A Career Dedicated to Service

Coming from a large family with an impressive military history, Joan M. Huber, NC, USN (Ret.), ’73 FCN, was set on combining her college education with a Naval commitment. She chose Villanova to accomplish her goals of becoming a nurse in a Catholic setting and serving her country. Following her graduation, Joan served in the United States Navy Nurse Corps for 30 years, retiring with the rank of Captain in 2001. However, in her heart she was always a Villanova nurse.

Joan began her studies at Villanova in 1969, when there were few women on campus and the transition to creating a co-educational setting was just beginning. At the same time, she joined the Navy Nurse Corps Candidate Program.

After graduation, Joan attended Officer Indoctrination School and started her career as a Navy Nurse. The most exciting chapter of her military career began in 1986, when she was selected to serve as a senior White House nurse, first for President Ronald Reagan and then for President George H.W. Bush. In this elite position, Joan, along with other members of the White House Medical Unit, provided round-the-clock care for the President, Vice President and their families. She traveled the world with the President, always ready to provide critical or routine care as needed.

Ultimately, after a stellar career spanning 30 years, Joan left her beloved Navy in 2001. She went on to become a professor of nursing at Colby-Sawyer College, a career she enjoyed for the next 20 years.

Joan’s faith, instilled in her from birth, was strengthened at Villanova. For Joan, Villanova provides her with a home base, honors her roots and nourishes her soul. To this day, her best friends are her Villanova friends. Joan readily states that she owes Villanova for helping her become the person she is today. Everything that she has—the life she leads, her education, her professional opportunities, her deep friendships—she links to her Villanova experience. And for this, she is grateful.

To show her gratitude, Joan has been a generous donor since graduation and has made Villanova part of her estate plan through a gift in her will. Her future gift will be used to benefit nursing students who are military veterans or who are the children of active duty military.

What are you grateful for? If, like Joan, you are grateful for Villanova, consider including the University in your estate plan. Contact Tim McKinley at 215-240-0812 or timothy.mckinley@villanova.edu to learn more.