pennsylvania after a distinguished career in nursing and healthcare administration. She holds honorary doctorates from Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences and Lebanon Valley College.
With her husband, Edward H. Arnold, retired chairman of Arnold Industries and currently president of Arnold Holdings, LLC, Jeanne Arnold resides in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. She has been widely recognized for her community engagement and philanthropy, nationally, in Pennsylvania, and now in Maine.
Many education, healthcare, social service, and community organizations have benefited from the Arnolds’ extraordinary generosity over the years. Jeanne Arnold is a longtime supporter of the Boy Scouts of America and serves on their national executive board. In 2005, she was named Citizen of the Year by the Lebanon Daily News. In 2008, Jeanne Arnold received the LVC Founders Day Award for her many years of community service in central Pennsylvania. The Arnolds have provided significant support to Pennsylvania State University and the Hershey Children’s Hospital, where they helped lead a hospital building campaign and were honored as Philanthropists of the Year in 2009. Currently, she is spearheading a BSA task force on the prevention of childhood obesity and in 2013, received the BSA’s highest national recognition, the Silver Buffalo Award for distinguished service. They have also been honored by Lebanon Valley College (LVC), where they provided a $10 million challenge gift to support the Jeanne and Edward H. Arnold Health Professions Pavilion, set to open in Summer 2018.
Photo Credit: Sarah Beard Buckley
