Associate Professor Emeritus, Indiana University School of Nursing
1925-2004
Passed by the IUPUI Faculty Council at their meeting on April 5, 2005.
Hilda A. Frazier, Associate Professor Emeritus, (1925-2004) had a distinguished career as a teacher of psychiatric/mental health nursing in her 20 years on the faculty at Indiana University School of Nursing, retiring in 1990. Hilda was an innovator in the education of undergraduate and graduate students throughout the state of Indiana and beyond. In 1984 she was appointed Chairperson and Director of the Project “Expansion for the MSN Program to Multiple Sites” and prepared faculty to use Indiana Higher Education Television System (IHETS) as the platform for distance education in the School of Nursing.
Hilda was born in Granville County, North Carolina in 1925. She was the youngest of five children and was raised on the family farm. Hilda attended Oak Hill Schools in North Carolina and saved change from odd jobs to pay for her first semester tuition at Elon College, North Carolina. Following two years of university work Hilda joined the Army Reserve and it was the Army that allowed her to enroll in nursing school. Hilda received a Diploma in Nursing from Michael Reese Hospital School of Nursing in 1948 and after working as a nurse in Chicago and North Carolina came to Indianapolis. Hilda worked as a staff nurse on an isolation ward and as a clinical instructor at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital where she taught student nurses how to care for persons with tuberculosis. It was during that time that she developed an interest in teaching. Hilda received both BSN and MSN degrees from Indiana University School of Nursing where she specialized in psychiatric nursing and went on to complete an Ed.D in Adult Education from Indiana University Bloomington.
Hilda joined the Indiana University School of Nursing in 1970 as Assistant Professor in the department of psychiatric/mental health nursing. Professor Frazier was ahead of her time in pioneering curriculum innovations for undergraduate and graduate students. She coordinated the video course on substance abuse with the Purdue University School of Nursing over the IHETS in 1972 when drug abuse problems were not as well recognized as they are today. In 1973 Dr. Frazier became coordinator for the interpersonal skills courses offered in the IUSON baccalaureate program. These course offerings were supported by a federal grant. The courses were incorporated into the BSN curriculum and remain a part of the current program through the course B-231 Communication for the Health Professional.
Dr. Frazier was heavily involved in the design and implementation of the graduate program in psychiatric nursing. She served as an advisor to MSN students and taught courses such as group theory, consultation, socio-therapeutic nursing and evaluation research. Students consistently reported her teaching to be superior and sought her as a mentor.
Dr. Frazier served in various leadership capacities within IUSON and the IUPUI campus. Her most significant contribution was in the distance delivery of courses through the medium of television. She developed and implemented an eight campus reception site program for courses in the MSN program and served as the director of the telecourse program from 1984-1990. Because of her leadership, the School of Nursing led the IUPUI campus in TV classes for credit hours taught and for providing access to graduate education to nurses who would have otherwise been unable to advance their education. She served on the IUPUI Faculty Affairs Committee and was committed to shared faculty governance.
Dr. Frazier was an active member of Alpha Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau, International (STTI) honor society for nursing and Pi Lamda Theta, educational honorary. She received the Outstanding Leadership Award from Alpha Chapter STTI in 1987 and the Indiana University School of Nursing Alumni Award for Distinguished Service in 1986.
This memorial resolution is presented to the Faculty Council of Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis as an expression of the faculty’s profound appreciation of Hilda Frazier’s accomplishments and contributions to the university.
Upon adoption of the resolution we request that a copy be sent to her husband Robert S. Leech and daughter J. Ellen Evans American Village Retirement Community 2026 E. 54th St. Indianapolis, Indiana 46220.