WASHINGTON, D.C., July 8, 2025 — The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) has named Brother Ignatius Perkins, O.P., PhD, RN, FAAN, as one of its 2025 Living Legends, the Academy’s highest recognition for exceptional lifetime achievement in advancing nursing, healthcare ethics, and global health leadership.
Brother Ignatius, a distinguished graduate of The Catholic University of America’s Conway School of Nursing, currently serves as Professor of Nursing and Director of the St. Martin de Porres Center for Health and Human Dignity at Providence College. With a career spanning six decades, his leadership has profoundly influenced the fields of nursing ethics, education, and human flourishing across clinical, academic, and faith-based healthcare settings.
His pioneering Trilogy of Health Care model—anchored in the principles of human dignity, human freedom, and human flourishing—has become a guiding framework for nursing practice and healthcare ethics worldwide. This model continues to shape the moral foundations of nursing education, inspiring generations of nurses and clinicians to view healing as both a scientific discipline and a sacred vocation.
Brother Ignatius’s contributions extend beyond theory to transformative leadership. His advocacy for human dignity and equity has informed nursing accreditation standards and institutional policy across the United States. As a national leader, he has served in influential roles, including within the National League for Nursing’s Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA), helping to elevate standards for excellence in nursing programs globally.
In recognition of his lifelong service and leadership, Providence College awarded Brother Ignatius an honorary Doctor of Nursing degree in 2025. The honor acknowledges his pivotal role in establishing the college’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences and his ongoing mentorship of nurse scholars, faculty, and students committed to compassionate, ethical care.
Brother Ignatius will be officially honored as a 2025 Living Legend during the American Academy of Nursing’s annual Health Policy Conference, taking place October 16–18, 2025, at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, D.C. The Living Legends Ceremony will be held on the evening of October 17, celebrating the extraordinary legacy and impact of the Academy’s most distinguished Fellows.
“Brother Ignatius Perkins embodies the integration of faith, ethics, and excellence in nursing practice,” said Dr. Marie Nolan, Dean of the Conway School of Nursing at The Catholic University of America. “His lifelong dedication to advancing human dignity in healthcare exemplifies the mission of Catholic nursing education and continues to inspire our students and alumni.”
The American Academy of Nursing represents more than 3,200 of the profession’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia. The Living Legend designation, established in 1994, recognizes Fellows who have made sustained and exceptional contributions to health and nursing that have advanced the public good.
To learn more about the American Academy of Nursing’s 2025 Living Legends, visit www.aannet.org.
For additional information on Brother Ignatius Perkins’s recognition, visit prov.ly/4lWO9jG.