Dean's Monthly Communication: June 2007

Message from Dean Woods
Transitions
Commencement is a time of many transitions at our school: Many of our students will embark on new career pathways, some of our faculty will also launch new phases of their academic lives, and some of our staff will move on to the next stage of their careers. As we reflect on the many transitions in our midst, we can be proud of some of the transitions that we witness in our own community.

A case in point is Dean Emeritus Sue Hegyvary.

On June 1, she was honored by the University of Kentucky with induction into their Hall of Fame for her work in nursing leadership, but she has always been a hall-of-famer to those of us who worked with her at the UWSoN. She assumed the deanship in 1986 and led the school until 1998, following Dean Emeritus Rheba de Tornyay. Sue's leadership has influenced our current directions in many ways: engaging us with clinical practice partners by creating the Nursing Practice Advisory Board; enhancing the diversity of the faculty, staff and students; supporting our research endeavors; facilitating leadership opportunities for faculty; encouraging the service projects that were part of the SoN's 50th anniversary celebration; supporting development of advanced practice programs; and facilitating practice opportunities for faculty.

The Citizens of the World program stands out among her many legacies because of its steady growth over the years. We now have more than 30 percent of our graduating seniors enrolled in an international experience, with 24 of them spending an entire quarter out of country.

These are but a few aspects of Sue's leadership that have sewn seeds that flourished in the school over the past decade. Thank you, Sue, for your many contributions to the SoN!
—Nancy Fugate Woods, PhD, RN, FAAN


Campaign UW: Creating Futures Update
Support Students Far into the Future
If you set aside $40 a paycheck for the next five years, you can create an endowed scholarship. It's hard to imagine but it's true. The Faculty/Staff/Retiree Campaign for Students gives employees of the UW an opportunity no other donor has: endowing a nursing scholarship with a minimum donation of $5,000. And the University will match your gift 1:1 up to $10,000. If you have ever considered creating a scholarship in your own name or in honor of someone else, now is the time to get serious. The UW has extended the deadline for making a donation pledge until December 2008.

If you want to learn more about creating an endowed scholarship for SoN students, contact Brigette Yates at livaub@u.washington.edu or 206-221-7674.


Retirements
This month we bid farewell to three outstanding faculty members as they head off for retirement. We cannot do justice to all of their achievements in this e-newsletter, but here are a few highlights from their inspiring careers.

Ruth Craven, prof., dept of BNHS, has contributed greatly to the Educational Innovations (now TIER) department and has exemplified leadership through her role in Continuing Nursing Education. She has been a part of the School of Nursing for 39 years, starting out as an instructor in 1972. Her nursing research contributions have been focused largely on gerontology and fall prevention in older adults, as well as older adult and home health care issues.

Ellen Mitchell, prof., dept of FCN, has focused her research on women's health and menopause. She also has conducted studies about perimenstrual symptoms and menstruation and has been actively involved in the Center for Women's Health & Gender Research. Outside the SoN, she co-founded a private primary care interdisciplinary practice in Seattle, where she practiced until 1999. She received her doctor of philosophy degree from UWSoN in 1986 and has taught here since 1977.

Mary Salazar, prof., dept of PCH, has taught at the school for nearly 22 years. A pioneer and internationally recognized expert in occupational health safety and environmental health, she served as director of our Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing program from 1989 to 2003. She also was interim chair of the Dept. of PCH in 2004. Her research has focused primarily on health behavior and protection among working populations, particularly migrant and agricultural workers.


Honors and Awards
Winners at the WIN Conference
Several faculty and students were honored at the Western Institute of Nursing this year during the annual conference, April 12-14 in Portland, Ore. A large contingent of UWSoN faculty, students and alumni joined the 650-plus participants who presented papers and posters and attended the conference. UWSoN participants also had several high-profile roles in the conference and received some noteworthy recognition. Here's a summary:

• Margaret Heitkemper, the Elizabeth Sterling Soule Endowed Chair and prof., Dept. of BNHS, gave a keynote speech on nursing research.


• Martha Lentz, research assoc. prof., Dept. of BNHS, is chairman-elect of the WIN board.


• Pam Mitchell, assoc. dean for research and prof., Dept. of BNHS, was named to the Western Academy of Nursing.


• Lori Trego, doctoral student, received the Best Student Poster Award.


• Joachim Voss, asst. prof., Dept. of BNHS, gave a presentation titled "Practice: Sustainability Principles in Nursing."


• Lorie Wild, BSN '83 and PhD '96, dir. of patient care services, UWMC, served on the nursing practice keynote panel.

• BSN Humanitarian Award:
  • Elise Del Terzo
  • Eunice Soh
  • Parisa Sutanthavibul
• Master's Outstanding Scholar Award: Melissa Edwards
  
• Master's Humanitarian Award: José Parés-Avila

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