When Marianne Krop (B.S. ‘65, M.S. ‘79) arrived at the Medical College of Virginia (MCV) campus in 1961, nursing was not part of her plan. She was preparing to pursue a degree in French at Douglass College, then the women’s division of Rutgers University. While traveling to Richmond to accompany her sister, Elaine, to an interview at the School of Nursing, the course of her life changed.

“At the end of Elaine’s interview, [the interviewer] Ms. Wiedmer asked me why I wasn’t interviewing too,” Krop recalled. What began as a passing question quickly became a defining moment—one that set her on the path to a nursing degree.

The pivot was not seamless—moving to the “Capital of the South” from New Jersey was a big shift—but Krop found support in her classmates’ warm and welcoming nature. “I was from the north but quickly found the famous ‘southern charm’ that most of my classmates demonstrated and they made me feel very welcome,” she said.

Krop found herself drawn to the hands-on learning and comprehensive approach emphasized in her nursing education. “All my professors were very knowledgeable, patient and supportive in their areas and always stressed the importance of the total patient needs and the care we could provide. I particularly loved the areas of psychiatry and surgery (pre-and post operative care of adults). Each year built on a greater sense of independence and depth of knowledge in the aspects of clinical nursing.”

Krop’s education went beyond the classroom and clinical rotations—it was also shaped by her trailblazing leadership. As class president and the first female student body president at MCV, she broke new ground while developing the skills to lead with clarity, confidence and compassion. These roles challenged her to navigate complex group dynamics, build consensus and advocate effectively for her peers. “I learned the importance of the various formal and informal committees and groups that were necessary to address ideas and to make decisions based on information that benefitted the class.”

After graduating in 1965, Krop entered the workforce with the same adaptability that brought her to MCV. Her early positions included staff nurse and head nurse roles in different states, where she quickly realized the value of her education. “My experiences demonstrated the value of my education.”

By 1977, she was ready to deepen her expertise and returned to MCV to pursue a master’s degree. “During those years, I developed further expertise in the myriad aspects of patient education and its importance in patient improvement,” she said. Her studies not only broadened her clinical and leadership skills but also prepared her to embrace some of the most memorable and unexpected opportunities in her career.

In Washington, D.C., she worked on the psychiatry unit at Sibley Memorial Hospital, where her fluency in French helped her connect with a French nationalist patient who refused to speak to anyone else. “It was my love of French that allowed me to connect with him,” she said. This unexpected bond led to an extraordinary assignment from the French Embassy: accompanying the patient back to France to ensure he received proper care. On her return flight to D.C., Krop’s nursing skills were called upon once again when the plane’s co-pilot fell ill, and she cared for him until landing.

Years later, during her graduate studies in 1978, Krop stepped into another surprising role—serving as Elizabeth Taylor’s private nurse during the actress’s residency in Virginia. These experiences, while extraordinary, underscored her ability to meet challenges with professionalism and compassion.

Now retired, Krop’s reflections capture her lifelong commitment and the profound role of nurses in shaping meaningful care experiences. Her career exemplifies how listening, observation and human connection remain at the core of the profession. “I, like so many nurses, have always loved the very personal nature of nursing care—that of interacting one on one with people during stressful but also joyous occasions. Even now, the time spent by nurses as we listen, touch, feel, observe, talk with people of all ages is vital to making appropriate care decisions.”

Krop’s journey into nursing also planted the seeds for a multigenerational legacy within her family. Two of her nieces, Sarah Nowell (M.S. ’19) and Anne Jackson (M.S. ‘17), followed in her footsteps, earning their nursing degrees at the VCU School of Nursing. Jackson, now the associate vice president and associate chief nursing officer for Patient Care Services and Emergency Services at VCU Health, acknowledges Krop’s example as an inspiring influence on her own career.

“My aunt is driven and hardworking. She always takes pride in her work and her efforts in contributing to others,” said Jackson. “It is an honor to strive to live up to her legacy in being fearlessly independent and a trailblazer in leadership.“