2025 Recipient of the Thomas B. Hagen Dignitas Award

Dr. Jane Arbuckle Petro graduated from Florida Presbyterian College (now Eckerd College) in 1968 with a strong foundation in both science and critical thinking. Though initially focused on becoming a “philosopher scientist,” a challenge from a former classmate led her to pursue—and succeed in—medical school at Penn State, launching a distinguished 40-year career in academic plastic surgery.

As one of the few female surgeons of her time and an out lesbian in a conservative profession, Jane overcame widespread sexism and societal expectations. Her internal strength, deeply rooted in the values and community she found at Eckerd, helped her navigate medical training and a changing personal life, including coming out during the early AIDS epidemic. This pivotal moment led her to care for patients others rejected, becoming the AIDS general surgeon at a Catholic hospital in New York.

Throughout her career, she remained committed to healing, whether reattaching limbs in emergency settings or teaching others the history and human impact of the AIDS crisis. Jane credits her well-rounded liberal arts education—including literature and history—for helping her understand the complexities of life and medicine.

Now retired, she remains engaged with Eckerd College through philanthropy, mentorship, and teaching. Jane's enduring message to students: embrace the power of community—and the freedom to be yourself.