A P U B L I C AT I O N O F B AY LO R U N I V E R S I T Y LO U I S E H E R R I N G TO N S C H O O L O F N U R S I N G
learn.lead.serve.
WINTER 2013
The Meaning of DTRTLife’s Lessons in and out of the Classroom
God Keeps His PromisesTransformation in the Mississippi River Delta
Changing Lives through a Spirit of HopeServing the Karen people from Burma
Winter 2013
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
by Shelley ConroyDean and Professor
I recently celebrated my one-year anniversary here at Baylor University’s LHSON. I took time to reflect on all we have accomplished in this short time. We started working on the new strategic plan for LHSON, based on the newly created BU Strategic Plan, Pro Futuris. Pro Futuris lists aspirational statements for the future of Baylor University. Then, acts of determination are the action steps to help us reach these goals.
The first act of determination states, “Where academic excellence and transformational educational experiences ignite leadership potential, increasing our students’ desire for wisdom, understanding of calling, and preparation for service in an interconnected global society.” One of our strategies includes increasing the diversity of our student body, as well as that of our faculty, while upholding an academic standard that strives for excellence. We intend to provide our students with the educational experience that enables them to provide culturally competent care to diverse populations. In November 2012, I was privileged to go with some of our FastBacc students for a day of service with the homeless outreach ministry at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Dallas. Students provided health screening and foot care for those who came to the church that day. I was deeply touched by their interactions with each person, lovingly washing their feet and putting a new, clean pair
of socks on each one. To me, this embodied what makes a Baylor nurse unique.
We committed to strengthening our research to address the aspiration of Baylor University to reach the designation of a Research High University.
We continue to recruit highly qualified faculty who are committed to nursing research that leads to improving the culturally competent care we deliver to patients. We have been successful in obtaining funding for additional tenure-track faculty lines and approval of the creation of the position of Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship and are currently searching for qualified faculty to join us.
We worked hard to strengthen our partnership with Baylor Health Care System. We focused on strengthening our research, scholarship and practice collaborations. The strategies we used included joint appointments of nurse researchers who participate on faculty committees and research councils, holding regular meetings with key nurse executives to discuss common issues, prioritizing student clinical rotations, partnering for job fairs and student recruitment days and planning the future development of new degree and program tracks.
We committed to increasing the support that will enable our students to succeed. The dean’s board and the Going for the Gold taskforce have accepted the challenge to increase the corpus of our endowed scholarships for nursing students through the second annual Going for the Gold Gala Texas Style on March 1. We are looking forward to a successful event featuring Dallas Cowboys three-time Super Bowl champion Emmitt Smith and veteran sportscaster Scott Murray. You can help us reach our goal with a gift to an endowed scholarship fund.
By investing in and supporting our outstanding students, staff and faculty scholars, we will build upon our 104-year tradition of integrating faith and academic excellence in nursing education, enabling us to provide transformational experiences for our students to realize their calling to Learn.Lead.Serve.
Aspirations Make LHSON Unique
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LEADERSHIP NEWS
Message from the Dean inside front coverFaculty News 4Development News:
Going for the Gold Gala Texas Style 7
FEATURE STORIES
LearnThe Meaning of DTRT 12LeadGod Keeps His Promises:
Transformation in the Mississippi River Delta 14ServeChanging Lives through a Spirit of Hope:
Serving the Karen People from Burma 16
Student Life 18Alumni News 21Partner News 24News from Baylor University 27Upcoming Events back cover
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Ken StarrPresident, Baylor University
Elizabeth DavisExecutive Vice President and Provost,
Baylor University
Shelley ConroyDean and Professor
Linda PlankAssociate Dean of Academic Affairs
Karen HolubChair, Faculty Organization
Janis KovarDirector of Development
Comments or Questions? We want to hear from you! Send your comments or questions to [email protected]. If you have pictures or stories from a recent Baylor nursing event, we would love for you to share them with us.
Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing Leadership Team
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF NURSING
learn. lead. serve.
Cover photo: Cace and Cramer Hurt, nursing students at LHSON.Above: Laura Trent, LHSON nursing student, gathers with a few of the many
orphans in Lusaka, Zambia, she cared for during her summer 2012 mission trip.
Educating Victims, Saving Lives
4 Winter 2013
FACULTY NEWS
Louise Herrington School of Nursing assistant professor Claudia C. Beal recently submitted a manuscript for publication describing the results of her study examining women’s evaluations of the causes and seriousness of their stroke symptoms. Dr. Beal interviewed 80 women who suffered ischemic strokes, the most common form of stroke, which is caused by a blockage in an artery leading to the brain.
Dr. Beal has a long-term interest in women’s health and was a certified nurse-midwife. “As I grow older, I am more and more interested in health conditions affecting women all across the lifespan. Stroke is the leading cause of neurological disability. Predisposing factors for stroke increase as we age—high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, high blood cholesterol and diabetes,” said Dr. Beal.
Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the US, and the risk increases with age. The incidence of stroke is projected to increase by 25% in the next 18 years. “I have two close women friends living with disabilities caused by stroke, so this health issue has personal resonance for me,” said Dr. Beal. “Because women live longer than men, more women have strokes. After strokes, women tend to have greater disabilities and are more likely to reside in a long-term care facility than men. Women also tend to be older than men at the time of stroke and are thus frailer when they do have a stroke.”
A medication called tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) can reduce disabilities from stroke, but it is underused because most people do not arrive at a hospital in the window of time for treatment. The medicine must be given within four and a half hours of stroke onset. In Dr. Beal’s study, 45% of women arrived within three hours of noticing stroke symptoms and 55% arrived after three hours. Delayed arrival at the hospital during a stroke can lead to severe consequences. The earlier stroke medication is
administered during a stroke, the greater the reduction in disabilities.
Only one-third of women in the study attributed any of their symptoms to stroke. Previous research has shown that people who recognize that their symptoms are related to a stroke will arrive at a hospital earlier. A majority of women in Dr. Beal’s study reported their symptoms did not match their previous ideas about stroke.
“I plan to work towards developing more effective patient education on stroke symptoms and encouraging earlier hospital arrivals,” concluded Dr. Beal.
DR. CLAUDIA C. BEAL TO PUBLISH STUDY ON WOMEN’S EVALUATION OF STROKE SYMPTOMS
LHSON Partners with Healthy Zone School Recognition Program
Senior nursing students in LHSON instructor Barbara Devitt’s Community Health Clinics rotation presented three interactive, informational programs on nutrition and exercise to children at the Arapaho Classic Magnet School in Richardson, Texas. This presentation is part of LHSON’s work with the Cooper Institute and the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas’s Healthy Zone School Initiative to prevent childhood obesity.
The United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the Cooper Institute created the Healthy Zone School Recognition Program to help promote health in schools. Designed to promote health starting at the school level, the program gives schools resources to engage teachers, students and parents in a broader effort to improve the health of their communities. The two-tier program honors schools for their healthy practices and assists schools that wish to establish an environment that is optimal for healthy behaviors.
5learn. lead. serve.
FACULTY NEWS
ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN’S HEALTH, OBSTETRIC AND NEONATAL NURSES GAINS INSIGHTSDr. Mary Ann Faucher, associate professor and coordinator of the LHSON nurse-midwifery program, cited migraine headaches as a possible stroke marker among women at the June 2012 conference of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses in Washington, DC.Dr. Faucher stated that nurses see patients with migraines frequently and that approximately 20% of postpubescent women suffer from migraines, as opposed to 5% of men. There are nearly 14,000 outpatient care visits each year related to headaches, and 28 million people in the US suffer from migraines.
“Most headaches do not have an organic cause, but the etiology of the headache is challenging,” Dr. Faucher said.
Further, one fourth of all strokes have an unknown
Dr. Mary Ann Faucher Pinpoints Migraines as Stroke Markers
cause. The neuronal and vascular systems of the brain are physiologically linked by mechanisms of neurovascular coupling. Local vascular disorders, especially microvascular ones such as mini emboli, may be the underlying cause of increased stroke risk from migraines versus atherosclerosis. Conversely, a stroke can trigger a migraine. In postpubescent women, 10% of strokes appear as a migraine, versus a migraine precipitating a stroke.
Strokes and migraines with auras can have similar symptoms, and some migraine
events may be evidence of stroke. Symptoms may include problems with vision, numbness and tingling of the face, speech disturbances or muscle weakness. Determining the presence of a stroke or migraine represents a complicated clinical challenge for healthcare professionals. Dr. Faucher suggests a thorough, careful history be taken from women complaining of migraines to help with diagnosis.
While Dr. Payne’s study explored whether these two groups of students perceive the learning environment differently, she is currently working on another study to determine if there is a relationship between the students’ perception of academic environment and learning outcomes.
In similar research studies, student perception of the academic learning environment has been found to affect the way students approach learning and learning outcomes. Dr. Payne theorized, “The way a student perceives the learning environment influences their adoption of a particular learning approach, which may influence outcomes such as program completion and GPA.”
The Difference Between Accelerated and Traditional Programs
DR. LESLIE PAYNE EXPLORES PERCEPTIONS OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
In her recently published study in Nurse Education Today, Dr. Leslie Payne, assistant professor at LHSON, compares nursing students’ perception of the educational environments in LHSON’s accelerated and traditional nursing programs. “Nursing schools
often seek to gauge and improve student experience, and one important aspect of the educational experience is the student’s unique perception of the educational climate,” said Dr. Payne.
6 Winter 2013
FACULTY NEWS
Brucker, M. C. (2012, September). Participant/Representative. Presentation at Joint Commission on Overuse of Medical Interventions, Chicago, IL.
Garner, S. L. (2012, September). Critical thinking, test item writing and analysis. Presentation at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.
Ketcham, N. & Tucker, C.A. (2012, January). Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow: a virtual clinical practicum mother-baby case study.Presentation at the Elsevier Faculty Development Institute, Las Vegas, NV.
Ketcham, N. & Tucker, C.A. (2012, November). The changing face of health care: an integrated, multi-community clinical practicum to promote and maintain the health of vulnerable populations within the community: an accelerated BSN program case study. Presentation at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Baccalaureate Education Conference, San Antonio, TX.
LoSasso, D. M., Suterwala, D., Terhaar, M. (2012, July). The tiny babies project: Evidence-based care to improve the transition home.Presentation at the Summer Institute of Evidence-Based Quality Improvement, San Antonio, TX.
Riley, C. A. (2012, July). Implementation & evaluation of an admission EBP order set for late preterm infants. Presentation at the Summer Institute of Evidence-Based Quality Improvement, San Antonio, TX.
HONORS
Mary C. Brucker, professor of nursing, was named to Top 100 Nursing Professors in 2012 from BSN to MSN Online in September.
Jane Nunnelee Nominated for Outstanding Women of Today
Faculty RecognitionPUBLICATIONS
Brucker, M. C. (2012). Lifelong learning. Nursing for Women’s Health, 16(4), 269-270. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-486X.2012.01742.x
Faucher, M. A. (2012). Drink tea for bone health but not too much. [Peer commentary on the paper “Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) consumption is associated with higher bone density in postmenopausal women” by A.S. Conforti, M.E Gallo, & F.D. Saravi]. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 57(4), 421-422. doi: 10.1111/j.1542-2011.2012.00195_3.x
Faucher, M. A. (2012). Exercise is good for pregnant women and safe for the fetus. [Peer commentary on the paper “Exercise during pregnancy: fetal responses to current public health guidelines” by L.M. Zymanski & A.J. Satin]. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 57(4), 418-419. doi: 10.1111/j.1542-2011.2012.00195_1.x
Faucher, M. A. (2012). Red wine may decrease endogenous estrogen levels in premenopausal women, but does this protect against breast cancer? [Peer commentary on the paper “Red versus white wine as a nutritional aromatase inhibitor in premenopausal women: a pilot study” by C. Shufelt, N.B. Merz, Y. YuChing et al.] Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 57(4), 419-421. doi: 10.1111/j.1542-2011.2012.00195_2.x
King, T. L., & Brucker, M. C. (2011). Pharmacology for women’s health. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett. Reissued as electronic book.
PRESENTATIONS
Brucker, M. C. (2012, June). How to publish. Presentation at the AWHONN National Meeting, Washington, DC.
Jane Nunnelee, PhD, RN-BC, GNP, was nominated for Outstanding Women of Today by Altrusa International of Richardson, Texas, a nonprofit organization. The nominees for six categories—corporate, education, nonprofit, government, small business and Outstanding Woman of Tomorrow—were recognized at the ninth annual luncheon on October 26, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Richardson. Dr. Nunnelee (at left in photo) was one of four nominees in the education category. She is recognized locally, nationally and internationally for her expertise and experience in care of the older adult. Dr. Nunnelee is coordinator of the Gerontological Nursing Initiative at LHSON.
7
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Keynote Speaker
EMMITT SMITHCEO, EJ Smith Enterprises * Dallas Cowboys Three-Time Super Bowl Champion * Winner of the Hit TV Show “Dancing with the Stars”
at the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of NursingFeaturing:
Fabulous Live and Silent Auction Items Line Dancing
Celebrity PhotosTexas BBQ
Country Western Music
Eddie Deen’s Ranch at Downtown Dallas
For more information on sponsorship opportunities, auction donations and advanced event reservations, please visit www.baylor.edu/nursing/gala or contact Kara Sikes at (214) 820-4144 or [email protected].
Going
Gold
for the
Going for the Gold Gala
March 1, 2013
8 Winter 2013
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
EMMITT SMITH AND SCOTT MURRAY TO HEADLINE AT SECOND ANNUAL GALABaylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing is planning its second annual Going for the Gold Gala this March 1, 2013, and the bar is already set incredibly high.Emmitt Smith, CEO of EJ Smith Enterprises, Dallas Cowboys three-time Super Bowl Champion and winner of the hit TV show Dancing with the Stars, and Scott Murray, Emmy Award–winning sports anchor, will headline the event at Eddie Deen’s Ranch in Downtown Dallas.
“2012 was a magical year for Baylor University, and the Going for the Gold Gala was the place to be,” said Kathy Tinius, current president of the Baylor University Women’s Council in Dallas and a member of the 2013 gala committee. “This year’s gala will be a wonderful opportunity for Baylor people in the area to celebrate the accomplishments of the nursing school and address the critical need for new nurses by raising scholarship money to help nursing students pay for their education.”
As parties go, event co-chairs Angela Bowman and Donna Dee Floyd have cooked up a good one, including Eddie Deen’s Texas-style barbecue, country and western music, line dancing, celebrity photos, a live and silent auction, and of course, star-power speakers. But the real highlight of the evening will be raising scholarship money for future LHSON students.
“Nursing touches many people. Regardless of background, education and experience everyone at some point in their life needs a good nurse,” said Dr. Shelley Conroy, LHSON dean. “Our students are drawn to a calling to learn, lead and serve, and we want to be able to help them attend our nursing school, knowing that for many of them paying for their education is beyond their families’ abilities.”
The 2013 gala will raise much-needed nursing school scholarship funds through a combination of named scholarship opportunities, table sponsorships and individual donations, as well as auction and event ticket proceeds.
For more information on sponsorship opportunities, auction donations and advance event reservations, please visit www.baylor.edu/nursing/gala or contact Kara Sikes at (214) 820-4144 or [email protected].
LHSON Going for the Gold Again
Golden Ten Gallon Hat Sponsor: $100,000+Two tables of 10 • Host special guest speaker • Best seats in the house • Create named endowed scholarship to benefit students at LHSON • Premier acknowledgement on invitations and gala program • Post-event press release acknowledgment • Full-page feature in LHSON magazine • 20 tickets to the VIP reception • Photos with honorees
Golden Tin Star Sponsor: $50,000Two tables of 10 • Host two honored guests • Prime seats • Create named endowed scholarship to benefits students at LHSON • Special acknowledgement on invitations and gala program • Post-event press release acknowledgement • Half-page feature in LHSON magazine • 10 individual tickets to the VIP reception • Photo with honorees
Golden “Yellow Rose” Sponsor: $25,000One table of 10 • Host one special guest • Excellent table location • Acknowledgement in LHSON magazine • Contribution to a new or existing LHSON Endowed Scholarship Fund • Acknowledgement in invitations and gala program • 5 individual tickets to the VIP reception • Photo with honorees
Golden Lasso Sponsor: $10,000One table of 10 in good location • Contribution to a LHSON Endowed Scholarship Fund • Acknowledgement in invitations and gala program • Acknowledgement in LHSON magazine • 2 individual tickets to the VIP reception • Photo with honorees
Golden Spur Sponsor: $5,000One table of 10 with priority seating • Contribution to a LHSON Endowed Scholarship Fund • Acknowledgement in invitations and gala program
Going for the Gold Gala Texas Style SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES
MARCH 1, 2013
9learn. lead. serve.
Michael Malone with Bruiser, the Baylor University mascot.
Michael Key Malone, An Inspiration “All gifts to the gala will help fund desperately needed nursing scholarships,” said Janis Kovar, director of development for LHSON. Funds given to the gala without a designation to a specific scholarship will go to the scholarship the nursing school is creating in loving memory of Michael Malone. The Michael Key Malone Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Nursing will benefit those students who are pursuing careers in pediatric nursing.
Michael, son of Mike and Alison Malone, a Baylor alumna, was diagnosed with stage IV high-risk neuroblastoma on December 21, 2009, at the age of four. While undergoing treatment, Michael and his parents were an inspiration to everyone at LHSON. Mike and Alison volunteered countless hours to LHSON helping to create the school’s branding motto, “Learn. Lead. Serve.”
Michael, ever the image of courage and strength throughout his battle with cancer, charmed Baylor nurses even during the most trying times. His brave fight ended on June 23, 2012. His parents said they never thought when first becoming involved with the nursing school that they would soon personally experience what a difference a good nurse can make.
“The Michael Key Malone Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Nursing will help ensure that children and families undergoing trying diagnoses will continue to experience the kind of compassionate care Baylor nurses provide,” said Ms. Kovar. “Your gift to the gala will have great meaning.”
Going for the Gold Gala Texas Style SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES
MARCH 1, 2013
GIVE ONLINEGo online to www.baylor.edu/give.
In Honor of Their Daughter“The Going for the Gold Gala is honored to welcome Linda and Harold Gilbert as our lead sponsor,” said Janis Kovar. The Gilberts gave the gala sponsorship/gift to their endowed scholarship in memory of Glenda Hickman, MD, their daughter who died on May 14, 2012.
Officially named the Linda Shafer Gilbert and Sandra Shafer Oliver Endowed Scholarship Fund in Nursing, after twin sisters and nurses Linda Gilbert and Sandra Oliver, the endowment was created by their husbands in honor of both of them.
The Gilberts’ daughter, Dr. Glenda Hickman, represented the commitment to faith and compassion LHSON seeks to instill in its nurses. She was a talented engineer, receiving both undergraduate and advanced degrees in computer science at Baylor University, but felt the need to do more
for those around her and trained to become a paramedic. Eventually, she received her degree as an MD specializing in the field of hospice and palliative medicine.
Dr. Hickman developed her own personal ministry to those in need by inscribing words of hope and biblical verses onto small, polished stones which she gave to those patients and family members in need of encouragement. A small gesture at first, the ministry grew as she eventually hand-lettered and distributed more than 3,000 stones.
“Dr. Hickman’s parents chose to honor her with this gift to their endowed scholarship at LHSON. This gift will provide much-needed scholarship funds for our nursing students for years to come,” said Ms. Kovar. “It is a fitting way to honor a loved one.”
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
u
Baylor University Nursing StatisticsTOTAL NURSING ENROLLMENT
Projected
2012 2013 2014 2015
Pre-Nursing (BSN) 334 334 310 319
Upper-Level Nursing (BSN) 300 316 338 362
FastBacc (BSN) 27 32 32 32
Graduate (MSN, DNP) 82 81 83 86
Total Nursing Enrollment 743 763 763 799
STUDENT-FACULTY RATIO Providing a low student-faculty ratio is not just a focus here on our campus; it is a Baylor University imperative. LHSON has consistently maintained a ratio below the industry standard of 10:1. Ensuring students’ access to faculty results in a higher rate of educational excellence and student success.
2010 2011 201220092008200720060
2
4
6
8
10
Louise Herrington School of Nursing
National average
DALLAS CAMPUS STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS
2012 UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT: 327Female 295 Male 32
2012 GRADUATE ENROLLMENT: 82Female 75 Male 7
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSNon-resident 8US citizen / permanent-resident 401
UNDERGRADUATE ETHNICITYCaucasian 207Hispanic 43Asian 37Black 29American Indian / Alaska Native 11
GRADUATE ETHNICITYCaucasian 62Black 9Asian 5Hispanic 4American Indian / Alaska Native 2
•
10 Winter 2013
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Total nursing enrollment at Baylor University has grown more than 67% in the past 10 years and is expected to increase another 7% by fall 2015. Due to the recent change in required SAT/ACT scores for pre-nursing students, we expect a decline of pre-nursing students for the next few years.
10
20
30
40
50
60
2010 201220082006
NURSING FACULTYIn order to continue to grow our student body, we are also prepared to grow our faculty and teaching staff. The current nursing faculty is comprised of tenure and tenure track faculty, lecturers, joint appointments and part-time faculty and administrators.
UPPER DIVISION ENROLLMENT Upper division enrollment on the LHSON campus has grown steadily throughout the years, with the most significant source of growth being our FastBacc and graduate programs.
0
100
200
300
400
500
2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
Nursing Graduate FastBacc
projected
11learn. lead. serve.
DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Financial Support
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY AMOUNT
Donation amount Percentage of donors
Less than $1,000 89%
$1,001–5,000 7%
$5,001–25,000 2%
$25,001–100,000 1%
Greater than $100,000 1%
27%give to Baylor
University
73%don’t give back
0
$1M
$2M
2011 201220092008 20102007
TOTAL LHSON GIVING
Note: All enrollment and financial data are as reported in October 2012
LHSON FUNDS AS PERCENTAGES OF TOTAL DOLLARS GIVENTotal dollars given to LHSON in the past five fiscal years
2012 $1,426,503
2011 $1,075,870
2010 $1,449,324
2009 $1,779,097
2008 $1,464,688
2007 $557,068
Total nursing school donors (historical) 3,178
Total nursing school donors (2012) 497
Current LHSON alumni roster: 5,928
ALLOCATION OF LHSON ALUMNI GIVING
The continued support of our alumni, family and friends provides critical financial assistance to our students, enables us to recruit and retain a world-class faculty and provides for the purchase of state-of-the-art learning and training equipment and necessary improvements to our facilities.
46%
40%
6%
Research (0.3%)
Current scholarships (4%)
Missions programs (4%)
Excellence fund
Endowed scholarships
Programs and equipment
12 Winter 2013
P eople who know them well might say that helping other people is a family tradition
for brothers Cace and Cramer Hurt. Looking for a way to serve their community and live out their Christian faith in a practical way, both 25-year-old Cace and 22-year-old Cramer are following their calling at LHSON.
“When we faced a decision or a problem, our dad would always say DTRT,” Cace laughs. “He meant Do the right thing, and we heard that all the time.” Growing up in Henderson, Texas, a small town of approximately 11,000 people in East Texas, the brothers regularly attended First Baptist Church and were taught the values of faith and giving back.
With their grandfather serving as the town dentist, the boys watched from a young age how a trained medical professional could help people live better lives. “Our grandfather made such a difference in our community. It inspired me that every single day he helped at least one person be healthier,” Cramer says.
The meaning of
The Hurt brothers plainly state their lives’ mission is to make the world a better place, and attending LHSON is one step toward that goal.
Cace explains, “Nursing is a way I can help people and serve God. Some of the day-to-day tasks can be hard, and nurses sometimes complain about the more unpleasant tasks. But I try to always remember to serve and to see Christ in whomever I’m helping.”
Although the brothers share the feeling that nursing can help them expand the Kingdom of God, they have chosen different specialties.
Cace graduated from the nursing school’s FastBacc program, which is a rigorous, 12-month accelerated second-degree program, in May 2012. Currently, he is a graduate student in the Family Nurse Practitioner program. “I would love to work in a small family clinic somewhere and come to know my patients well,” Cace said.
According to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, the US Bureau of Labor
dtrtHurt Brothers Take Life’s Lessons into and out of the Classroom
to work with all kinds of people, from babies to seniors citizens, sometimes even in the same day.”
The Hurt brothers are motivated by the way nursing can let them focus on individual relationships. “The patient is the nurse’s main focus,” Cace explains, “and a nurse’s most important job is to have a positive effect on each human being. We both love that idea.”
“So many of our friends are not happy in their professional lives. They don’t feel they are making a difference,” agreed both Cramer and Cace. “We know nursing allows us to directly serve people in all kinds of situations and even from different cultures.”
Their father’s lesson of DTRT has borne sweet fruit, indeed.
Statistics is projecting the need for more than 580,000 new and replacement registered nurses by the year 2018. Nursing schools around the country are exploring creative ways to increase student enrollment and reach out to new student populations. The challenge is to quickly produce competent nurses while maintaining the integrity and quality of the nursing education provided. Cace and Cramer know the LHSON faculty has taken great care in constructing their education programs and that both men will be well prepared for their careers as nurses upon graduation.
Cramer has decided to take advantage of the traditional undergraduate program to earn his BSN and hopes to work in a fast-paced environment, such as an emergency room. “I always knew I didn’t want to sit behind a desk,” he says, “and with this degree, I will be able
Cace (left) and Cramer Hurt flank their father, Craig Hurt.
A family dedicated to the Kingdom of God and Baylor University. Front row: Jana and Craig Hurt (mother and
father). Standing: Cramer Hurt, Jaci Hurt (sister), Melissa Wright Hurt (Cace’s wife) and Cace Hurt.
u
u
14 Winter 2013
Mary Bruce, a faculty member at the Louise Herrington School of Nursing, feels this quote has guided her life in recent years and inspired her to show her students how God supports their work. She wanted to show her students how nursing can become an even higher calling. After traveling with nine nursing students and two other staff members in January 2012 to serve one of the poorest areas in the country, Cary, Mississippi, she said, “We are changed. God is with us. We can make a difference.”
Ms. Bruce hopes the second mission experience in January 2013 demonstrated to her students how skilled nurses can dedicate their professional lives to making real-world change.
Cary is located in the Mississippi River Delta on the Arkansas and Louisiana border and once had one of the highest infant mortality rates in the nation. Severe poverty leaves community members with health concerns, such as heart disease, renal failure and high-risk pregnancy, combined with little access to quality healthcare. Baylor students and faculty teamed up with the local Cary Christian Center to serve these specific needs.
While they visited, the Baylor team offered general health and blood pressure screenings, student-led prenatal classes, and fun and educational activities for children. Nursing students worked with school-aged children through adolescence, presenting plays, games and music geared toward a healthy lifestyle and diet as well as proper dental hygiene.
God Keeps His Promises“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever
you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have
promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place,
and I knew it not.”Gen. 28:15–16
15learn. lead. serve.
Students and faculty also presented information on healthy aging and volunteered at the community thrift store and food pantry.
The Cary Christian Center is a nonprofit that has served the Sharkey and Issaquena county areas for more than 35 years. Founded by pediatrician Dr. Peter Boelens, the CCC proclaims its mission to be “breaking the cycle of poverty, through relationships, one person at a time.” Dr. Boelens’s work, along with the support of the center, was instrumental in bringing down the infant mortality rate to its current level below the national average.
Breaking negative patterns is a significant goal. “We wanted to provide a new set of options, so that the people we encountered could learn that with God’s help, they could make better choices and improve their quality of life as well as the lives of their children,” said Ms. Bruce.
Besides supporting the Cary Christian Center, the trip gave the faculty and students a new way to connect to each other outside the boundaries of a classroom. Creating training programs and activities and meeting the spontaneous needs of the community required the Baylor team to rely on each other’s strengths. The teamwork was a bonding experience that reached beyond established student-teacher roles.
David Kemerling, director of student ministry at LHSON, joined the Baylor group and asked all mission participants to consider how their experiences in Cary would change
their own day-to-day choices. “How will your life be impacted when you return home?” he challenged.
The entire group was overwhelmed by the welcome they received from both fellow workers at the CCC and the Cary community itself. Opening each day with prayer and worship sessions helped many participants place their own busy lives at school in a larger perspective.
Ms. Bruce reflects the experiences of much of the team, saying, “I am a changed woman with a new understanding of poverty and what it means to be caught up ‘in the system.’ I am more confident in foundational nursing skills and awakened to a new dimension of who God is!”
LHSON hopes to continue similar mission trips in the future. Participants leave with real-world tastes of how nursing can affect the most basic problem of poverty. Ms. Bruce was struck by how sincerely her students hoped to support individuals in Cary, Mississippi, as they pursue lives different from what they’ve known. Ms. Bruce concludes, “We wanted them to see a new way and think, ‘I can graduate from high school. I can go to college. I can step away from this path.’”
To put it another way, “Behold, I am with you,” through the helping hands of caring nurses and the support of the dedicated volunteers of the Cary Christian Center Ministry.
LHSON students helped transform lives in Cary, Mississippi.
LHSON nursing students provided general health and blood pressure screenings.
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16 Winter 2013
God is no respecter of “comfort zones.” When He calls, it is for His purpose, and He will make you adequate,
whatever His task demands.Rebekah “Beka” Petty, MSN, APRN-BC, experienced
these truths firsthand when she started her own nonprofit organization, Hope4Refugees.org, in 2009 on a leap of faith.
Beka felt called to missions not long after receiving her BSN from LHSON in 1994. Her sister had just died of cancer, and Beka was working for the Dallas and Mesquite school districts as a school nurse. The loss of her sister opened her heart to reach out, and in 2000 Beka left her nursing position and accepted a missions job at Buckner Children’s Home, working with vulnerable and orphan children and families. The experience confirmed her leadings and created in her a desire to prepare for still greater challenges ahead.
So, Beka took a job at Baylor Medical Center’s resident-run teaching clinic in 2002 and enrolled in the master’s nursing program at LHSON in the fall of 2003.
“One of my classmates in the family nurse practitioner program handed me some information about a job working
with refugees,” Beka said. “She thought I’d be perfect for the position, and I agreed.”
Shortly after receiving her MSN in 2005, Beka joined Dallas County Refugee Clinic as a supervisor and began working with persecuted peoples, from Africa to Bosnia to Thailand. The Karen people of Burma (pronounced kah-REN) particularly struck a chord in her heart.
For more than five decades, a corrupt Burmese government had been exploiting its people under military rule, forcing them into conscription and slavery, taxing them excessively, restricting political and economic freedoms, and physically and sexually abusing them—all while destroying much of the country’s natural resources.
During the 1980s, thousands fled to Thailand for refuge. By the time Beka visited Thailand in 2009, hundreds of thousands had crammed into refugee camps, vying for scarce food, shelter and resources.
“Some of these people had survived in the camps for 10 to 15 years,” Beka said. “But, after they come to the US, our government aid maxes out in four to six months.”
Back in Dallas, Beka began seeing a growing population of Karen refugees living in an apartment complex near her
Changing Lives through a Spirit of Hope
Changing Lives through a Spirit of Hope
Changing Lives
17learn. lead. serve.
home. They had formed a sizeable congregation at Beka’s home church, Gaston Oaks Baptist, when Beka began visiting the apartments to administer aid.
Her outreach started by delivering medications, but before long she saw so many other needs that it was clear the job called for additional help.
“In the heat of the summer, they wouldn’t run their air conditioners, because they didn’t know how to turn them on,” Beka said. “Some of them had received food stamps, yet were starving because they didn’t know how to use the cards.”
Beka’s church friend, Jeni Knighten, who holds a master’s degree in religious education, offered support. Before long, the two had filed papers to begin Hope4Refugees.org, a 501c3 charitable corporation formed to help refugee families make the transition into mainstream America.
As the fledgling organization began to take flight, Lori Spies, coordinator of missions and the Family Nurse
Practitioner program at LHSON, heard of Beka’s ministry and invited her to present Hope4Refugees as a volunteer option for the Healthcare in Missions class. During spring of 2010, the first LHSON student volunteers began to show up, providing medical assistance, tutoring and helping Burmese refugees assimilate productively into society.
Ryan Maxwell, RN, BSN, is one of the more recent FNPstudents to assist in the effort. “It was a growing experience for me to help tutor these kids. I learned how impatient I can be, and gained a refreshing outlook into how much people do struggle when they come here from another culture,” said Ryan.
Sara Kyle, an LHSON doctoral graduate in nurse-midwifery who worked with several of the women on breastfeeding practices as part of her Capstone project, said, “Beka’s willingness to give up a nursing career for service was an inspiration to my husband and me. We both now visit once a week to tutor and provide assistance.”
Lori Spies and her husband, Richard, have also gotten caught up in the spirit. The Spieses have a couple of acres of vacant property in Sunnyvale, Texas, that they donated to the cause, which has since turned into a community garden. Each week, as many as 12 families visit the garden, tending to their communal crop of long beans, winter squash, peppers, daikon radishes and greens.
“I remember one of their first visits to the property,” Lori recalled. “One of the elders picked up a handful of dirt and sifted it through his fingers in a farmer’s gesture. I will never forget the smile of satisfaction on his face, as he savored that memory from home.”
Last fall, the group celebrated their second harvest with a barbecue party. Nearly 50 people attended. While the men served plates full of pork and pumpkin leaves, the women displayed handmade shawls and purses they’d woven as part of their village market. The children played. The elders laughed and sang. And from above, God smiled on his family, glorified in the gathering over a job well done.
Laura Trent, a senior nursing student, spent nine and a half weeks at an orphanage in Lusaka, Zambia, caring for approximately 280 orphans ranging in age from several months to 18 years. Lusaka is an impoverished city with the lowest life expectancy in Africa and the highest orphan rate in Africa. In Zambia, there are one million orphans who have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS or extreme poverty.
Laura went with Family Legacy International, a nonprofit located in Dallas, Texas, that sponsors summer camps where visiting families from the US can meet with children in Lusaka for Vacation Bible School activities. The week ends with each child receiving one pair of school shoes. Without a school uniform, a child cannot go to school, and shoes are the most expensive part of the uniform. So, these school shoes are eagerly anticipated by the children.
Let the Children Come to MeLaura’s primary duty was to staff the clinic for the week-
long camps. Each week she would see 1,000 new children. Her clinic was a white tent with two chairs and two mattresses. She saw children with leprosy, rabies, scabies, ringworm, tuberculosis, HIV and various foot conditions, including embedded glass from days of walking barefoot on city streets. Most of the children in Zambia do not have shoes.
After the day was over, she would walk to the orphanage and take care of the orphans. It was at the orphanage that Laura had time to develop relationships with children by sitting on the porch talking to them or playing soccer.
When children are orphaned, usually they become the responsibility of a family member or neighbor. Because they represent another mouth to feed, these children are usually
LAURA TRENT SERVES THE ORPHANS OF ZAMBIA
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STUDENT LIFE
considered a burden. Many are forced to find their own food and sleep outside. Laura’s patients at the orphanage included a large number of rape victims, and many times she faced 12-year-old girls who wanted to be tested for pregnancy and HIV. Theft, rape and ritual witchcraft are very prevalent in the slums where these children live. Nighttime is a dangerous time for these children, and they often struggle with sleeplessness or severe nightmares.
After the first few weeks of her stay, Laura was angry and frustrated, overwhelmed with the poverty and desperate need of the children around her. One of the Zambian “moms,” women who work at the orphanage, asked her one day if she had prayed about the situation.
Laura said, “Of course I’ve prayed.” “Well then,” said the mom, “you must trust in God’s plan.
You are not in charge.” Laura realized anew she must put her faith in God and
work to reach the children and show and tell them about the love of God.
Laura was supported in her mission work by a number of LHSON faculty who provided materials, support and prayer, including Jeanne Carey, RN; Valerie Trousdale, MSN; Shelby L. Garner, PhD; Lori A. Spies, MSN; Susan Gerding Bader, MLS; Jean Hillyer, MLS; Elizabeth Calverley and others. Through prayer and dedicated nursing practice, Laura is doing her part to make a difference for the children of Zambia.
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STUDENT LIFE
Far from India, Alisha Merchant Pursues Her DreamsEver since she was in seventh grade, Alisha Merchant wanted to come to the US to study. However, being born and raised in India, she could not persuade her parents and extended family to agree with the idea. Every year she would patiently persist, but her father would always tell her, “Wait until next year.”
In Indian culture, girls aged 15 and 16 are usually engaged to be married. As Alisha came of age, the marriage proposals began flooding in. Still, Alisha somehow managed to delay the marriage discussion, and she finally persuaded her parents to agree to a study program abroad.
Moving away from her parents’ home to another county was an enormous change for Alisha. She had never been on her own before, didn’t know how to drive a car and wasn’t proficient on computers. Her family continually urged her to return home, but she persevered in her studies.
Alisha originally enrolled at Drexel University in Philadelphia, where her uncle was studying, but she relocated to Texas when her uncle moved to Florida. In Texas, she was closer to family living in Houston. She applied to the University of Texas and Baylor, and eventually decided to attend Baylor, even though her relatives teased her for not living in a big city. Now, in her junior year at LHSON, Alisha is considering studying to become a nurse practitioner or a nurse anesthetist.
Adrienne Ferguson loves Baylor, a passion she shares with countless other Baylor alumni and longtime Baylor families. However, Adrienne hails from Colorado, and no one in her family had ever gone to Baylor. “I just found a home at Baylor,” she says.
Adrienne graduated from Baylor in 2005 with a degree in psychology and Spanish, worked as a social worker for Child Protective Services for six years and then worked for a private adoption agency before deciding to become a nurse.
“Social work was emotionally draining in ways that nursing is not. So many times as a social worker for CPS, people did not want me in their home or my help. Plus, sometimes there weren’t enough resources to actually help
people. In nursing, medicine is the vehicle to help people,” says Adrienne.
Adrienne decided to become an RN and enrolled in LHSON’s FastBacc program, an accelerated
Adrienne Ferguson Finds a Home at Baylor
12-month program to earn a bachelor of science in nursing. “For one year, I can do anything,” she thought. She is confident in her career change decision. “Nursing offers limitless opportunities and so many ways and places to practice.”
Adrienne appreciates how carefully the FastBacc program has been built. Nothing is by accident. “The faculty have put so much effort into the program. They are purposeful and mindful of everything building upon past lessons. I never think I’ll be ready for the next thing, but I always am because the faculty pay such close attention to how students are progressing,” Adrienne says.
The FastBacc program requires intensive studying. When she feels the need, Adrienne bakes. She started her business, Cake Ball Bakery, three years ago. Her cake balls are hand rolled and hand dipped, and she particularly enjoys making Baylor-themed cake balls. She says, “Baking is a great way to relieve the stress of studying.”
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STUDENT LIFESTUDENT LIFE
During his days as a practicing chiropractor, Cody Zepeda saw people with chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. He could make some suggestions to help them, but he knew he needed more training to really make a difference. Cody considered becoming a nurse. He shadowed a nurse practitioner and talked to several of his patients who are nurses. He and his wife discussed it, and in May 2012, Cody began to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree through LHSON’s
Chiropractor Makes FastBacc Adjustment FastBacc program.
When Cody finishes in May 2013, he will be a registered nurse. He chose LHSON because of the FastBacc 12-month accelerated program and the school’s reputation. “I researched nursing schools, and Baylor was among the top five in Texas,” Cody said. He was also attracted to the school’s Christian values.
As a nurse practitioner, Cody will be able to help his patients and make recommendations for healthy living. He says there is a big difference
between being a chiropractor and being a nurse. As a chiropractor, he worked alone with his patients, focusing on a specific ailment. As a nurse, he serves as an integral part of a medical team responsible for the overall welfare of the patient. “It took me a while to figure out how to work in that new environment,” said Cody.
He’s looking forward to his new career as a nurse, and he will start just in time. Cody and his wife are expecting a baby in June 2013, shortly after Cody’s graduation in May.
Baylor-themed cake balls are Adrienne’s favorites to make.
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Research: A Career Path from Hospital to Industry
Fresh on her way to attend the 54th annual meeting and exposition of the American Society of Hematology in Atlanta, Georgia, Gilead Sciences director of clinical research Lisa Stepp, PhD, MBA ’94, has a packed agenda. A number of abstracts related to her current investigational product will be presented to physicians and researchers. Lisa will gather their feedback in planning future clinical trials designed to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases. She will also engage in discussions with key opinion leaders and researchers in the areas of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and indolent non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She will participate in the usual networking and exhibit browsing that goes on at any large national industry convention.
The ASH conference will be a four-day marathon assignment that will draw on all of Lisa’s combined experience in clinical research, protocol and product development, drug forecasting and medical science liaison management.
“I never expected to be this close to basic research, and I look back now and wonder how I ever got here,” Lisa muses, recalling her days at LHSON.
Lisa grew up in Mesquite, Texas, and was inspired by her mother’s nursing career to follow a medical training track of her own. Upon graduating from high school, she worked as a receptionist at Baylor hospital’s oncology unit, before attending Baylor University in 1980. After one year, she returned to Dallas and earned an associate’s degree in nursing from El Centro College, then came back to the oncology unit to serve as a nurse.
Considering the hospital’s connection to Baylor University, Lisa decided to advance her nursing education in Dallas and received her BSN from LHSON in 1994. She went on to get her MSN from Texas Women’s University in 1996, and a PhD in developmental psychology from Columbus University in New Orleans in 2001. Most recently, Lisa attended Walden University and received her MBA in 2011.
While furthering her education, Lisa also took her first non-hospital job in 1996 as a patient care consultant for Schering Pharmaceuticals. Her research career suddenly
took off. In 1998, she served as a medical science liaison at Sequus Pharmaceuticals. From 1999 to 2001, she held a similar position for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, then joined Genentech Pharmaceuticals as a senior regional manager until Allos Therapeutics hired her as their senior director of medical affairs in 2010. In July of 2012, Lisa became one of the first directors of clinical research at Gilead Sciences and has since been instrumental in helping the organization develop its oncology and inflammation programs.
“I have no doubt my Baylor nursing education helped prepare me for what I do today,” Lisa said. “My chemistry and cellular pathways instruction, the pathophysiology of diseases we studied, my interactions with other nurses and clinicians, all set the framework for what I do now and how I relate to other professionals in my field.”
Lisa recalls Beth Farren as one faculty member who made a lifelong impression on her, supporting her interest in following a career path in research.
“Beth was such a great encouragement to me,” Lisa recalled. “Nursing school was very hard; we had to cram lots of learning into a very short time frame, and she always reminded us that great nurses can make a difference in this world.”
Over the years, Lisa has continued to stay in contact with the school of nursing, attending reunions and sponsoring various programs over the years.
“Advances in technology have made today’s nursing curriculum more demanding than ever,” Lisa observed. “I have great admiration for any student pursuing a nursing career, and applaud the faculty and staff at the Louise Herrington School of Nursing for giving our industry the best of the best.”
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ALUMNI NEWSALUMNI NEWS
2012 in the mix this year. Also, you will not want to miss the morning
welcome coffee service at the nursing school, which will include a brief presentation from Dr. Jane Nunnelee, coordinator of LHSON’s Gerontological Nursing Initiative. Special music will be provided by senior nursing student Bekah Lemonds. We also encourage you to capture the memories with your friends in the photo booth.
Please plan now to be a part of this special day to commemorate our extraordinary alumni and support our distinguished nursing school. We have much to be grateful for in all of our graduates.
For more information or to share your ideas with us, please contact me at [email protected] or (972) 234-1122.
2013 Alumni ReunionPlan now for a splendid alumni reunion day on March 23, 2013, as we celebrate all Baylor University LHSON former classmates. This year, our alumni gathering will be especially blessed as Baylor University’s First Lady, Mrs. Alice Starr, will be our featured speaker.
During the luncheon, we will also present the 2013 Distinguished Recent Graduate award, the 2013 Friend of Nursing award and the 2013 Distinguished Alumni award. Special recognition will be given for the class of 1963, as they receive their 50th anniversary certificates from Dean Conroy.
This event is for recent graduates and alumni from all classes. In the past, we have hosted alumni from the class of 1948 to the class of 2011, and we look forward to seeing some of our most recent graduates from the class of
by Ellen ByrdBSN ’64
Ellen’s Corner
LHSON Alumni ReunionMarch 23, 2013
Schedule of Events
ALUMNI OPEN HOUSE AND WELCOME 9:00 – 11:00 AMCome join us at the nursing school for a cup of coffee while you enjoy a light complimentary breakfast in the student lounge. We will have special music, provided by senior nursing student Bekah Lemonds, to welcome you and start the day. The open house portion of the morning will include current students who will guide you on a tour of the building. Be sure to gather your friends and stop by the complimentary photo booth. Be prepared to make new memories with some old friends and take some pictures home with you to commemorate the day! At 9:45 am, Dr. Jane Nunnelee, coordinator of LHSON’s Gerontological Nursing Initiative, will present a brief overview of the GNI program in the student lounge to discuss the value it brings to LHSON. Reservations are required. Activities are optional.
GROUP TOURS OF BAYLOR UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER11:00 AM –12:00 PMAssociate dean Dr. Linda Plank will serve as our group tour guide of the Baylor University Medical Center’s downtown Dallas facility. Join us as we reminisce about the times we spent at BUMC as a student of the nursing school. Take this opportunity to see the recent advancements and additions to the hospital while catching up with friends. Reservations to join this tour are required.
REUNION LUNCHEON 12:00–2:00 PM Doors open at 12:00 pm; program begins at 12:15 pm We are honored to host Baylor University’s First Lady, Alice Starr, our featured speaker for the luncheon. Dr. Shelley Conroy, dean and professor of nursing, will recognize the class of 1963 in the presentation of the 50th anniversary certificates. See enclosed registration form. The luncheon will be held at the Baptist General Convention of Texas building, one block south of the nursing school on Washington Avenue. Reservations are required.
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IN LOVING MEMORY…
In loving memory, and with deep sympathy for surviving family members and friends, we present the following list of Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing graduates who have passed on since June 2012.
Jacqueline M. Crenshaw, BSN ’40 Oct. 22Mary Cooper Warren, BSN ’42 Nov. 14Frances Louise Matthews, BSN ’46 Oct. 2Mary Montgomery Bindewald, BSN ’48 Nov. 17Carolyn Gillmore, BSN ’61 Oct. 31Joyce Hoffman Starling, BSN ’71 Sept. 8Carol Willis Strahan, BSN ’77 Oct. 13Portia Elaine Jackson, BSN ’83 Aug. 11
To notify the school of anyone overlooked on this listing, please contact [email protected].
An Ear for Music, An Eye on MinistryGrowing up in the town of West, Texas, Cyndy (Banik) Dunlap, BSN ’79, took private horn lessons from a Baylor University professor and caught the green-and-gold fever. She knew at an early age she wanted to attend Baylor University, although not for a nursing career. Her passion was music. Cyndy’s nursing interest was formed during her high school years, when she worked as a part-time restorative aide at a nursing home to earn extra cash.
“An LVN at the home asked me if I’d ever considered a career in nursing, and that planted the seed,” Cyndy said, “but my heart remained set on my music.” That is, until she arrived in Waco in 1975 to attend college. Although she performed with the Baylor marching band for two years, her skills were not competitively steeped enough to support her music dreams. So, Cyndy turned music into a hobby and nursing into her life’s work.
She moved to Dallas to attend the Baylor School of Nursing and graduated with her BSN in 1979. In addition to becoming an RN, she also collected a few other acronyms after her name, including an MPA, NEA-BC and FACHE, leading to her current position as system chief nursing executive for Scott & White Healthcare and chief nursing officer for Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas. Cyndy is Scott & White’s first chief nursing executive.
Scott & White Healthcare is a unique organization, founded by physicians to employ physicians, develop acute care facilities, manage a private health plan and operate an academic medical center. Cyndy oversees the company’s corporate governance activities, strategic planning and nursing’s contribution to the organization, including improving quality outcomes, patient engagement scores and nursing staff recruiting and retention strategies. She also collaborates closely with various schools of nursing around the nation, including LHSON.
“The contribution a nurse makes in patient care, and to the community, is incomparable to any other profession,” Cyndy said. “Nursing is truly a ministry of caring, and Baylor University develops that passion in all of its nursing school graduates.”
Dr. Geddes McLaughlin was dean of LHSONwhen Cyndy attended the school, and she impressed
on Cyndy the importance of nursing’s role in public health management.
“I believe Dr. McLaughlin was a visionary on this front,” Cyndy said. “Because of her influence, we learned firsthand nursing’s impact on the community; it put all of our theory into action.”
Cyndy remembers spending one clinical rotation providing in-home care to a pregnant woman in the community. Her contact with the woman lasted from the last trimester through the baby’s birth.
“That was my first, close-up experience with the miracle of life,” Cyndy said. “When the woman contacted me after the baby was born and thanked me for all I did, I was humbled and grateful to have played a part.”
Cyndy continues to support the school, having participated in last year’s Going for the Gold Gala.
“It’s an expensive academic program for a reason,” she said. “Our Baylor nursing recruits stand out from the rest, and supporting this program is an extension of Christian ministry that makes a lifelong impact on every student who enters the field.”
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ALUMNI NEWS
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PARTNER NEWS
Ellen Byrd, a 2012 Woman of Distinction of Baylor University Women’s Council of Dallas, exclaimed, “My blood runs green and gold!”
Ms. Byrd grew up steeped in all things Baylor. She graduated from the Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing in 1964. Her husband, Bob Byrd, four of her siblings, two of her children and 10 other members of her immediate family are all Baylor alumni.
When the nursing school recently celebrated its hundredth anniversary, Ms. Byrd served as co-chairman of the reunion committee and was named one of “100 Legends in the Line.”
“The centennial committee was big, and that meant more people could get excited about LHSON and the tremendous work it is doing educating our future nurses,” said Ms. Byrd. “Momentum from the centennial has carried forward, and things are getting more and more exciting at the school.”
One of the reasons Ms. Byrd is so devoted to the school is its commitment to both academics and faith. “Their commitment to servant leadership is so impressive,” she said. “Our Christian faith is integrated throughout the program, and there is a full-time student minister at the school. I think that speaks volumes.”
As a LHSON graduate herself, Ms. Byrd has represented this combination of professional commitment and faith in her career as a nurse. In the beginning of her career, she worked as a nurse at several Dallas hospitals. Then, after having children of her own, she discovered a passion for
student advocacy. She served as school nurse in two school districts and the director of health services at Dallas Baptist University.
“I love working with the nursing school right now,” said Ms. Byrd. “The quality of the faculty is impressive, and the new dean, Dr. Shelley Conroy, is inspirational.” In addition to serving on last year’s Going for the Gold Gala committee, Ms. Byrd is involved with nursing school alumni events and serves on the dean’s board. “The dean’s board is a great resource for LHSON,” said Ms. Byrd. “We have three Baylor University regents serving on the board and nationwide representatives. That’s never happened before.”
Ms. Byrd was a charter member of the Baylor University Women’s Council of Dallas, serving as its first secretary, later serving as president and working on nearly every committee over the years.
1964 Grad Gives Back with PassionIF IT’S GOOD FOR BAYLOR, ELLEN BYRD IS ALL FOR IT
uEllen Byrd, 2012 Woman of Distinction of Baylor
University Women’s Council of Dallas,
with LHSON dean Dr. Shelley Conroy.
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PARTNER NEWS
Dr. Kathy Tinius, current president of the Baylor University Women’s Council of Dallas, is committed to giving her time and talents to BUWC Dallas, Baylor University and the Louise Herrington School of Nursing.
Her path to Baylor started as a child. “When I was in elementary school my father was the pastor at First Baptist Church in Terrell. I looked up to the college students in the church. So many of them attended Baylor, and it seemed like it would be great to follow in their footsteps,” said Dr. Tinius. “I enjoyed my years at Baylor and know the advantages the school gave me as I pursued my other degrees and professional career. But the time I spent in Waco was short compared to all the years I have enjoyed being part of the Baylor family as an alumna.”
Dr. Tinius has set ambitious goals for the council. This year is the BUWC of Dallas’s 25th anniversary, and her goals as president are to continue to increase membership numbers to help promote fellowship among Baylor-related women in the Dallas area and to continue to add funds to the endowment every year. “Our goal this year is to reach the $500,000 amount in our endowed scholarship and qualify as a benefactor in the Golden Bear Circle of Baylor’s Endowed Scholarship Society.”
The council grants scholarships to Baylor students who live in the Dallas area and currently awards five scholarships annually, with one scholarship designated for a student in a
health-related field. “For the past several years, one of the recipients has been a student at LHSON,” stated Dr. Tinius.
The BUWC leadership realized several years ago that the nursing school located in Dallas was a perfect opportunity for them to support Baylor and connect with students. “I’ve served on the council since 2004 and chaired the LHSON centennial committee during the academic
year 2009–2010,” said Dr. Tinius. “This year I’m also serving on the LHSON dean’s board. It is a great honor to be part of such a dedicated group of volunteers working together to support such a quality institution.”
In addition to her support of LHSON, Dr. Tinius has started an endowed scholarship in the Baylor University film and digital media division. “My two sons, Adam and Austin, have worked in the entertainment business,” she said.
“Adam is pursuing a career in screenwriting and the film industry, while Austin is a business entrepreneur. They are both comic book authors. I want to encourage other young people to pursue their creative passions.”
Her volunteer work is not the only thing keeping her busy. Dr. Tinius, an associate professor at Amberton University, carries a full teaching load in human resources training and development. She teaches graduate courses in leadership and team development, research methods, adult learning in the workplace and emerging issues in human resources. She also serves as the director of the university’s quality enhancement plan.
The Things You See in ChurchDR. KATHY TINIUS’S FIRST ENCOUNTERS WITH BAYLOR STUDENTS LASTED A LIFETIME
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and Christmas cards, and we host an annual luncheon after their pinning ceremony. We know they are doing God’s work, and we want them to feel surrounded by Christian love.”
Ms. Allison and her husband, Jay, are longtime generous supporters of Baylor University. Baylor green runs in her blood, since more than 30 relatives have attended. Indeed, five cousins are attending Baylor University during this 2012–2013 school year. Ms. Allison herself graduated from Baylor University in 1979 with a bachelor of science degree and earned a master’s degree in guidance counseling, along with a language learning disability specialty in 1980.
Ms. Allison is modest about her accomplishments and quick to recognize the good works of others. But she found her own calling and has devoted her career and her life to helping children with special needs, to encouraging Christian education and to supporting the students and faculty of LHSON.
Jenny Allison, Baylor University Women’s Council of Dallas 2012 Woman of Distinction, knows the value of a good nurse. “We’re all going to need good nurses one day,” said Ms. Allison.
She has firsthand knowledge of how important a good nurse can be and the difference a kind and caring presence can make. “I had cancer last year and went for treatment at Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Dallas. I always smiled when I saw the Baylor nursing students wearing their green Baylor scrubs. It was so encouraging seeing the Baylor nurses and knowing they were there to help people like me,” said Ms. Allison.
Ms. Allison especially values the Christian education and mission focus of the LHSONcurriculum. “I think it’s so special the school supports mission trips. I really admire nurses who go on mission trips and often wish I were a nurse myself, so I could be more useful when I go on mission trips.”
One incident in particular crystallized for Ms. Allison the importance of both faith and academics. She remembers one day several years ago when Judy Wright Lott, a former dean of LHSON, was talking with a nursing student. The student asked, “How do I know if I want to be a nurse?” Dean Lott looked sternly at the student and answered, “Becoming a nurse is a true calling from God. You will know.”
Ms. Allison joined the Baylor University Women’s Council of Dallas several years ago. “The members want the nursing students to feel just as supported as the students in Waco. We all love to go down to Waco, but we have Baylor students right here in Dallas,” said Ms. Allison. “The nursing school is such a treasure, and it’s so close. We send the students birthday cards
Recent Patient Knows the Value of a Quality NurseWOMAN OF DISTINCTION APPRECIATES LHSON MISSION
Jenny Allison, 2012 Woman of Distinction of Baylor University Women’s Council of Dallas,
and Baylor University President Ken Starr.u
Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White to MergeNews of the merger between Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare highlighted Baylor University’s leadership connections in the healthcare industry, particularly within Texas.
For starters, there’s the Baylor name, as the new joint venture (now the state’s largest not-for-profit health system) will carry the name Baylor Scott & White Health. The nomenclature hints at the system’s original connections to Baylor University, as the entire system began with one hospital (today, Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas) that started its partnership with the university almost a century ago.
Two Baylor alumni will lead the organization. Joel Allison, BA ’70, will be the CEO of the new Baylor Scott & White Health; a BU regent, Allison has served as president and CEO of Baylor Health Care System since 2000 and has regularly been named among the healthcare industry’s most prominent people. Dr. Robert Pryor, BS ’73, will serve as president and COO of the new effort after having led Scott & White as president and CEO since 2005.
Two other prominent Baylor alumni will lead the joint board for Baylor Scott & White Health. Drayton McLane, Jr., BBA ’58, has led Scott & White’s board for the last 12 years and will serve as chairman of the new board, and Jim Turner, BBA ’69, current chair of Baylor Health Care System’s board, will be the new chairman-elect. Both McLane and Turner are former Baylor regents; McLane is the longtime head of the McLane Group and McLane Company, while Turner was the founder and owner of Dr Pepper/Seven Up Bottling Group.
Baylor Earns Top Marks on Core Education RequirementsBaylor University is one of only 21 institutions nationwide to earn an A for its high-quality core curriculum, according to a report on the state of general education at the nation’s colleges and universities from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA).
The ACTA study, which can be found at www.WhatWillTheyLearn.com, looked at curriculum offerings at the major public and private colleges and universities in all 50 states—a total of 1,070 four-year institutions that together enroll more than seven million undergraduate students.
Institutions are assigned a letter grade ranging from A to F based on how many of seven core subjects they require. Those subjects are composition, literature, foreign language at an intermediate level, US government or history, economics, mathematics and natural or physical science.
Baylor—on the A list for the third consecutive year and one of less than two percent of all institutions to receive an A—requires that students take six of the seven core courses, with the exception of economics. No other Big 12 university and only three other Texas institutions—University of Dallas, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and the University of Texas at San Antonio—made the A list.
More than 400 schools earned a B for requiring four or five core courses. However, the study found that most universities—61%—received a C or lower for requiring three or fewer subjects. Nearly 300 institutions received a D or F for requiring two or fewer subjects.
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BAYLOR UNIVERSITY NEWS
Event Calendar
Baylor UniversityLouise Herrington School of Nursing3700 Worth StreetDallas, Texas 75246(214) 820-3361www.baylor.edu/nursing
WINTER 2013
learn.lead.serve.
February 18 BSNA Career FairFebruary 23 Open House for Prospective
Students (Traditional BSN)February 26 Open House for Prospective
Students (FastBacc)March 1 Going for the Gold Gala,
Eddie Deen’s Ranch, DallasMarch 1 Gerontological Nursing Symposium
March 1–27 Ethiopia Mission TripMarch 11–15 Spring BreakMarch 11–15 Peru Mission Trip
March 22 Open House for Prospective Students (FastBacc)
March 23 LHSON Alumni ReunionMarch 29–April 1 Easter Holidays
April 6 Spring Premiere, WacoApril 11 Open House for Prospective
Students (FastBacc)April 13 Pre-Nursing Day, Dallas
April 18 Diadeloso HolidayMay 1 Open House for Prospective
Students (FastBacc)
May 3 Last Day of ClassesMay 3 Pre-Nursing Send-Off Ceremony,
WacoMay 8–14 Final Examinations
May 15–June 1 Hong Kong Mission TripMay 16 Pinning Recognition Ceremony,
DallasMay 17 Spring Commencement, Waco
May 20–30 Vietnam Mission TripMay 27 Memorial Day –
University Holiday
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