Dr. Laurene Gilmore was a pioneer in nursing education as both an educator and administrator, perhaps having influenced the education of more nurses in the state than any other individual in the profession. Dr. Gilmore attended St. Vincent’s Hospital School of Nursing in Birmingham and received her B.S.N. from Vanderbilt University in 1945. She earned an M.S.N. in 1955 and an Ed.D. in 1972 from The University of Alabama. Dr. Gilmore served as education director at the University Hospital School of Nursing and the South Highlands Infirmary School of Nursing in Birmingham. She led Baptist Hospital School of Nursing to be the first accredited school of nursing in Alabama. As chairman of the Division of Nursing and Health Related Technologies at Jefferson State Community College, Dr. Gilmore initiated the first associate degree nursing program in the state. She served as the first dean of the Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing at Samford University and led the school through its first accreditation of both A.D. and B.S.N. programs. Dr. Gilmore was named the first dean of the new Capstone College of Nursing at The University of Alabama in 1976. She led the Capstone through state board approval and its first accreditation. Dr. Gilmore has received the Alabama Health Study Commission Distinguished Service Award and was honored as first chairperson of the Nursing Research Council for the state of Alabama. Other honors include being a member of the Distinguished Service Alabamian Mental Health Task Force, Kappa Delta Pi, and Sigma Theta Tau International, and being listed in Who’s Who in Alabama Notable Women.