FCN Celebrates Achievements of Alumni and Students听听
Alumni receiving the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing Medallion for distinguished achievement from Dean Donna Havens (2nd from left) include: James Eastwood 鈥�68 COE, Jeanne L. Alhusen 鈥�93 BSN, and Colleen Mattioni 鈥�87 BSN, and 鈥� posthumously - Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima 鈥�13 PhD. Her Medallion is displayed by Dean Havens.
The Fitzpatrick College of Nursing honored alumni and students on April 22 at its 32nd Annual Mass and Alumni Awards Ceremony held in the St. Thomas of 草榴社区 Church. Awards were bestowed by Donna S. Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN, Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor. 草榴社区鈥檚 President, The Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, presided at Mass.
Alumni receiving the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing Medallion for distinguished achievement included: James Eastwood 鈥�68 COE, Jeanne L. Alhusen 鈥�93 BSN, Colleen Mattioni 鈥�87 BSN, and 鈥� posthumously - Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima 鈥�13 PhD.听 Senior student awardees included Elizabeth Thompson, Martina Morrell, Natalia Matar and Daniel Wala.
Read more below about FCN's honorees.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION:听James Eastwood 鈥�68 COE
James W. Eastwood graduated with a civil engineering degree from 草榴社区 in 1968 and went on to听serve in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam war and beyond, retiring from the Navy Reserve in 2001 as听a two-star Admiral. Now a retired healthcare executive, Mr. Eastwood has led a life of giving back to听his community. He has been a highly engaged volunteer, ongoing champion and generous donor on听behalf of the College of Nursing for more than two decades. He served 14 years as a charter member听of the College鈥檚 Board of Consultors鈥攁dvising three deans鈥攁nd supports nursing students each听year through the multiple scholarships that he and his wife Linda have established. He continues to听inspire other donors, having established the College鈥檚 Eastwood Family Endowed Fund for Assistant听Professors of Nursing, the first of its kind in the College which blazed the trail for other similar funds.听In many ways, Mr. Eastwood continues to champion the role and work of the College near and far,听helps facilitate relationships on behalf of the College, and supports the success and enrollment of听prospective nursing students.
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DISTINGUISHED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROFESSION:听Jeanne L. Alhusen 鈥�93 BSN
Dr. Jeanne Alhusen, a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, is The University of Virginia (UVA)听Medical Center Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean for Research at the UVA School of Nursing.听She has contributed widely and deeply to nursing science, education and practice. She is nationally听and internationally recognized for her research in perinatal health disparities, with a particular focus听on disabilities. Dr. Alhusen has continuous NIH funding, is a highly valued speaker, publishes in top-rated听journals, has informed the development of federal policy and received multiple awards for her听science and mentorship. She holds leadership positions with organizations such as The Women鈥檚听Initiative focused on mental health care access, the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities focused听on women with disabilities, and the Association of Women鈥檚 Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. A听gifted educator, Dr. Alhusen uses her experience as a family nurse practitioner, her local and national听service and advocacy for vulnerable mothers and infants as well as those with disabilities and mental听health issues, and imparts that knowledge to the current and future health care workforce to ensure听health equity and science-based interventions in care.
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DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP IN NURSING PRACTICE:听Colleen Mattioni 鈥�87 BSN
The COVID-19 pandemic struck just months into Dr. Colleen Mattioni鈥檚 tenure as Chief Nursing Executive听at Penn Medicine鈥檚 Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), where she began as a new staff听nurse. Her leadership is described as an unwavering commitment to patient care, employees, HUP and听the profession while weathering multiple waves of crises. In parallel, she also led HUP nursing through听the acquisition of a community hospital that served the most vulnerable in Philadelphia; through the听opening of HUP-Pavilion, one of the largest hospital expansions in the US, and through the process of听HUP鈥檚 5th American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet designation. Dr. Mattioni is a humble leader听who also has had an impact in perioperative nursing where she launched and grew her career. She is听responsible for many innovative perioperative practices that are now nationally accepted standards,听has ensured those nurses are facile in the most challenging procedures, and has advocated for the听specialty, including through her leadership positions with the national Association of periOperative听Registered Nurses.
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EXCELLENCE IN NURSING EDUCATION:听Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima 鈥�13 PhD (posthumous)
Dr. Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima was Dean, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of听Guam, a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, and a transformative leader for her students听and the wider community. Her expertise and tireless advocacy for underserved populations have听their roots in her public health nursing career. For over 15 years, homelessness on Guam drove her to听engage in research, volunteer through the Guam Homeless Coalition, which she chaired, involve her听students and advocate on behalf of the homeless population to the Guam Territorial Government.听As a doctoral student, she developed particular expertise about the health-related issues among听homeless Chuukese migrant women on Guam. She expanded her influence in health disparities听among Pacific Islanders through U.S. federally funded grants to examine adult cardiovascular risk听and childhood obesity in multiple island nations throughout the Pacific. In parallel, Dr. Hattori-Uchima听prepared health professionals to meet the health labor force needs of Guam and the Philippines, and听by initiating a student exchange program, Japan. Through her engagement with the American Pacific听Nurse Leaders Council, she secured funding from U.S. federal agencies for projects targeting capacity听building in elder care, with emphasis on the needs of families coping with Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease, and听cancer care, as well as the biomedical training of underrepresented students in Pacific Rim U.S. states,听Micronesia, Samoa, the Marshall Islands and Guam.
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Senior student awardees with Dean Donna Havens (center) included Elizabeth Thompson, Martina Morrell, Daniel Wala and Natalia Matar.
STUDENT AWARD RECIPIENTS
THE REVEREND FRANCIS X.N. MCGUIRE, OSA AWARD听OF THE VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION:听Elizabeth Thompson
Elizabeth Thompson has volunteered with the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing鈥檚 student group Nursing听Without Borders (NWB) throughout her time at 草榴社区. In recent years, she has served on the听Executive Board planning activities and coordinating the group鈥檚 numerous service projects with the听Clinic Chair. Her tireless efforts in NWB consistently reflect the mission and vision of the College and听草榴社区 in serving the needs of the underserved communities of Philadelphia. She continued to听demonstrate her strong and steady leadership skills during her term as the organization鈥檚 president.听Liz is a true 草榴社区n with great promise for the future.
ROSE WOYTOWICH O鈥橠RISCOLL STUDENT SERVICE AWARD:听Martina Morrell
An active and engaged member of the Undergraduate Nursing Senate (UNS) across her four years听at 草榴社区, Martina Morrell served as UNS treasurer in her junior year and was elected president听for her senior year. Her ongoing leadership in that position has been described as 鈥渂y far the most听impressive.鈥� Martina embodies organization, responsibility and accountability. She coordinates her听leadership team and has accomplished fundraisers and a clinical guide for students, with several听more large accomplishments to come before her graduation. Her endeavors on behalf of her fellow听nursing students are of the finest caliber and skill.
THE HAZEL JOHNSON LEADERSHIP AWARD:听Natalia Matar
Natalia Matar is described as one of the most effective presidents of the College鈥檚 chapter of the听Student Nurses鈥� Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP-草榴社区). A superb student, she is an outstanding听role model with a gracious and transformative leadership style. Under Natalia鈥檚 tenure, the chapter听again won the state SNAP鈥檚 highest award. She encourages involvement, inspiring a student to serve on听the state SNAP board, others to write resolutions and to run as a candidate at the national level.听Her award-winning poster for her independent study examined the concept of professional identity听development in nursing students. Natalia exemplifies the leadership, achievement, and overall听commitment to professional nursing that Hazel Johnson lived and so valued.
H. ELAINE MCCAULLY AWARD FOR CLINICAL EXCELLENCE:听Daniel Wala
Being an exceptional clinical colleague will serve Daniel Wala well in his career as a cardiac critical听care nurse. He is noted for how he interacts with his classmates, the clinical stories and cases he听shares for group learning, and his availability to connect and work with others. He has consistently听made an impact on his classmates and clinical faculty with his approach in the patient care setting.听Daniel shines with an understanding that, as he has noted, 鈥済ood care and communication are at听the forefront of nursing.鈥� A bright future awaits with his commitment to clinical performance and听academic achievement, and the leadership that he exhibits.