Betty-Lou Craig (second row, first on the left) with her graduating class.
In the spirit of Alumni Weekend, we'd like to shine a light on the remarkable accomplishments our esteemed alumni have achieved and the notable ways our past graduates continue to deliver the highest standard of care to the communities in which they serve.
One such example is Betty-Lou Kindleman (Craig), class of 1957, who has worked in virtually every aspect of nursing except neonatal since graduating over 60 years ago-and continues to work as a nurse to this day.
"Back then, there weren't many choices for women that wanted to work like there is now. It really was teaching or nursing, and I chose the latter because of my mother," said Kindleman.
Despite the lack of career options available for her in the fifties, Kindleman always believed that medicine ran in her family, and she wanted to continue with that trend.
"My mother was a nurse and my uncle-who was a big role model for me-was the superintendent of the Lamont Hospital; naturally medicine was in my family. I wanted to follow in my mother's footsteps, which was common during that time-to do as your mother did. I was interested in the different people she got to work with and the sorts of people she helped."
Upon graduation, Kindleman jumped headfirst into her role as a nurse in order to find the right aspect of nursing that resonated with her desire to help and educate her patients. She particularly enjoyed the brief stint she spent working in nursing administration, the extensive amount of knowledge and experience gained in the ER at the University Hospital, and her move to occupational health nursing during the oil boom.
As the years rolled by, two variables remained constant: her love of nursing, and her connection with her classmates during her time as a nursing student at the University of Alberta.
"Back then we all stayed in residence, which meant close living quarters and quick bonding with classmates due to shared spaces. When we graduated in 1957, we decided to stay in touch through a yearly newsletter and a class reunion every five years," explained Kindleman.
Sadly, only 39 of the original 62 classmates are still alive. Kindleman, along with her classmates, decided to create a class legacy through an endowment that has and will continue to support undergraduate students in need of financial assistance.
"We all remember how hard school was back then and if we weren't able to come to school for free, a lot of us wouldn't be where we are today. We want to give that opportunity to a student who wishes to pursue a profession in nursing."
Kindleman is currently working for Vital Signs-a private company that provides occupational health and safety services to workers' compensation clients that require medical assistance-and is relishing every minute of it.
Right now, she has four clients under her care: she makes sure she's available whenever one of her clients requires assistance-whether it be driving the client to a doctors appointment, organizing and managing their medication, or supervising them from their home.
"I really enjoy this aspect of nursing because I help people manage as best they can so they can have some sense of normality on a day-to-day basis," said Kindleman.
She has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
"Of all the years that I worked, never did I wake up in the morning and dread going into work," explained Kindleman. "I always looked forward to what the day would bring, the sorts of people I would meet and be able to help-even if it meant making a small difference in their day."