When Corliss White first walked the halls of Barnes School of Nursing in 1970, she was a determined young woman with a heart for caregiving and a dream to follow in her father’s footsteps of perseverance. She lived in the dorms under the watchful eye of a house mother, studied hard with her tight-knit cohort, and graduated with her RN diploma in 1973.
Corliss White in the Barnes School of Nursing history book.
Today, more than 50 years later, Corliss is back—this time as a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student at Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing, pursuing the executive leadership track. She’ll graduate in fall 2026, at the age of 78.
“I’m a lifelong learner,” Corliss says. “And this is the completion of my educational experience—not because I need a next career move, but because I want my grandchildren to see that you never stop learning. You never stop striving.”
A foundation built on compassion and grit
Corliss’ nursing journey has touched nearly every part of the St. Louis community. She worked on the orthopedic surgery floor at the former Barnes Hospital, cared for patients in the trauma ICU at Homer G. Phillips Hospital until the day it closed in 1979, and later spent 32 years at the Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive Health Center—eventually retiring as a compliance officer.
“My nursing background was the catalyst that got me that job,” she explains. “There are so many different avenues when you have a nursing degree.”
Even after retiring in 2014, Corliss couldn’t step away from serving. She went on to spend eight more years as a school nurse in the Normandy School Collaborative, caring for students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Education: a calling and a legacy
With each decade, Corliss continued adding to her educational résumé. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1988, a Master of Arts in Gerontology in 1992, and a Master of Science in Legal Studies with a certification in regulatory compliance in 2021.
Now enrolled in Goldfarb’s DNP program, she says the content is manageable—though the technology takes some getting used to.
“I don’t let it deter me,” she says with a laugh. “There’s always someone willing to help.”
Inspiring the next generation
Corliss’ proudest title might be “Granny Ann.” She has one son, eight grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren—all local—and her educational journey has become a powerful example to them.
“They tell me, ‘You’re doing a good job,’” she says. “That means everything.”
She credits her parents, especially her father, for instilling her lifelong drive: “He had me say this every day: ‘Good, better, best—never let it rest ’til your good is better and your better is best.’”
Though she’s witnessed change across five decades in health care, Corliss says her love for nursing has never wavered.
“I’ve wanted to be a nurse since I was 5 or 6,” she explains. “I hope the nurses who come behind me have the same love and care for the community that I’ve had—because if there was ever a time we need the compassion of nurses, it’s now.”