The American Academy of Nursing designated SCN Associate Brother Ignatius Perkins, OP, as one of six extraordinary nurse leaders as Living Legends who will be honored at the Living Legends Ceremony held at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, taking place on October 16 – 18, 2025. These incredible trailblazers exemplify the resolve and ingenuity of the profession and have made significant impacts on health systems and health policy.
“It is an honor to recognize and celebrate the astonishing achievements of this year’s Living Legends,” said Academy President Linda D. Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FNAP, FAAN. “Their commitment to advancing health and the nursing profession is evident through the decades they have dedicated in their pursuits to create healthier lives for all people. Together, these Living Legends have and continue to transform care, create policy impact, disseminate vital research, uplift leaders within the profession, and improve the health of countless individuals in their communities.”
Brother Perkins currently serves as Professor of Nursing and Founding Director of the St. Martin de Porres, OP Center for Health and Human Dignity at Providence College in Rhode Island. He is also Coordinator of the Safeguarding Program for the Dominican Order’s Eastern Province. His Trilogy of Health Care model, anchored in Human Dignity, Human Freedom, and Human Flourishing, provides a foundational ethical framework that has influenced generations of clinicians, health care institutions, and academic leaders.
He has held major academic leadership roles, including Chair of Nursing at Spalding University, Mount St. Joseph University, and Aquinas College, as well as Dean of the College of Health and Natural Sciences at Spalding. His visionary leadership has been instrumental in founding and reforming over ten academic and clinical programs, often during times of institutional crisis. Notably, he was a driving force behind the National League for Nursing’s Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA), which now accredits over 200 nursing schools globally.
A prolific scholar, Brother Perkins has delivered over 300 presentations and authored more than 60 publications. His research and advocacy center on vulnerable populations, including older adults, individuals with HIV/AIDS, the homeless, and abuse survivors. His work aims to absolve critical issues like structural racism, health disparities, and ethical decision-making in end-of-life care. He has served as a consultant to bishops, dioceses, and health systems, offering guidance on complex issues such as mental illness, addiction, clergy misconduct, and patient autonomy. In 1987, long before public reckoning, he established a groundbreaking program within his religious community to protect individuals from abuse, which remains in operation today. He further honed his expertise during a prestigious National Institutes of Health fellowship in Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University, conducting a landmark study on personhood among homeless individuals with AIDS. This study was the first to apply the Pellegrino Healing Relationship Model in practice. His courage and integrity have earned him deep respect in both secular and faith-based communities.
Brother Perkins holds fellowships from leading organizations, including the American Academy of Nursing, the National League for Nursing’s Academy of Nursing Education, the National Catholic Bioethics Center, and the Royal Society of Medicine. His numerous honors include the NLN Presidential Award, Spalding University’s Caritas Medal, and Providence College’s Honorary Doctorate in 2025.
His academic background includes degrees in nursing and education from Jefferson Community College, Spalding University, and the Catholic University of America, where he earned his PhD in Gerontology and Higher Education Administration. Known for his humility, honesty, and strategic brilliance, Brother Perkins is a living embodiment of ethical leadership in nursing. His legacy continues to inspire a more just, compassionate, and human-centered health care system.
Brother Perkins, an SCN Associate for 43 years, wishes to extend his gratitude to the SCN community. He said, “The Sisters of Charity first taught me about the moral principles of human dignity, freedom, and human flourishing in health care. The SCNs helped form my character and ministry in nursing.”