Upstate to celebrate 50 years of nursing education
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Upstate Medical University will celebrate 50 years of excellence in nursing education Saturday, March 26, at the Genesee Grande Hotel, 1060 East Genesee St., Syracuse. The celebration, sponsored by Upstate's College of Nursing and Nursing Alumni Association, will feature academic presentations, a student poster session, memorabilia display, campus tour and an awards banquet.
The two continuing education presentations will provide an update on current trends and issues in healthcare that impact nursing practice and healthcare delivery. Both presentations are suitable for nurses in all practice specialties.
A presentation set for 1 p.m. will relate key findings from the Institute of Medicine/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Report to the future of nursing and nursing's place in the healthcare delivery system. At 2:30 p.m.experts will discuss the impact genetics and genomics has on nursing practice and education.
A student research poster session highlighting research initiatives, and clinical innovations or quality improvement projects relevant to nursing practice, education or administration/leadership will be held from 1 to 6 p.m.
Tours of the Upstate campus will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., and an Alumni Luncheon at the Genesee Grande Hotel will begin at 11:30 a.m.
Seven alumni and two businesses will be honored at banquet and awards ceremony, to be held from 6 to 8 p.m. The ceremony, hosted by College of Nursing Dean Elvira Szigeti, Ph.D., RN, and Upstate President David R. Smith, M.D., will feature remarks by Fay Whitney, Ph.D., R.N., N.P., a former College of Nursing faculty member and currently professor emeritus at the University of Wyoming School of Nursing. She received an honorary degree from Upstate in 2009, becoming the first nurse ever to receive this honor.
The following individuals will be honored at the banquet:
• Maureen T. O'Hara, R.N.C., M.S,. P.N.P., Class of 1997), will receive the Award for Distinction in Community Service;
• Patricia L. Donnelly, M.S., F.N.P., Class of 1997, will receive the Award for Distinction in Nursing Practice;
• Carol Anne Kozik, M.S., C.N.S., F.N.P., Class of 1996, will receive the Award for Distinction in Nursing Education;
• Connie Jastremski, R.N., M.S., M.B.A., A.N.P.-BC, Class of 1998, will receive the Award for Distinction in Nursing Leadership;
•Bess Buser, N.P., class of 1976, and Sue Spaulding, N.P., Class of 1978, will receive In Memoriam for Lifetime Achievement Awards;
• Bonnie Miner, R.N., M.S., C.N.S., classes of 1994, 1996 and 2002, will receive the Outstanding Alumnae Award;
• Fay Whitney, Ph.D., R.N., N.P., F.A.A.N., and Nancy Lyon will receive Honorary alumni awards.
• Wegmans will receive the Award for Regional Support of Nursing; and Key Bank and Indi Shelby, R.N., M.S., will receive Local Support of Nursing awards.
For more information on activities call the Nursing Alumni Office at 315-464-4416 or email [email protected].