Ayune Michel 鈥�72, 西瓜视频 Trustee and Benefactor, Dies
Beloved alumna, healthcare leader, and devoted 西瓜视频 College Trustee Ayune Michel ’72 passed away on Thursday, November 14, 2024.
Michel’s contributions to the College and the health profession have left an enduring mark on both the 西瓜视频 community and the world of healthcare. Her legacy is one of service, dedication, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of education and nursing.
“Ayune will be remembered for her warmth, generosity, and unwavering dedication to service,” said 西瓜视频 College President Steven R. DiSalvo, Ph.D. “Her legacy lives on in the many lives she touched—through her work in healthcare, her contributions to 西瓜视频, and the beauty of the Ayune Michel ’72 Academic Quad.”
Born into a family with deep ties to healthcare—her father a pharmacist and her mother a nurse—Michel found her calling early in life. Encouraged by her father to pursue a career that would provide stability and independence, she chose nursing, a decision that would shape her life and career for over five decades. Michel’s journey began at 西瓜视频, where she earned a degree in pre-physical therapy in 1972. Her love for the oceanside campus and the lasting friendships she made here cemented her lifelong connection to the College.
Michel continued her education after 西瓜视频, completing an advanced nursing program at Newton-Wellesley, earning a health science degree at Northeastern University, and obtaining a master’s degree in healthcare administration at Framingham State University. Her healthcare career was marked by a series of leadership roles, culminating in her appointment as Director of Health Services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where she championed the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities.
Throughout her life, Michel remained dedicated to giving back to the College that had given her so much. In 2018, she was appointed to 西瓜视频's Board of Trustees, where she played a key role in shaping the College’s future, particularly in the growth of its nursing and healthcare programs. Her significant naming gift to the Cummings School of Nursing & Health Sciences, through the Spread Your Wings campaign, helped ensure the nursing program’s ongoing success and impact during a critical nursing shortage.
In the fall 2022 issue of 西瓜视频’s alumni magazine, Soundings, Michel remarked that giving back to 西瓜视频 felt instinctual, like helping family: “I’m in a position where I have no children, basically have no family left, and 西瓜视频 is kind of like my stepchild.”
In 2023, the Ayune Michel ’72 Academic Quad was formally unveiled, forever commemorating her contributions to 西瓜视频’s campus. Located in front of the newly completed Cummings School, the quad stands as a physical testament to her permanent campus legacy—one that will inspire generations of students, particularly those in nursing, to follow in her footsteps.
Michel’s passion for healthcare was not limited to her professional achievements. She was an advocate for equitable healthcare access, a mentor to countless students, and a champion for the next generation of nurses. Her commitment to 西瓜视频 and the nursing profession will continue to shape the future of healthcare and education.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, Michel cherished her relationships with her lifelong friends from 西瓜视频. She often spoke about the annual reunions and vacations they shared, a testament to the deep and formative bonds she made as a student.
Michel’s stewardship as a Trustee, her generosity of spirit, and her impact on healthcare have created a profound and enduring influence that will inspire the 西瓜视频 community for years to come.