Helen Grace McClelland

Helen Grace McClelland (July 25, 1887 – December 20, 1984), McClelland was one of only four women to receive the Distinguished Service Cross award during World War I. In her role, McClelland advocated for the professionalization and modernization of nursing. McClelland was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 1978.

Early life and education Helen Grace McClelland was born on July 25, 1887, in Austinburg, Ohio.

McClelland enrolled in Pennsylvania Hospital's School of Nursing in 1908 and graduated in 1912. McClelland was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, a citation from General Sir Douglas Haig, and the Royal Red Cross First Class from Britain for her heroic actions during World War One. Stacy Peeples, lead historian and curator at Pennsylvania Hospital, said, “Helen Grace McClelland perhaps more than any other single person, shaped the nursing school and nursing services at Pennsylvania Hospital.” and The Helen McClelland Award for Clinical Scholarship.