Dr. Susan French’s journey from rural Nova Scotia to a career in nursing has been incredibly rewarding. She earned degrees from both McMaster and McGill University and worked abroad in Bermuda before specializing in psychiatric nursing. Along the way, she developed a deep curiosity for nursing education – specifically, learning for adult learners.
“I had met individuals at Boston University, who were very much involved with adult education,” recalled Dr. French. “There are differences between adults and children in the way they learn. Yes, there are some commonalities, and I found that OISE gave me that opportunity to explore that and really strengthened my teaching well.”
There are differences between adults and children in the way they learn. Yes, there are some commonalities, and I found that OISE gave me that opportunity to explore that.
She eventually completed her doctorate at OISE in 1981 – with a focus on adult education. Her career led to a life of philanthropy, contributing to her alma maters. Last spring spring, she came full circle, making a substantial gift to OISE.
There are differences between adults and children in the way they learn. Yes, there are some commonalities, and I found that OISE gave me that opportunity to explore that.
Dr. French’s gift has established the Dr. Susan French Bursary at OISE, one that will support graduate students in OISE’s Master of Teaching Program who are interested in focusing on practitioner-based research as part of their initial teacher education training.
“Our globally lauded education institute wants to provide its students with all the tools to prepare them to address the complex challenges of our world. Dr. French’s gift enables us to strengthen our practitioners – to give them even clearer guidance to strengthen their pedagogical toolkits,” said Professor Erica N. Walker, Dean of OISE. “We deeply congratulate Dr. French for her tremendous gift to OISE. It is a gift that will make a difference.”
Since its founding in 1965, OISE is one of the largest and most research-intensive faculties of education in North America and is recognized as a global leader in graduate programs in teaching and learning.
Richard Messina, Dr. Susan French and Professor Erica Walker. Photo by William Meijer.
“Dr. French has a clearheaded vision of how to support teacher practitioners – it comes from a deep sense of responsibility to save lives and help those in need,” said Sim Kapoor, director of OISE’s Office of Advancement, Communications, and External Relations.
“To see this new bursary emerge from Dr. French’s generous gift is a gamechanger. Our students will now have greater opportunities to deepen their research and extend their impact in schools and other institutions, taking great leaps in how they prepare those in their care. We are grateful to help Dr. French accomplish her vision for teacher learners going forward.”
Richard Messina, Dr. Susan French and Professor Erica Walker. Photo by William Meijer.
For Dr. French, this was an overdue gift. OISE has given her the tools to be the nursing educator she became – and taught her about the are differences in how adults and children learn. “OISE gave me that opportunity to explore that and really strengthened my teaching well. I know it strengthened my teaching skills and awareness,” she said.
Considered a pioneer of innovative teaching and problem-based learning, she was pivotal in the creation of the national accreditation system used across Canada and has contributed to the development of undergraduate nursing programs nationally and internationally.
A registered nurse, she would eventually devote herself to the classroom, including a long tenure at McMaster, eventually becoming Associate Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences and Director, School of Nursing.
She retired in 2001 and was recognized as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2015. As her career pivoted to philanthropy, she also found community at University of Toronto Schools, an independent school for students in Grades seven to 12 that is affiliated with U of T – and where many OISE students spend their practicums, applying what they’ve researched and learned. “I knew that there was always a cadre of students from OISE, the potential teachers at various levels.”
And it made for a perfect reason to support OISE students with her gift. “I want to have at least one student have an opportunity to do more,” she says. “I know you do a thesis – I did a thesis too – but there’s more than that. It’s the every day, and there are so many issues in education that it’s becoming so political that we need to have those who are on the ground who are facing the issues working with the researchers and doing more.”