E. Malcolm Field, M.D.
Dr. E. Malcolm Field of Saginaw was a nationally-renowned neurosurgeon. He was chief of staff at Saint Mary’s (now Ascension), and a staff member at hospitals in Saginaw, Bay City, Midland, Flint, Alma, Tawas City, Alpena, West Branch, and Standish. Dr. Field was the founder and Medical Director of the Field Neurosciences Institute, which included clinics, research, and education programs. The Field Neurosciences Institute was created through a generous gift from the Field family. Dr. Field practiced through Ascension Medical Group in Saginaw. He passed away in 2025 after a distinguished career dedicated to medicine, education and helping others.
Dr. Field was known for helping individuals in need. He assisted patients with financial difficulties in finding ways to finance needed surgeries, and Dr. and Mrs. Field gave millions of dollars to students for scholarships at a variety of educational institutions, including SVSU. Dr. Field donated $3 million to SVSU to establish the Clifford H. Spicer Endowed Chair in Engineering and the E. Malcolm Field Endowed Chair in Health Science.
In addition to his distinguished medical career, Dr. Field had a passion for music and was a skilled musician. The Malcolm Field Theatre for Performing Arts in Curtiss Hall is named for Dr. Field. The Field Neurosciences Institute and Saint Mary’s donated to SVSU the proceeds from a successful fundraising event to establish this scholarship fund. It was their goal to promote the highest level of nursing care for people with neurological conditions. They believed the specialized preparation of nurses was essential to providing the best patient care.
The purpose of the Field Neurosciences Institute Scholarship in Neuroscience Nursing is to encourage senior-level Nursing students at SVSU to pursue advanced training in neuroscience nursing and, ideally, to undertake clinical training under the direction of highly trained, neuro-certified mentors at Saint Mary’s of Michigan.
Patricia A. Hansel was a respected health care professional in the Saginaw area, a surgical nurse who specialized in neurology. A 1988 graduate of the Saginaw Valley State University College of Nursing, she was a member of the nursing staff at St. Mary’s Hospital for many years, and a key part of the surgical team of Dr. Field. Ms. Hansel provided invaluable assistance and outstanding service to both her colleagues and her patients until her untimely passing in October, 1999. As the operating room environment becomes increasingly complex due to changing technology, specialized training of surgical nurses is essential in providing the best patient care. The purpose of the Patricia A. Hansel Memorial Scholarship is to encourage the advanced study necessary to develop and hone these skills by providing assistance to students pursuing a graduate degree in Nursing at Saginaw Valley State University.