School of Allied Health alumni magazine - Spring 2013 by Tom Myrick

VCU

Allied Health Alumni Magazine

spring 2013

The deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Student Executive Board boasts a history of engagement

School of Allied Health Professions V I R G I N I A

C O M M O N W E A L T H

U N I V E R S I T Y

1 8 3 8 - 2 0 1 3

Contents

Brass roots

A collective voice...........................................4

Experience, inspiration and action............... 20

The Medical College of Virginia opened the 600-bed West Hospital on the corner of 12th and East Broad streets in 1941 to national acclaim. Architect James R. Breed, who was working with architectural firm Baskervill & Son, designed this elaborate ornamental brass screen adorning the hospital to complement the structure’s art deco styling. The screen incorporates the likeness of eight great contributors to Western medicine — Hippocrates, Galen of Pergamon, Andreas Vesalius, William Harvey, Edward Jenner, Rudolph Virchow, Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister — whose life dates are molded into the grille work. Today, the 18-story building houses the School of Allied Health Professions dean’s office as well as academic and administrative units for three of the school’s nine departments — Nurse Anesthesia, Patient Counseling and Physical Therapy — as well as various clinical, administrative and support services of VCU Medical Center and the schools of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Stories that bring us together...................... 24

On the cover

Supporting spaces to spark discovery.............8 Filling the gap..............................................13 The perfect match........................................16 Using iPods to assist workers with autism......18

In person with Courtney Hott...................... 28 News.......................................................... 30 Class notes.................................................. 35 By the numbers........................................... 39

Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D. (center), dean of the School of Allied Health Professions, joins with members of the school’s Student Executive Board. From left, are: Emily Belyea, Peter Long-Innes, Iman Musah and Kenneth Harman. The group gathers monthly to collaborate with the dean in addressing student-related issues. Photo by Tom Kojcsich The 175 on the cover reflects Virginia Commonwealth University’s 175th anniversary. VCU will commemorate its heritage and showcase its current stature as one of the nation’s top research universities with a yearlong celebration, beginning April 1.

VCU

Allied Health SPRING 2013, Vol. 3, Issue 1

Dean and Professor

Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D. Senior Associate Dean and the Katherine I. Lantz Professor

Alexander F. Tartaglia, D.Min. Assistant Dean for Distance Education and Director, Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences

Paula K. Kupstas, Ph.D. Assistant Dean for Research and Professor

Brian T. McMahon, Ph.D., C.R.C., N.C.C., C.C.M. Associate Dean for Fiscal Affairs

Debra A. Ropelewski, M.B.A. Assistant Dean for Development and External Relations

Jessica F. Gurganus, M.A., M.A.Ed. Departments

Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences: Teresa Nadder, Ph.D., associate professor and chair Department of Gerontology: E. Ayn Welleford, Ph.D., associate professor and chair Department of Health Administration: Carolyn Watts, Ph.D., professor and chair Department of Nurse Anesthesia: Michael D. Fallacaro, D.N.S., CRNA, professor and chair Department of Occupational Therapy: Al Copolillo, Ph.D., associate professor and chair Department of Patient Counseling: Russell Davis, Ph.D., professor and the Rev. Robert B. Lantz Chair Department of Physical Therapy: Mary Snyder Shall, P.T., Ph.D., associate professor and chair Department of Radiation Sciences: Jeffrey S. Legg, Ph.D., associate professor and chair Department of Rehabilitation Counseling: Amy J. Armstrong, Ph.D., C.R.C., associate professor and chair Virginia Center on Aging: Edward F. Ansello, Ph.D., professor and director Executive Editor

Jessica F. Gurganus, M.A., M.A.Ed. Editorial, design and photography

VCU University Relations VCU Allied Health is published annually by the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Allied Health Professions. Send address changes or comments to:

VCU Allied Health Virginia Commonwealth University School of Allied Health Professions 1200 East Broad Street P.O. Box 980233 Richmond, Virginia 23298-0233 Or visit us online: www.sahp.vcu.edu/alumni www.sahp.vcu.edu

Strength in unity Our school pin boasts the motto: Strength through Diversity. While the diverse range of professions found among our nine departments is what produces unparalleled educational experiences, there must also be unity in order to capitalize on this feature. Collaboration among our students, faculty members, alumni and leadership is what makes this school’s astounding successes possible. As you will discover throughout the third edition of our annual publication, our motto is upheld by our tightly knit, interdisciplinary community. One of the main components of Virginia Commonwealth University’s strategic plan, Quest for Distinction, is interdisciplinary community outreach. Our school, by virtue of its diverse programs and student population, has facilitated our leadership in meeting the high standards of VCU’s Quest for Distinction, in not only community outreach, but also in research, development and diversity. Through topics ranging from student engagement, research and technology, to alumni loyalty and generosity, it’s easy to see how we band together for success. Our students are eager to collaborate and engage. Nowhere is this more evident than in my Student Executive Board. I have always maintained that collaboration is the mainstay of our students’ futures, and this proves more important today than ever before as our health care system continues to change. The interdisciplinary experiences found throughout our school are preparing our students for real-world success. Opportunities for interactions among disciplines grow as they gather around new technologies and relationships are deepened as faculty and students serve throughout the VCU Medical Center. The history and strength of our diversity are rich, and examples can be found throughout this publication’s news section. Without limitations, I am convinced that we could highlight many more successes — stories made possible largely due to the strong loyalty and caring relationships of our alumni. As alumni and friends join in the efforts like the Clinical Laboratory Sciences and the Department of Gerontology’s fundraising challenges, deans, department chairs and program directors work with our loyal donors in pairing their desires of supporting students and faculty. This generosity and support is evidenced in graduation rates of 95 percent and five programs that are ranked among the top 20 in the nation — including three in the top 10 and one that’s No. 1. I am quite certain that, should categories exist for our other programs, the School of Allied Health Professions would produce a clean sweep. Our students continue to place us in the national limelight, through presentations, student competitions, certification exam scores and leadership positions held within their professional organizations. With the university’s 175th anniversary kicking off in April and the School of Allied Health Professions continuing to excel as a national leader, now is the time for our community to proudly gather around its motto and apply a firm pat on the back. There is indeed strength in diversity, and together in unity we will continue to hold steadfast to this value with our strength, loyalty, caring and generosity. I look forward to celebrating with you at events throughout this anniversary year!

Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D. Dean and Professor

An equal opportunity/affirmative action university 120402-04

Spring 2013

Student Executive Board boasts a history of engagement Article by Drew Vass Photos by Tom Kojcsich

VCU Allied Health

signs to price quotes, and even provided “Dean Barker always stressed the hen Martin Blaney, D.N.A.P. diagrams illustrating where signs could be importance of student perspective and (M.S.N.A. ’11/NA; D.N.A.P. placed. As a result, VCU’s chief of police involvement,” Shepherd says. “For anything ’12/NA), arrived at Virginia attended the group’s next meeting with that could be dealt with at the faculty level, Commonwealth University, he found members of his department in tow. we always started there; but for anything himself adjusting to city life in down“Any time an issue is raised in one of that related to things outside of the departtown Richmond, Va. In his hometown of these meetings, we evaluate it and then ment, he wanted to know about them so Machias, Maine, Blaney says life moves at get it aimed in the right direction,” Drain they could be addressed promptly.” a slower rhythm. When a pedestrian steps says. “Probably 75 percent of the time we Shepherd recalls a time when her fellow off the sidewalk, all traffic halts. can address the issue or answer questions classmates charged her with the respon“It’s a little different from the hustle and on the spot. The other 25 percent of the sibility of approaching the dean over a bustle of city life,” he says. time, we do our homework and get the tuition issue. When, prior to their last After having his backpack brushed by a right people involved who can provide an semester of study, the price for fieldwork passing car while crossing the street, Blaney answer or solution.” courses suddenly jumped from a basic fee says he noticed there were no signs on As a result of Blaney’s idea and the of $10 per credit to the cost of full tuition VCU’s MCV Campus reminding drivers of board’s efforts, patrolling increased in per credit hour, students who had already their responsibility to yield to pedestrians. areas with crosswalks throughout campus paid their tuition were back-charged for As a class president, and a member of the the difference. Shepherd says there was to dissuade drivers from encroaching on School of Allied Health Professions’ Student an outcry among students who Executive Board, he knew where felt the cost of their education to present his idea that such signs “I was impressed that there was a forum had been misrepresented in the might impact student safety. like this that allowed students of all the process. Many were uncertain “When I raised the issue, it of whether they could afford to was like popping the top off of various allied health professions to get finish the program as planned. a shaken bottle of Coca-Cola,” together in one room. And knowing that “I brought it up through the Blaney says. “Immediately, committee, explained to the the presidents of all the other there’s an avenue through which we can dean why we were all upset classes echoed what I was sayaccomplish change is very encouraging.” and shared our feelings about ing. Everyone was concerned the issue,” Shepherd says. “He for student safety.” – Emily Belyea, Occupational Therapy student understood, took the issue very The Student Executive Board pedestrians. But the response to student seriously and, after approaching other unicomprises a group of class presidents and safety didn’t stop there. Representatives versity officials, ultimately had it reversed other student representatives, who hail from VCU Parking and Transportation for our class.” from all nine departments of the School also examined and changed shuttle schedWhen Drain became dean, he prized of Allied Health Professions. The group ules between campus and the parking lots Barker’s concept, but decided to take the maintains the primary purpose of gatherto ensure that adequate transportation was committee a few steps further. In addition ing and sharing questions and concerns available starting as early as 5 a.m., when to providing a sounding board for studentwith the school’s dean, Cecil B. Drain, nurse anesthesia students arrive for class. related issues, he felt the group could Ph.D., about anything student-related. “It was heartening to witness that serve as a model for absorbing and com“This all started as a method for getting response,” Blaney says. municating questions and concerns from feedback from a student perspective,” says the school’s nearly 1,100 students, as well Drain, who inherited the group, originally The origins as for disseminating information. It also labeled the Dean’s Student Committee, from the school’s first dean, Thomas served one of his primary goals by acting as Blaney’s story is just one of many dating Barker, Ph.D. “They go back to their cola gathering point for students throughout back as far as the late 1970s, when the board leagues, discuss with them what the various the school’s departments. was first created. Jayne Shepherd (M.S. ’81/ needs are among their departments and “I think that it’s terribly important that OT), assistant chair, associate professor and then they bring that information back to our students get to know each other across director of fieldwork for VCU’s Department our meetings.” various professions within the school, so that of Occupational Therapy, who served on the When Blaney raised concerns over trafwhen they get out into the real world, in a committee in its early days, says it always fic in crosswalks on campus, he presented practice setting, it won’t come as a shock to served as a collective voice for the concerns everything from photographs of existing them when they collaborate,” Drain says. of allied health professions students. Spring 2013

And he’s not alone in his thinking. Students say they participate for the same reason. “I was impressed that there was a forum like this that allowed students of all the various allied health professions to get together in one room,” says board member Emily Belyea, a class president and secondyear student in the M.S. in Occupational Therapy program. “And knowing that there’s an avenue through which we can accomplish change is very encouraging.”

The expansion In addition to expanding the committee to include representatives from each department, in 2005, Drain rescheduled the group’s meetings from early morning gatherings to evenings, when he says students are more apt to have time in their busy schedules. As a bonus perk, he also tossed in a free meal for everyone in attendance. He jokes that dinner must have been the key, because attendance has grown ever since. “I don’t know how many other schools offer the opportunity to sit down for dinner to talk with their dean about various issues or life in general,” says Christina Gibson (M.S.N.A. ’12/NA), a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice student. “He is extremely approachable and a superb student advocate.” Drain charges class presidents with the responsibility of drafting meeting summaries, which they share with the student body via email and through class meetings. “One of the reasons I decided to involve the class presidents is because they host and attend all of the various meetings, so they’re able to stay plugged into information and concerns that we would otherwise have no access to,” he says. “They also help disseminate info in the other direction, relating to things that are going on with the group and how students can get involved.” The dean also has the board decide on items that directly impact students. For instance, the group polls the student

body to decide how funds generated by a $50 per student technology fee are used each semester. “I was thoroughly impressed after my first Student Executive Board meeting,” says Dave Latortue, a third-year student pursuing his degree in clinical radiation sciences. “Members of the board engage each other actively on topics that they’re passionate about and I find it exciting to be a part of what goes on behind the scenes in the School of Allied Health Professions. Dean Drain does an excellent job of cultivating in-depth discussion of issues, when need be.”

The future Drain says he sees myriad opportunities for building additional involvement, including having board members engaged in the school’s recruitment processes. “I go to high schools to talk to kids about health sciences and I think it would be much more meaningful if I could take a few students with me,” he says. “I think the kids would relate to someone of their own generation and would want to hear what they’re doing with their lives through our programs.” Ultimately, the dean says that the best day of the year is graduation, when he gets to high-five each student who crosses the stage. Those who served on the board tend to get an extra high- or low-five. But Blaney says the board’s real effects begin long before graduation. “I came to VCU with the singular goal of getting my doctorate in anesthesia,” he says. “But I very quickly realized that getting a graduate degree is more than just the classroom training that you get. It’s about being involved in the university community and taking the time to help make a difference, so that you leave behind a better experience for everyone who follows.” Drew Vass is a contributing writer for VCU Allied Health.

Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D. (center), dean of the School of Allied Health Professions, maintains an open-door policy and frequently engages with students. Here, he joins (from left) Christina Gibson, Harold Barnwell, Peter Long-Innes and Elizabeth Wilder.

VCU Allied Health

Student perspectives On Dean Drain “He is very involved and dedicated to making the school a positive and enriching environment. His positivity truly shows within the meetings and how what we discuss in the meetings becomes changes or additions to the community.” – Amanda Garnett, Doctor of Physical Therapy program

“Having a leader like Dean Drain make himself so readily available and intent on addressing any issues that are brought up encourages students to speak up and share any concerns. This experience has encouraged me to speak up for the needs of my classmates and my program.” – Emily Belyea, M.S. in Occupational Therapy program

On making a difference “We get to tell the dean what we think should be changed on campus and about various ideas that we think will be beneficial to the school.” – Iman Musah, Pre-clinical Laboratory Sciences program

“It is nice to be more cognizant of what the school is doing to make our university stronger. It is also nice to have open dialogue and an avenue to address our concerns.” – Kenneth Harman, M.S. in gerontology program

On collaboration “There are so many different programs, housed in multiple buildings around the campus. It’s important to maintain open lines of communication to help bring us all together.” – Peter Long-Innes, Master of Health Administration program

“My involvement on the board has taught me how to truly communicate and work with people who think differently than I do. I see now that the world revolves around partnerships, meetings and people from different walks of life coming together to achieve a common cause. After my time spent on the board, I consider myself to be a better leader and most importantly a better human being.” – Dave Latortue, Clinical Radiation Sciences program

Spring 2013

Supporting spaces to spark discovery Examining the research, education and foresight that permeates some of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most accomplished laboratories By Andy Bates

VCU Allied Health

Human Simulation. “But here, we can University, a word like “laboratory” takes on such varied meaning and put provider after connotation that it can sometimes register as nondescript. Try cataloging provider through difthe number of labs housed throughout campus, for example, or the equipment used ferent cases, and we and work conducted in each. can actually watch them and talk with them afterward to pinpoint certain things about behavior, The fact is there are too many to list, and the research and thought processes and situation awareness. On a test, we may learning at the heart of every laboratory is so singularly its have all the knowledge in the world, but when a surgeon is own that calling them just “labs” feels like short change. struggling with a case, or when the circulating nurse is othYes, by definition, the lab is the designated space in which erwise occupied with various tasks, and a patient is severely research and teaching must happen, but in spirit and practice, bleeding and the music is loud and the lights are off, how are it is so much more. they bringing that knowledge to bear on the situation? Those At the School of Allied Health Professions, the lab is are conditions we can replicate with high fidelity and learn where the spark of discovery first lights in a student’s eye. It’s from through simulation.” the fertile ground where the seeds of pioneering treatments Documenting and researching that information, Wright and educational practices are planted and tended, a home for adds, can allow for the development of tools to better predict bold imaginings and a place where legacies can be built and situations that contribute to human error and, armed with forever remembered. that knowledge, create educational, training and procedural The real impact of simulated experience protocols to mitigate those pitfalls. on’t let the name fool you. At the Center for Research So, even as students are exposed to state-of-the-art techin Human Simulation in the Department of Nurse nology that allows them to hone their clinical skills without Anesthesia, the patient may be plastic, but the situation — risk to actual patient safety, they’re contributing to a body of the sights, the sounds, the smells and the way students react knowledge that can take patient safety to new heights. to the challenges presented therein — are completely real. This setting not only allows students to learn the technical skills they’ll need in the field, but it also allows them to train for complications in a controlled and reflective manner. “Anesthesia is very safe, but when bad things happen, they can be catastrophic,” says Michael Fallacaro, D.N.S., chair of the Department of Nurse Anesthesia. “The challenge that we face is, how do we prepare people to adequately manage events like that when they’re rare in the field? Well, with the simulation technology we have in place, we can make these rare and critical events happen again and again so that students can practice them in a real-world, stress-filled environment.” With a family of five full-body human patient simulators ranging from infant to adult, the center acts as a bridge between didactic and clinical work, and a No. 1 U.S. News & World Report ranking for the department, as well as the fact that dozens of area anesthesia providers use the center’s resources to train and continue their education, speaks to just how valuable an educational tool simulation can be. But the center’s impact extends far beyond the clinical skills it helps to develop. “There aren’t any cameras in an operating room to observe how people handle certain situations, and even if there were, that camera would unduly influence how people act,” says Suzanne Wright, Ph.D. (left), vice chair of academic affairs for the Department of Suzanne Wright, Ph.D., vice chair of academic affairs for Nurse Anesthesia and director of the Center for Research in Human Simulation, oversees a training exercise on one of the center’s five patient simulators. the department and director of the Center for Research in a groundbreaking research institution such as Virginia Commonwealth

Spring 2013

Lisa Perkins, instructor in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, leads a training session in the department’s student lab, where students spend roughly three to four hours each day.

A cornerstone of clinical science

alk down to the basement of Randolph Minor Hall, and you won’t find stacks of out-of-date magazines and musty boxes. Rather, you’ll find more than two dozen students — their heads bowed over microscopes, hands poised with pipets and test tubes — in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences’ student lab. With most heading off to careers in hospital clinical laboratories, the bulk of their learning occurs right here, where they’re exposed to a range of instrumentation — such as manual centrifuges and spectrophotometers, as well as more sophisticated and automated flow cytometers and hematology, chemistry and molecular analyzers — that will allow them to play an integral role in ensuring accurate diagnoses and treatment plans for patients. According to Teresa Nadder, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, up to 70 percent of medical decisions are based on the information provided by the clinical laboratory. Specimens (such as blood, urine or spinal fluid) are analyzed for signs of disease and health indicators like cholesterol, glucose levels and protein measurements. Clinical lab scientists also perform testing to identify bacteria to help pinpoint antibiotic treatments, determine red blood cell compatibility in transfusion medicine and use molecular diagnostics to tailor treatment for patients with cancer, HIV and hepatitis. “Our lab is where students build their skills and become proficient so they can go into that clinical lab setting and contribute to a health care team,” Nadder says. “We start

VCU Allied Health

with manual methods so they understand the theory behind the methodology and work up toward the more automated instruments. But it’s more than knowing how to use these things. Our students have to understand what to look for as indicators of disease, how the instruments are designed to accomplish the analyses and how to perform quality control to make sure they’re getting the most accurate results. So there’s a lot of trouble-shooting and problem-solving that has to happen on a daily basis.” That’s why students spend three to four hours in the lab each day, and why their professors also utilize the space, as well as their students, to conduct research. From observing a simple slide in a microscope to analyzing the nucleic acids and proteins through automation, in the Clinical Laboratory Sciences’ student lab, the building blocks and the future of the profession exist side by side. A space for the senses and a memory preserved

id you ever wonder how your body is truly reacting when that ambulance approaches? Or why, for some, the tap of rain drops on the window prevents them from focusing on anything but that gentle rhythm? Shelly Lane, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, certainly has, and so in 1998, she and a colleague started what is now known as the Kathryn Lawrence Dragas Sensory Processing and Stress Evaluation Lab, where they seek to understand the neurologic, physiologic and biochemical mechanisms behind people’s ability or inability to accurately process the sensory information in their environments.

“

When I can tell colleagues or grant organizations that my lab is endowed,

I think it gives it a level of respect and credibility that it perhaps wouldn’t have Sensory Processing Disorder, or SPD, on its own. It signals to others that somebody else believes in what you’re is commonly associated with diagnoses of doing so much that they’re willing to put their name ... right next to it.” autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, but it can also be seen – Shelly Lane, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and director of the Kathryn Lawrence Dragas Sensory Processing and Stress Evaluation Lab without any other diagnosis. SPD can hinder motor skill development, classroom learning and social and emotional interactions. SPD is a broad term that “For kids who are highly sensitive to everyday sensation — includes altered sensory responsivity, as well as the impact of somebody standing too close to them in line, for example, or inadequate sensory processing on motor planning and executhe sound of a bell or an alarm — they get very anxious or tion, and the physiologic research in the Dragas SPASE Lab is nervous, and that activates things like heart rate and other currently focused on sensory responsivity, or sensory modulaparts of the nervous system,” Lane says. “And we can see a tion disorders. By collecting physiological data and comparing difference in the way they respond as opposed to kids who it with behavioral data, Lane says occupational therapists can aren’t bothered by that kind of stimuli.” better understand sensory modulation disorders and begin to With that physiological data in hand, Lane can work with devise interventions for children that can keep them focused, parents to observe the children in their home environments despite distracting sensory stimuli, and allow them to process and report on activity and emotional responses, which can the world around them in ways that make sense. then be used to create a behavioral baseline for children with To do so, Lane and her colleague, Stacey Reynolds, Ph.D., SMD. From this baseline, tailored occupational therapy and bring children into the Dragas SPASE Lab or take a portable daily life approaches can be crafted. measurement system into an occupational therapy clinic to “We can make suggestions to a parent to make daily life collect data on responses to sensation. By placing electrodes for these children and those around them better,” Lane says. on the child’s palm, chest and back, they’re able to measure “This can also help us plan more focused clinical intervensweat gland activity in the skin, as well as heart rate, both tions for children with a sensory modulation disorder alone, before and after the child engages in sensory-based activities. or in conjunction with ADHD or autism spectrum disorders, In some studies, the child is also asked to suck on a piece and we’re focused on bringing studies to the clinic, which of cotton, which researchers later use to measure stress horwe’ll start this year. This will allow us to look at physiological mones in the saliva. Then, as they’re guided through a space and behavioral status before a routine clinical activity and mission, the child is presented with sound, vision, touch, measure changes following that activity.” smell and movement stimuli. The namesake of Lane’s lab, Kathryn Lawrence Dragas (M.S.O.T. ’01/OT), believed in this vision and the work being conducted within the SPASE Lab just as strongly as Lane, who served as a teacher and mentor while Dragas attended the School of Allied Health Professions and later collaborated as a friend and colleague as Dragas pursued similar work at Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Va. With Dragas’ untimely passing, however, her husband, William, found himself wanting to do something unique to honor his wife and stay connected to an important part of her life. As the place where Kathryn first discovered her passion and life’s work, he says he felt the research being conducted in the lab was something for which his wife would want to be remembered. And for Lane, that support has allowed her to pay graduate research assistants to further that Shelly Lane, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, uses the Kathryn Lawrence research, while also inspiring others to purDragas Sensory Processing and Stress Evaluation Lab to measure physiological responses to sensation, which can then guide interventions for children with Sensory Processing Disorder. sue the field as Kathryn had. Spring 2013

Faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends gathered in April 2012 to celebrate the naming of the Kathryn Lawrence Dragas Sensory Processing and Stress Evaluation Lab, including, from left, classmate Fiona Besset-Bushnell (M.S.O.T. ’01/OT), who helped establish a scholarship in Dragas’ name; scholarship recipient Jennifer L. Bonano; Dragas’ husband, William; and scholarship recipient Jessica Z. Lynn.

“This is the first named laboratory we’ve had in the school’s history, but the support that William Dragas pledged in memory of Kathryn goes further than that and accomplishes more than helping to secure things like operational expenses,” adds Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Allied Health Professions. “It’s an emotional as well as a financial investment, and that emotional investment can never be discounted in the research process.” “When I can tell colleagues or grant organizations that my lab is endowed, I think it gives it a level of respect and credibility that it perhaps wouldn’t have on its own,” Lane adds. “It signals to others that somebody else believes in what you’re doing so much that they’re willing to put their name, or in this case the name of their closest partner, right next to it.” Adapting to, and informing, the future

t may be natural to trust, or perhaps take for granted, that these laboratory spaces, and the room afforded to students and researchers to grow within them, simply come with the territory of a research university like VCU that boasts more than $260 million in sponsored research. But that funding doesn’t always account for the people, resources and infrastructure needed to keep those research dollars secure. Support at the level afforded by William Dragas, however, can help ensure the vitality of the school’s laboratories and address needs for which grants alone can’t account. 12

VCU Allied Health

At the Clinical Laboratory Sciences’ student laboratory, for example, one of the main challenges to ensuring students are learning the skills they’ll need is keeping up with technologies being introduced into clinical lab settings every year, Nadder says. Add to that the mounting costs of lab supplies like agar plates, stains, pipets and glassware, along with reagents and safety equipment (all of which add up to more than $25,000 a year), and even a drop in the bucket can make a difference. The lab space itself, though state-of-the-art, is filled to capacity, with refrigerators and freezers squeezed into stairwells. And, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimating a need for 81,000 clinical laboratory scientists to replace retirees and 68,000 more for brand-new positions by 2014, Nadder says increased space for the lab would allow her department to train more students each year to meet those demands. All of these needs are interconnected, Nadder adds, and addressing one helps to address them all. More space can mean more room for students to train, but it can also mean more room for technology, which can lead to more advanced and sophisticated research projects that in turn inform patient care and clinical practices. At the Center for Research in Human Simulation, technology also remains a consistent and pressing challenge. Being able to keep up with advances to wireless technology can mean a greater degree of portability for the patient simulators, according to Wright, which will allow the department to take the simulators to area providers for continuing education, training and outreach more easily. Similarly, in a field where re-creating a surgical environment to the highest degree of fidelity possible not only aids training but also research, updating the software that controls the patient simulators is a constant process. More sophisticated software means that more detailed scenarios and a greater variety of patient responses can be incorporated into the training. “When you can provide that fidelity for students, it better replicates the real environment they’re going to enter,” Wright says, “and when you’re in a real environment like that, as a researcher, I get to observe real performance, which is the only way we can make the whole process better for the patient moving forward.” That constant eye toward the future allows labs like the Center for Research in Human Simulation, the Dragas SPASE Lab and the Clinical Laboratory Sciences’ student lab to resist stagnating. After all, community needs shift, new discoveries lead to even more avenues of exploration and the rate of technological growth throughout nearly every research discipline means that the notion of the laboratory (and those who work and train in them) constantly evolves. Andy Bates is a contributing writer for VCU Allied Health.

Filling the gap By Samieh Shalash

Through alumni support, departments boost efforts to address workforce shortage Dowrick’s bequest will inspire others to remember the department annually and when making long-term decisions about their wealth.

Vital need There’s a vital need to recruit and educate more students in the field of clinical laboratory sciences as a national labor shortage looms. At VCU, the CLS department produces 25 to 35 B.S. graduates and up to 10 M.S. graduates each year. CLS graduates are snapped up — nearly 100 percent are employed within six months, Nadder says. Some work in hospital labs or for the state, while others work as sales or technical representatives, laboratory inspectors, educators or researchers. The department is working to increase the number of graduates by 15 each year, which would require adding two faculty members for a total of nine. The department also wants to hire a recruiter. It’s crucial to spread awareness about the field and attract more applicants to the program, Nadder says. Mary Catherine Dowrick (B.S. ’69/MET; Nationally, fewer M.S. ’72/MET) was passionate about giving than 4,700 people back and wanted to support organizations graduate from accredthat helped her succeed, including VCU. ited clinical laboratory sciences programs each year. That number needs to more than triple, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, so that hospitals, clinics and laboratories can count on having trained professionals among their ranks who provide accurate clinical lab work.

Photo courtesy of Barbara Williams

a national shortfall heightens the need for clinical laboratory scientists, Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences is heeding the call with a plan to produce more graduates each year. That plan includes raising money for an endowed professorship that will help attract or retain top educators, says CLS department Chair Teresa Nadder, Ph.D. (B.S. ’78/MET; M.S. ’89/MET; Ph.D. ’98). The department launched the CLS Challenge at its 85th anniversary celebration in April 2012 to achieve two goals: raise money for the endowment and seek donor support for scholarships and the ever-increasing expense of laboratory equipment and supplies needed to educate students. “The professorship will allow us to recruit and retain highquality faculty and to honor faculty that have made significant accomplishments in the field,” Nadder says. “We would need several large gifts to make the professorship a reality.” Seed money for an endowed professorship was gifted by the late Mary Catherine Dowrick (B.S. ’69/MET; M.S. ’72/MET). She bequeathed nearly $45,000 to the CLS department upon her death in 2010. Dowrick’s friend of 17 years, Barbara Williams (B.S. ’86), says Dowrick was passionate about giving back and wanted to support organizations that helped her succeed, including VCU. Dowrick retired after 35 years at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital as a clinical specialist in hematology. “She loved going to school at VCU,” Williams says. “She had a professor who took her under his wing and mentored her, and that really changed her life.” Dowrick would be honored that the department chose to use her bequest to endow a professorship, Williams says. Endowments typically help fund an existing faculty member’s salary, which frees up money for student scholarships and other critical initiatives. Nadder says Dowrick had “always revered the education of clinical laboratory science students” and that she hopes

Spring 2013

By 2014, the U.S. is estimated to need 81,000 clinical laboratory scientists to replace retirees and 68,000 more for brand-new positions. – Bureau of Labor Statistics

It will be tough to address the shortage unless more people know about the important work clinical laboratory scientists do and how donations can help. As a lower-profile program than others such as medicine, pharmacy and nursing, the clinical laboratory sciences profession depends more on support from industry partners and grateful patients. “Visibility has always been a challenge for our profession because we do work behind the scenes,” Nadder says. “We’re finding ways to make people more aware of the value of clinical laboratory scientists as members of the health care delivery team, and to raise awareness of the value of laboratory testing for accurate diagnosis.” The department is planning more outreach to middle schools, high schools and four-year and community colleges to spread awareness about careers in clinical laboratories, Nadder says. It is also working to develop guaranteed-admission agreements with Chester-based John Tyler Community College and Petersburg-based Richard Bland College, and is talking with higher-education centers in rural areas about delivering VCU lectures to them through state-of-the-art technology.

Gerontology challenge The gerontology department in VCU’s School of Allied Health Professions is also in the midst of a fundraising challenge. It launched a three-year campaign in spring 2010

Photo courtesy of Martha Polier Grossman (B.F.A. ’72)

HDL donation creates new CLS scholarship

Alumni and Health Diagnostic Laboratory employees Terrie Clarke-Bynum (B.S. ’99/CLS) (left), Athaba Thomas (B.S. ’00/CLS), Ross Higgins (B.S. ’10/ CLS) and Natarsha Fisher (B.S. ’02/CLS) (far right) present HDL’s gift to Cecil Drain, Ph.D., dean of the School of Allied Health Professions, and Teresa Nadder, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences.

to endow an existing faculty position, but recently shifted that mission to accept donations for others purposes, too. The campaign has raised about $35,000 so far according to E. Ayn Welleford, Ph.D. (M.S. ’93/G; Ph.D. ’98/H&S), chair of VCU’s Department of Gerontology. Donors can give to the endowment fund or specify a cause such as underwriting a webinar or special event or creating a named scholarship, she says. Every donation helps as the gerontology field prepares for a sharply increasing demand for workers. The first wave of baby boomers turned 65 in 2011, paving the way for a senior citizen population that will double over the next 20 years to more than 70 million. As demand for services and workers grow, VCU’s gerontology department is limited by funding to a faculty of 2.5. That means 10 to 15 qualified applicants to the program are turned away each year, and partnerships with community agencies such as the Senior Center of Richmond are postponed or declined, Welleford says. Donations can help the department better meet the needs of students entering the field. “All of the money we raise goes directly into promoting factors of student success,” Welleford says, “whether it’s directly through scholarships, student research, student travel or student engagement with the community.” To make a gift to the clinical laboratory sciences or gerontology departments, contact Jessica F. Gurganus, assistant dean for development and external relations, at (804) 828-3269 or jfgurganus@vcu.edu. Samieh Shalash is a contributing writer for VCU Allied Health.

VCU Allied Health

A $60,000 gift from Health Diagnostic Laboratory Inc. to the MCV Foundation is helping recruit top students to the VCU Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences. The donation sponsored two $10,000 scholarships and will fund an additional $10,000 for each returning Health Diagnostic Laboratory Scholar in 2013-14. That year, two new scholars will also receive $10,000 scholarships each. In February, juniors Michael Lacy and Jasmin Walker were named the first HDL Scholars. Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., dean of the School of Allied Health Professions, says the gift is the single-largest donation made to CLS since the department was created in 1952. “Competitive scholarships help us attract the best and brightest students to the medical technology profession,” Drain says. “Corporate partnerships, such as this one with Health Diagnostics Laboratory, are essential to recruitment and the School of Allied Health Professions’ continued success.” To read more about the selection of Lacy and Walker as the first HDL scholars, visit www.sahp.vcu.edu/cls/news4.html. To make a gift to the scholarship fund, contact Jessica F. Gurganus, assistant dean for development and external relations, at (804) 828-3269 or jfgurganus@vcu.edu.

CLS Hall of Fame The Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences inducted eight alumni into its new Hall of Fame during the April 2012 MCV Campus Reunion. Awardees were voted on by the department’s faculty. Meet the inaugural inductees:

Mary Catherine Dowrick (B.S. ’69/MET; M.S. ’72/MET) retired after 35 years at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital as a clinical specialist in hematology. She died in 2010 after battling cancer. Dowrick generously bequeathed $44,731 through her estate to the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences. Her longtime friend, Barbara Williams (B.S. ‘86), accepted her award.

Photo courtesy of Martha Polier Grossman (B.F.A. ’72)

Jessie Izard (M.Ed. ’72) was a professor and chair of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences from 1969 to 1984. As chair, Izard converted the undergraduate program to a two-plus-two format that flourished — it requires two years of prerequisite course work and two years to complete the CLS program. She died at the age of 92 in October 2011. Her niece, Carol Linger, accepted her award.

The Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences celebrates its first Hall of Fame induction with Rebecca Perdue

(B.S. ’62/MET) (left), Janet Congdon Coon (B.S. ’59/MET), Kimberly Sanford, M.D. (B.S. ’91/MET; M.D. ’01), Donna Odom (B.S. ’59/MET) was hired as department Chair Teresa Nadder, Ph.D., Barbara Lindsey (M.S. ’77/MET), Tim R. Randolph, Ph.D. (M.S. ’87/ an instructor of medical technology at MET), and Donna Odom (B.S. ’59/MET). MCV in 1964 and served the department for 27 years, including as chair from 1984 to 1991. She retired in 1991 and is an associate professor emeritus and president of Randolph World Ministries Inc., a medical mission who has remained active within the department. ministry that develops clinical and laboratory services in existing clinics in Haiti and offers economic development, disaster relief, Rebecca Perdue (B.S. ’62/MET) has worked in the clinical laboratory microfinance and child sponsorship. science profession for 50 years. She served as a leader in many

laboratory positions and has served as president, vice president and secretary of the MCV Alumni Association of VCU. Perdue was named an Alumni Star in 2005. In 2009, she was appointed to serve on the MCV Foundation Board of Trustees. Barbara Lindsey (M.S. ’77/MET) joined the faculty in VCU’s Department of Medical Technology in 1975. Her 30 years of service to the department included teaching biochemistry and microscopy and serving as chair from 1991 to 2005. During her tenure, Lindsey oversaw the department’s name change from “Medical Technology” to “Clinical Laboratory Sciences” and implemented a new accelerated track within the master’s program. Tim R. Randolph, Ph.D. (M.S. ’87/MET), is an associate professor, chairman and clinical laboratory sciences program director at Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center. Randolph is also founder

Kimberly Sanford, M.D. (B.S. ’91/MET; M.D. ’01), is an assistant professor of pathology, associate medical director of transfusion medicine and medical director for an outpatient laboratory at VCU. She was instrumental in creating a client services division for the pathology department at the VCU Medical Center. Sanford was recently awarded a Mastership Designation from the American Society for Clinical Pathology. Janet Congdon Coon (B.S. ’59/MET) worked in MCV’s Department of Pathology for 28 years, most of which were in the hematology laboratory. In the last 16 years of her career, she served as Richmond’s deputy general registrar and Henrico County’s general registrar. In 2011, Coon convinced Delegate John O’Bannon III, M.D. (M.D. ’73), to sponsor a bill that would lead to state regulation of the clinical laboratory sciences profession in Virginia.

Spring 2013

The

perfect match

Tapping into corporate matching gift programs can have lasting impacts

By Andy Bates

aybe the concept of “free money” is a bit paradoxical. But what if there were a way to take $100 and turn it into $200, or even $300, just by asking? What would you say then? Well, as it turns out, thousands of corporations do just that every year. Through matching gift programs, companies enhance their employees’ charitable donations sometimes by as much as 200 percent, and all it takes to tap into that resource is to find out whether your company is one of them. When Daniel Popovich decided to start giving to the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Allied Health Professions shortly after his daughter, Rose Marie Popovich (B.S. ’75/MET; M.P.H. ’95), graduated with a degree in medical technology in 1975, he knew he couldn’t give as much as he’d like. He had a family to support and expenses to manage, but he also knew how much his daughter valued her education here (she would later return to study epidemiology in the School of Medicine) and so he wanted to give what he could. “I was working for Standard Oil of New Jersey — now ExxonMobil — and they told us that for every dollar we

VCU Allied Health

donated, they’d give three times that amount,” Popovich recalls, “and I just thought that would be a great investment. Now, I give about $500 a year and Exxon gives $1,500 on top of that. It’s amazing.” But ExxonMobil certainly isn’t alone in its willingness to match its employees’ donations. In fact, according to Giving USA, 65 percent of Fortune 500 companies, and many other smaller corporations, offer matching gift programs. Some companies like ExxonMobil will triple the gift, while others will double or match dollar for dollar, up to a certain amount — with the most common cap being $5,000. These types of programs, says Clair Isenberg, stewardship coordinator for VCU Advancement Services, provide an ideal way for people who give smaller amounts (either one time or annually) to increase their impact. “Even if you can only give $50 or $100, these companies are going to give out the money one way or the other,” Isenberg says. “So, it can come here, or it can go elsewhere.” It’s Isenberg’s role to ensure that taking advantage of matching gift programs is easy and seamless.

Photo courtesy of Martha Polier Grossman (B.F.A. ’72)

“If you’re curious about whether or not your company offers this, you can always talk to a human resources officer in your company, contact me directly or visit the VCU Foundation website, where we have a search engine that allows you to type in the name of your company, and we’ll tell you whether or not they have a matching gift program,” Isenberg says. “And, if they do, most companies allow you to register the gift online, and then they’ll complete the process with me. Donors can also fill out hard copy applications, and I can guide people through the entire process.” According to Isenberg, VCU has accounts set up at many companies, so registering your gift involves simply stating when you made the gift, that it fits whatever parameters the company may have and, in the case of a university like VCU, whether you’ve directed the funds to a particular program or endeavor. Marie Castore (B.S. ’78/MET) earmarks her donations for the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, and matches through Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, part of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, where she works as worldwide marketing manager. “When I graduated, I always knew I wanted to give back to the school, because it’s through the training I received there that I have a challenging and rewarding career,” Castore says. “But with school loans and other financial obligations, it was difficult to give a lot. Johnson & Johnson touted the matching

did you know? 16,500

More than companies offer some form of a matching gift program for their employees. Some companies also match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses.

One

in every donations are eligible for a corporate match. Source: HEP Development Services

program to us. These programs are an easy, no-cost way to enhance your generosity. You’re already reinforcing your support for an organization by sending them a contribution. So, why wouldn’t you take advantage of a matching gift program to extend your dollars to a cause you believe in?” “When you give like I have over 25 years, it really builds up,” Popovich adds. “It’s nice to take advantage of the fact that companies are willing to work with you to help others.

“These programs are an easy, no-cost way to enhance your generosity. ... So, why wouldn’t you take advantage of a matching gift program to extend your dollars to a cause you believe in?” – Marie C astore, worldwide marketing manager, Ortho Clinic al Diagnostics

In fact, in the last two years, [ExxonMobil] has asked donors to consider putting money into universities that specialize in science and research, so there’s a lot of opportunity.” In 2012, matching gift revenue at VCU totaled $231,336 — less than 0.25 percent of the total gift revenue VCU appropriated. Popovich, meanwhile, has been able to give more than $50,000 in his lifetime through his company’s matching gift program. Given all at once, his contribution would account for roughly 22 percent of the matching gift revenue VCU received this year alone; however, “all at once” simply isn’t manageable for many people who want to give. Of course, any gift makes an impact, but, coupled with corporate resources, a gift can expand and more accurately reflect the generosity of spirit it takes to donate in the first place. Andy Bates is a contributing writer for VCU Allied Health.

Top 10 corporate matchers at VCU: • Altria Group Inc. • KPMG LLP • Dominion Virginia Power • Ernst & Young • Verizon Communications • SunTrust Bank Foundation • Universal Corp. • Eli Lilly & Co.

To learn more about matching gifts, contact Clair Isenberg, stewardship coordinator for VCU Advancement Services, at csisenberg@vcu.edu. Or, visit www.matchinggifts.com/vcu to find out if your company offers a matching gift program.

• Bank of America • Wyeth

Spring 2013

Using iPods to assist workers with

autism By Frances Dumenci

effrey works as a daytime custodian at a fast-food restaurant — and he has autism. On the job, he found it difficult to remember the multiple steps involved in wiping down tables, stocking condiments and cleaning bathrooms. Trying to calm himself, Jeffrey would sometimes spin in place or hum, disturbing customers. At risk of losing his job, he worked with an occupational therapist who provided him with an iPod Touch programmed with reminder alerts and step-by-step checklists created for each of his tasks. Within a week, Jeffrey was successfully performing his job duties with support from the device. A year later, he continues to use his iPod Touch on the job, has increased his hours and is recognized as a reliable employee. His anxiety has lessened, and he no longer exhibits troubling behaviors.

VCU Allied Health

Jeffrey is among 15 percent of U.S. adults with autism spectrum disorder who have some form of paid work. Now, a new study published in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation reports that task management and organizational features on PDAs, like the iPod Touch, help people with ASD function more successfully in the workplace. “People diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder may have difficulties with cognition, behavior and communication. We’re trying to find out whether using an iPod Touch with specific applications can help individuals with autism in the workforce,” says Tony Gentry, Ph.D., OTR/L, principal investigator on the research project and associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Allied Health Professions. He’s been

conducting research in the area of assistive technology for 12 years and is in the fourth year of a five-year research study involving 50 individuals with autism, including Jeffrey. In the randomized study, individuals are given vocational placement and paired with a job coach. One group receives the devices and training within the first month of work; the second group is given the iPods and training after working for three months. Researchers are comparing the need for job coaching support and independence between the two groups. Both groups are tracked for at least six months after job placement. “What we’ve seen so far is that the amount of job coaching and support during the first three months of employment shows a significant difference, with those who have the iPod Touch

Research spotlight

“What we’ve seen so far is that the amount of job coaching and support during the first three months of employment shows a significant difference, with those who have the iPod Touch doing better.” – Tony Gentry, Ph.D., OTR/L, principal investigator on the research project

doing better,” Gentry says. “We don’t know if these results will hold up once all of the subjects have completed the study, but the trend looks promising.” The study, “PDA-Enabled Job Support for People with Autism,” is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research as part of a multiproject grant led by Paul Wehman, Ph.D., at VCU’s Rehabilitation Research and Training Center. The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services collaborates with Gentry and supplies vocational placements, job coaches and iPod Touch devices for the participants. Skilled job

coaches affiliated with DARS are a key component to successful implementation of this technology. The agency is hoping this research will lead to a model that can be expanded throughout the state. “As more young people are diagnosed with autism and face employment challenges, the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services continues to seek new ways to assist them to develop job skills and potentially enter the workforce,” says Jim Rothrock (M.S. ’78/RC), the agency’s commissioner. “DARS is taking ‘lessons learned’ from this and related projects and demonstrating their application for vocational

rehabilitation to help clients turn their dreams of employment into reality.” Gentry, director of VCU’S Assistive Technology for Cognition Laboratory, works hard to keep up with ever-changing technology and the applications available through these new devices. “Technology is changing so fast, and I imagine it will continue to change at a dramatic pace,” Gentry says. “Half of my work is keeping up with what’s new in terms of technology, and how we can use these latest devices to create even better cognitive and behavioral aids.” Frances Dumenci is a contributing writer for VCU Allied Health.

Programming the iPod Touch with specific applications, such as reminder alerts and step-by-step checklists, helps workers with autism perform their job duties with support from the device.

Spring 2013

Experience, inspiration School of Allied Health Professions students, faculty and alumni find their passion in the people and places they see every day

“M

ake it real.” You’ve seen it on buses and TV commercials touting Virginia Commonwealth University as a place where students can make their dreams and goals a reality; where research remains grounded and driven by the impact it can have on real lives and communities; and where living and learning blend seamlessly.

At the School of Allied Health Professions, these concepts have been bedrock since our inception. Whether it’s a student spearheading a counseling program that takes patients with brain injuries into the garden, a faculty member given the freedom to explore their field and their teaching methods with equal voracity or a visionary clergyman recognizing the need for spiritual guidance in concert with medical care, our school provides a diversity of experience that can truly allow anyone to “Make it real.”

“One of the greatest things about VCU is its emphasis to never stop learning. There is progress all around us and VCU provides the perfect environment to branch out and continue to learn in all areas. I enjoy being in the lab and teaching others about laboratory science, and VCU gives me the opportunity to never stop learning in both of these areas by offering education workshops through the Center for Teaching Excellence and many research opportunities available on the medical campus.” – Lisa Perkins (B.S. ’08; M.S. ’08/CLS) Instructor in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and medical laboratory scientist for HCA Richmond

“VCU has prepared me to work on real-world issues throughout my education. I approach every day as a new learning opportunity, regardless if I am a student or employee. I have been very fortunate to work with Dr. Gloria Bazzoli [Bon Secours Professor in the Department of Health Administration], who is an excellent mentor and role model. While working as a research assistant on a number of projects she is involved in, she always includes me as a member of the team to get exposure to real-world issues in data collection and research. These are the types of real-world learning experiences offered at VCU.” – Lynn VanderWielen Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Health Administration

VCU Allied Health

n and action “After graduation, I think what has surprised me the most is that no matter what project I’m working on I’m able to pull in my education. I also love that I can call on my colleagues and former classmates to brainstorm or ask a question, help publicize events or collaborate on projects, and share knowledge of best practices.” – Charlotte Arbogast (M.S. ’12; Cert. ’12/G) 2011 Gerontology Student of the Year and chair of the Virginia Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Commission

“The radiation science field can be a complex profession. There are many specialties, such as nuclear medicine, radiography, radiation therapy, radiologist assistant and ultrasound. Furthermore, these specialties have subspecialties. Therefore, the opportunities can be endless. Clinically, I could choose to work in a hospital or outpatient setting, or pursue a number of other career paths — education, management, sales, application specialists, advanced computer technology and many other options.” – M. Ferell Justice, R.T.(R)(ARRT) Clinical coordinator of radiography and assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Sciences

“I appreciate so many things about being an occupational therapist — the diversity of practice areas, the many opportunities in this expanding market and the main tenets of the profession. The more people that know what a great profession it is, and the more our current students are supported so that they can be successful, the better. It’s a win-win situation for our field.” – Fiona Bessey-Bushnell (M.S.O.T. ’01/OT) Assistive technology specialist for Chesterfield County Public Schools and instructor of assistive technology at VCU

Spring 2013

“VCU has always been close to home. Almost 25 years ago, I was born at MCV. I grew up in Henrico County about 15 minutes north of downtown Richmond. VCU’s commitment to health, science, research and growth sparked my interest at the end of high school, as I began strongly considering a path in the exercise and rehabilitation fields. With an adjacent hospital system and strong research center, VCU had the most potential in my mind, especially for what I wanted to pursue. Once I received my bachelor’s degree, the Department of Physical Therapy was the only program to which I applied. Its rich, 80-year history, accomplished faculty and clinical education opportunities made for an easy decision. Fitting how I find myself here again 25 years after my birth, studying for my Doctor of Physical Therapy, and almost ready to embark on a new chapter of my life.” – Stephen Vesely Physical therapy student and intern with Fredericksburg-based physical therapist Aaron Rathgeb (D.P.T. ’98/PT)

“I’m amazed sometimes at the generosity of my colleagues. We are all pulled in so many important directions these days, but when it comes to promoting successful aging there is just so much passion. It’s gratifying to see so many consummate professionals stepping up to pursue the good work that we’ve all dedicated ourselves to do.” – Connie Coogle, Ph.D. Associate director of research at the Virginia Center on Aging in the School of Allied Health Professions and director of evaluation in VCoA’s Virginia Geriatric Education Center, a consortium of VCU, the University of Virginia and Eastern Virginia Medical School

“The harsh environment and poor circumstances that surrounded me while growing up in rural Mississippi motivated me to go to college. I was not willing to accept the fact that the rest of my life would be limited to only those things around me. I had heard that ‘education was the key,’ so I was determined to gain access to a world of opportunity.” – Faresha Sims (M.S.N.A. ’12/NA; D.N.A.P. ’12/NA) Former student teaching assistant in the Department of Nurse Anesthesia and selected panelist for the Virginia Network of Women in Higher Education

VCU Allied Health

Photo courtesy of Joanne Fallon

“I really love the American ‘can do’ attitude. You truly have a great attitude to life and to education. In addition, I have found the support of the course lecturers, administration staff, not to mention my cohort, really incredible. People are quick to highlight what you do well and share your successes with you. Doing a Ph.D. is tough, but having such a good support network really makes it so much easier, even if I am 3,000 miles away for most of the year” – Joanne Fallon Member of the 2011 cohort in the interdisciplinary, distance-based Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences program, and a native and resident of Ireland

“Being in a hospital is a time of great crisis for people and their families, and sometimes their spiritual needs can get lost in their medical care. So that became our niche — to be loyal and faithful and deeply committed to delivering pastoral care to those individuals, many of whom were terminally ill, and their loved ones. MCV Hospitals grew and developed a program to help train dedicated people to do this effectively and with care and compassion, and I was pleased to be a part of that growth. Now, every hospital in Richmond has a chaplain, and in many instances, several.” – The Rev. Dr. A. Patrick L. Prest Jr. Founding director of the Department of Patient Counseling

“When you talk about a dream job — this is it for me. I’ve always wanted to use gardening as a way to counsel, and that’s horticulture therapy. Horticulture is the number one hobby in the world, because it does everything. You’re outside, you bond with nature, you exercise. I believe gardening can help people with brain injuries have an outward focus and a positive outlook on life. These folks, they get outside of themselves and they think, ‘Oh, I’ve got crops to go pick today. I’ve got tomatoes,’ and it becomes something they do not only for themselves, but for others. Ultimately, their new garden is now a destination, a fun hobby and a great source of pride. – Rebecca Smith (M.S. ’12/RC) Former intern at Virginia Supportive Housing, where, as a rehabilitation counseling student, she spearheaded a horticultural therapy program for residents who had experienced brain trauma

Spring 2013

Stories that bring us together E

very scholarship tells a story. Some commemorate the spirit and memory of a loved one. Others stem from passion for an industry. Once a year, the MCV Campus Endowed Scholarship Brunch gathers these stories together — along with the lives they touch — under one roof. “It’s a full room,” says Dana Sharp, D.N.A.P. (M.S.N.A. ’08/ NA; D.N.A.P. ’09/NA), a student in Virginia Commonwealth University’s Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences program. Now in its seventh year, the brunch joins scholarship recipients with benefactors, as well as school officials, faculty members, deans and representatives of the MCV Foundation. “It’s inspiring to see all of the faces and to consider the stories behind various contributions, then to consider all the good things they’ve done.” Sharp attended her third brunch in 2012, alongside her friend, Kelly Elmhorst-Lanning, D.N.A.P. (M.S.N.A. ’08/ NA; D.N.A.P. ’10/NA), who established the Robert “Bob” Lanning Nurse Anesthesia Scholarship in honor of her late husband. She was a classmate of Kelly’s and a friend to the couple, so she says she feels inspired to honor Lanning’s memory by donating to the scholarship, which she feels also contributes to a worthy program.

Annual brunch joins scholarship recipients with benefactors By Drew Vass

John C. Doswell II, D.D.S. (D.D.S. ’79/D), rector of the VCU Board of Visitors and chair of the MCV Foundation, knows these stories well. Once a year, he receives anywhere from 40 to 60 letters — often handwritten — from scholarship recipients, recounting how their lives are impacted. He says the brunch brings these letters to life. “It allows each story to be told,” Doswell says. “It’s an opportunity to interact and to be able to express mutual emotions regarding what the scholarship means to everyone involved. That feeling is something that lasts a lifetime.”

A spirit of perpetuation

Endowments established in the memory of a loved one often are designed for recipients who exhibit similar characteristics. Mary Shall, PT, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, recalls a time when she witnessed a character-based scholarship emerge from the tragedies of Sept. 11, 2001. “On the day that these things were happening, students were glued to the television,” she says. “Ann Marie was watching to see if she could determine where on the Pentagon the plane had hit.” Ann Marie Santillo (M.S. ’02/PT) was a student in the Department of Physical Therapy. Her Once a year, John C. Doswell II, D.D.S., receives anywhere from 40 to 60 mother, Marjorie Champion Salamone, worked letters — often handwritten — from scholarship recipients, recounting in the Pentagon and lost her life to the tragedy. how their lives are impacted. He says the brunch brings these letters to life. “Students gathered together, attended the funeral in Arlington National Cemetery, “I think that students are touched by the experience of and donated the money for the scholarship in honor of her meeting the folks behind their various scholarships, but I mother,” Shall says of the Marjorie Champion Salamone think it goes both ways,” Sharp says. “I think the people who Award. “They were very supportive of their classmate, and donate money to these scholarships get to see the students that was a wonderful thing to see.” who receive the scholarship they contribute to and it allows The award is presented annually to a graduating physical them to see how it impacts the life of that individual.” therapy student who best exemplifies the values Marjorie

VCU Allied Health

Opportunity VCU

A source of community In addition to allowing student recipients to meet the source of their scholarships, the annual brunch creates a sense of community among benefactors. Once a year, David Howard travels from his home in Central Virginia to Richmond for the event, where he looks forward to meeting the recipient of the Marjorie P. Howard Scholarship in Rehabilitation Counseling, an endowment he established in 2000 to honor his late wife; but he also enjoys the relationships the event establishes and perpetuates.

Photo courtesy of CSI Studios

represented: love for your profession, caring, compassion, concern for fellow man and willingness to give of their time and talents in a means that benefits society. Each year, class members vote for who they see as the best match. “The individuals who receive this award, they’ve always been the type that step up immediately when anyone needs something,” Shall says. “Students understand the importance of this and they always select people who are supportive.” The award’s current recipient, Andrew Cannada, a thirdyear student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, says he’s inspired by Salamone’s story. “I’m humbled when I read about her life and her incredible influence on everyone who knew her,” Cannada says. Stephen Vessely, president of the second-year Master of Science in Physical Therapy class, says his class made the right selection. “Andrew is one of the most consistent individuals I know when it comes to character, compassion, his love for physical therapy and also for those around him,” he says.

Attendees gather at the 2012 MCV Campus Endowed Scholarship Brunch. Standing, from left, are Connie Wooldridge, Kelly Elmhorst-Lanning, D.N.A.P. (M.S.N.A. ’08/NA; D.N.A.P. ’10/NA), Dana Sharp, D.N.A.P. (M.S.N.A. ’08/NA; D.N.A.P. ’09/NA), and assistant professor of nurse anesthesia, Elizabeth Howell. Seated, from left, are Walter Wooldridge and Daniel Frasca.

Photo courtesy of CSI Studios

“Margie was employed by the state of Virginia for approximately 25 years, including at the Central Virginia Training Center, where she worked to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities,” Howard says of his wife. She was a student in VCU’s Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling program — a program that Howard says most often includes students who juggle their studies with jobs, family and other responsibilities. Recognizing how every penny counts, he says he felt compelled to honor his wife by establishing a scholarship. Marjorie’s co-workers helped fund the endowment in her memory. “I just felt compelled to share what my experiences had been and to explain why I felt the desire to perpetuate for the individuals who can use a little extra support,” he says, recalling a past brunch when he had the opportunity to talk with the father of a recipient from the School of David Howard (fourth from left) and his wife, Becky, present an impromptu donation to the MCV Foundation. Also pictured, from left to right, are VCU President Michael Rao, Ph.D., Cecil Drain, Ph.D., dean of the School of Allied Health Professions, (the Howards), John C. Doswell II, D.D.S. (D.D.S. ’79/D), rector of the VCU Board of Visitors and chair of the MCV Foundation, and William P. Kotti, president of the MCV Foundation.

Spring 2013

Photo courtesy of CSI Studios

Left: Peter Long-Innes, a second-year student in the Master of Health Administration program, speaks at the 2012 brunch. Above: Long-Innes joins Cecil Drain, Ph.D. (center), dean of the School of Allied Health Professions, and William P. Kotti, president of the MCV Foundation, at the event.

Dentistry. “By the end of the event, he said he couldn’t agree more and that he was going to start a scholarship program in dentistry in honor of a family member.”

Stories of commitment Though every student recipient is aware of the source of their scholarships, the annual brunch establishes a firm and tangible link, which often leads to a deeper feeling of commitment. “Shaking someone’s hand adds accountability,” says Peter Long-Innes, a second-year Master of Health Administration student. “This event personalizes awards and scholarships, rather than just hearing part of the back story and having a statement appear on your student account.”

Long-Innes’ scholarship tells a different story — one that’s based on passion for an industry. After working in an HCA hospital in Nashville, Tenn., during the summers of his undergraduate years, he landed a job with one of HCA’s sister locations in Reston, Va. In the process, Long-Innes says he was “bitten by the health administration bug,” which he quickly determined as a career path. HCA selected him as one of several recipients for the HCA Scholarship for Emerging Health Care Leaders. “This scholarship is absolutely critical in terms of allowing me to be in graduate school,” Long-Innes says. “It’s allowing me to chase my passion, and it’s great to know that I’ve got support from an organization like HCA.”

Make a difference

You, too, can make a difference in the lives of students and contribute to the betterment of a profession by establishing or donating to an endowment. Gifts can be designated in support of a specific scholarship, a school or department, to the Opportunity VCU fund (a universitywide scholarship fund) at allied health online: www.support.vcu.edu/give/AlliedHealth. To show your support, contact Jessica F. Gurganus, assistant dean for development and external relations, VCU School of Allied Health Professions, at (804) 828-3269 or jfgurganus@vcu.edu.

VCU Allied Health

Opportunity VCU

Long-Innes, who served as a speaker at the 2012 brunch, already had an opportunity to meet a few of the faces behind the HCA scholarship prior to the event. “I was able to speak with them very candidly about how much it means to me,” he says. “And I think it’s equally as important to each donor. Whether they’re the ones directly responsible for the scholarship or not, I think they appreciate being able to meet the person they’re helping to support and to hear about how the scholarship is helping.” In his speech, Long-Innes shared insights into why he chose health administration, how he’s dedicating his life’s efforts to the field and how the scholarship is making his goals a reality. Howard suggests that while scholarships like the one he established in his wife’s memory do honor individuals, they also make an increasing impact on individual professions. Every scholarship is backed by an endowment — a donation that’s made by one or more benefactors and invested to generate the funds that go to student recipients. In a typical economic climate, those funds will often grow, eventually leading to additional or larger scholarships. “This scholarship gives me the ability to encourage students to pursue their career goals in the area of rehab counseling,” Howard says. “And this system of giving helps the university to promote more and more individuals who are best qualified and most dedicated to allied health services, year after year.” Unfortunately, in a down economy, this system can also work in reverse. For this reason, at the 2012 brunch, Howard felt compelled to make an additional donation to help reverse the effects of a recession. “I felt it was a good time to do it,” he says. “I wanted to help repair that damage.” Sharp agrees that scholarships also contribute to a profession and she points out that student recipients help to magnify this effect. “When you think about it, you realize that this system of giving builds upon itself,” she says. “Each of these [scholarship recipients] goes out and joins a related field of health care, then often gives back in the same way and to the same profession.” Doswell says he’s witnessed this through the letters he receives. “It becomes contagious,” he says. “Recipients write about how scholarships helped them to reach their career goals and, as a result, how they’re now able to give back to their communities and to the school, and how they’re able to become role models.” In this way, the story of scholarships is one that grows, builds communities and writes itself time and time again. Drew Vass is a contributing writer for VCU Allied Health.

The VCU community gives back to students Each year, VCU alumni, faculty and friends choose to make a lasting mark on the lives of current and future students, by creating or contributing to scholarships. Following are a few of the latest. Dr. Thomas Corey Davis Scholarship in Nurse Anesthesia Thomas “Corey” Davis, Ph.D., assistant professor and director of clinical education, in the Department of Nurse Anesthesia, remembers what it was like to juggle studies with life’s other responsibilities. “For 1997, which was my senior year in the [Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia] program, my Social Security report shows zero income. I didn’t earn a single penny,” Davis says. He did, however, receive the Thomas C. Barker Professionalism Award, which he says helped his situation immensely. In 2012, he created an endowment through the MCV Foundation to establish the Dr. Thomas Corey Davis Scholarship in Nurse Anesthesia. The fund will help support the department’s practice of employing teaching assistants who are also enrolled in the M.S.N.A. program. “Since our department has traditionally employed teaching assistants, by giving my endowment to support a portion of it, I’m giving back to both students and the department,” Davis says.

Kenneth R. White Scholarship Every class of VCU’s Master of Health Administration program performs a fundraiser. The Class of 2013 decided it would band together to honor Kenneth White, Ph.D., a faculty member who made his mark. “A very special connection existed between Dr. White and this particular class,” says Beth Ayers, director of external relations for the Department of Health Administration. “Not every class attempts to endow a scholarship. That alone tells you how special this connection is.” The resulting Kenneth R. White Scholarship is awarded annually to a second-year M.H.A. student who demonstrates an interest, commitment and experience in high-quality patient care, along with academic excellence and leadership. White has dedicated nearly four decades of his life to patient care and health care delivery.

Spring 2013

In person with Courtney Hott

Something good can come from blowing out your knee and tearing your ACL — just ask Courtney Hott (B.S. ’12), a former middle blocker for the Rams volleyball team who is pursuing her D.P.T. as a student in VCU’s top-ranked physical therapy program. In undergoing her latest round of therapy, Hott says the clinic where she’s spending her extra time serves as a secondary classroom. VCU Allied Health sat down with Hott to ask how she’s managing the transition from student-athlete to graduate student. You played volleyball at VCU for all four years as an undergraduate student. What’s life like after being a student-athlete?

Well, we finished in fall 2011; that was our regular season, so I had nothing to do all spring. Honestly, I needed a break. It was nice to chill after four years of doing nothing but strength and conditioning every day. I joined a rec league at Richmond Volleyball Club, and in May, I blew out my knee — I tore my ACL and meniscus. I’ve done it before; I tore my other ACL in high school. So now I’m a physical therapy student in physical therapy. Does that make classes any easier on you?

Oh, not at all. Physical therapy is very physical, as you might imagine. We have to get people out of bed who are dependent — people who have had strokes, or amputees, and it’s very hard when I can’t squat to use good body mechanics. So for now, I have about five months until I can get back to where I was. Do you find that you’re more or less busy than you were as a student-athlete?

Less busy just because I’m not on the go as much anymore. With the team, we traveled every weekend so I had to miss a bunch of class, so to be able to go to all my classes is awesome. I developed a lot of time-management skills as a studentathlete. If you had a test, you had to sit there and study on the bus because you can’t waste time. It was a big commitment.

VCU Allied Health

In person

Dean and athletic director value the drive of student-athletes

“

I developed a lot of time-management skills as a student-athlete. If you had a test, you had to sit there and study on the bus because you can’t waste time. It was a big commitment.

”

Now, we have a few days a week where we have class from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There’s a few days a week where we have labs so we dress in workout clothes and learn how to take people out of bed or get blood pressure, measure ranges of motion. Those are the fun classes; I always prefer that to taking notes. After class, two days a week I go straight to physical therapy. That’s actually been nice because I can learn about it in school and then I can go bounce ideas off of someone who’s practicing. So that helps you learn, like you are shadowing?

I really like it. When I went through my first physical therapy for my right knee [in high school], and before that, I didn’t want to be a physical therapist. But that’s kind of what got me into it, because my physical therapist was exactly what I needed at that point. It changed how I viewed athletics, and I could never take playing time for granted after [the injury]. I missed my senior year in high school and I wanted to help people going through what I went through at that point. Now I’m learning some of the techniques that she’s using, but I’m only a first-year student. It’s really cool to be there and ask, “What are you doing?” “How does this help?” “What’s different with this type of exercise?” It sounds like there’s a definite correlation between athletics and your degree.

I’m not sure if people are aware of the politics of getting injured in college athletics. I’ve had a couple of teammates who have had ACL injuries — it’s a pretty common injury. And sometimes the player is afraid to play and sometimes the player just wants to get on the court immediately. And where does the athletic trainer fit in there? It’s this pull on whether they’re going to play and what kind of brace they have — it’s just interesting. I feel like I could help modulate that and try to see that everyone gets what they want in the end. Interview conducted by Matt Sutherland, a contributing writer for VCU Allied Health.

Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., dean of the VCU School of Allied Health Professions, understands what it takes to be a successful student-athlete. As a member of the Des Moines Roosevelt High School swim team that earned two state championships and hosted seven All-American athletes, Drain says his daily routine required immense discipline. “I arrived at the pool at 5 a.m. and swam until 7:30 a.m., when I went to classes,” he says. “Then, when classes let out at 3 p.m., I swam again until 7 p.m.” And while his high school held national championships in nearly every sport, Drain says its spirit of accomplishment also applied to academics. Among his graduating class, 98 percent attended college. “In addition to learning how to participate in a team environment, student-athletes also develop an awareness that allows them to become their personal best,” he says. Ed McLaughlin, VCU’s director of athletics, concurs and says the School of Allied Health Professions and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics share a common goal: turning out tomorrow’s leaders. “The skills that our student-athletes learn are transferable to real life,” he says. “If you’re a successful athlete at a Division I-level, you’re driven. You know how to set and reach goals.” At the heart of VCU’s mission as a premier research university, McLaughlin says VCU’s Intercollegiate Athletic Council plays a vital role in strengthening the connection between student-athletes and the university’s mission. The IAC’s 16 members meet quarterly. Among them is Jessica F. Gurganus, assistant dean for development and external relations in the School of Allied Health Professions, whom Drain recommended for the council. A former collegiate scholarship athlete, NCAA participant and member of the board of trustees for the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, Gurganus, McLaughlin says, understands the student-athlete perspective. “It’s important that someone who doesn’t have a vested interest in our athletic programs be able to speak to what our student-athletes go through,” he says. “That’s a critical perspective for the IAC to have.”

Spring 2013

News

The latest highlights on scholarships, awards and research news from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Allied Health Professions

Widely used nursing book now bears Dean Drain’s name The sixth edition of a book on post-anesthesia care first published in 1978 by Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., CRNA, FAAN, FASAHP, professor and dean of the VCU School of Allied Health Professions, now bears his name as “Drain’s Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach.” The most recent edition, which earned book of the year honors from the American Journal of Nursing, includes seven chapters by Drain, as well as many other chapters by VCU faculty, Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D. and was compiled by Jan Odom-Forren, R.N., Ph.D., FAAN. The book’s publisher, Elsevier Publishing Co., the largest publishing company of medical books and journals, has given this naming distinction to only three other authors of nursing books. Drain’s work began more than 20 years ago when perianesthesia nursing was known as “Recovery Room nursing” and focused on care of the post-anesthesia patient. His work continues to have an impact on critical nursing knowledge for perianesthesia nurses at the bedside.

PT, OT receive community engagement grants VCU’s Council for Community Engagement awarded oneyear grants of up to $20,000 to seven university-community programs, including those in the departments of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. The grants support interdisciplinary projects to enhance and increase university engagement with the Greater Richmond community and will contribute to the research and teaching of VCU units. The Department of Occupational Therapy, the School of Education and the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU are working with the Children’s Museum of Richmond for “CMoR Learning: Developing Interdisciplinary Partnerships for an Inclusive Learning Community.” Partnering faculty and students will work with CMoR staff in assessing and adapting the physical and learning environment of the museum, developing collaborative training to support the engagement of young children with disabilities and their families, and marketing to the community. In a partnership with the Urban and Regional Planning program, the Office of Sustainability, and the city of Richmond’s Pedestrian, Bicycle and Trails program, the Department of Physical Therapy is working as part of the project “VCU –

VCU Allied Health

Richmond Collaborative Bicyclists Education: A Comparison of Formal Course and Independent Training.” Focused on increasing bicycling usage at VCU and in Richmond, VCU bicycling and transportation experts will team with the city’s Pedestrian, Bicycle and Trails coordinator to develop a multimode bicyclist education program.

Patient counseling names Davis as new Lantz Chair Russell H. Davis, Ph.D., joined the Department of Patient Counseling July 1, 2012, as the Rev. Robert B. Lantz Chair, succeeding D. Mark Cooper, D. Min., who retired. Davis was recognized for his professional productivity and his Russell H. Davis, Ph.D. ability to balance teaching, service and scholarship as well as his history of demonstrated leadership. Most importantly, he meets the criteria of the donor, ensuring that the position is held by a nationally recognized individual credentialed to continue the clinical training of chaplains.

News

Davis was most recently chair of clinical pastoral education at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, Va. He is the former executive director of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education and former faculty at the University of Virginia and the Union Theological Seminary in New York.

and reduce the number of repeat radiographs. This practical text also includes important relationship, mathematical application and patient protection alert features throughout to provide helpful information every step of the way.

Association recognizes Reid as ‘outstanding’ educator

VCU researchers in the Department of Physical Therapy and the Center for Clinical and Translational Research have embarked on a four-year, $5.2 million Phase III clinical trial aimed at determining the effectiveness of teaching a new and diverse set of pain-coping skills to patients following knee replacement surgery. Led by Daniel Riddle, Ph.D., the Otto D. Payton Professor in Physical Therapy, and funded through the NIH’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, the study will determine whether the regimen is more beneficial than general arthritis information and standard rehabilitation care, and will examine the cost-effectiveness of delivering that service to patients. VCU will serve as the lead investigator in the multiinstitutional project, with Southern Illinois University, Duke University and Indiana University also participating.

Christine Reid, Ph.D., C.R.C., C.L.C.P., professor in the rehabilitation counseling department, received the Outstanding Life Care Planning Educator award from the Association of Rehabilitation Professionals. The award recognizes Christine Reid, Ph.D., C.R.C., C.L.C.P. significant contributions to life care planning education and dissemination of knowledge through teaching classes, presenting for conferences and publishing scholarly works.

Duncan, Sims represent school at conference Angela Duncan, Ph.D. (M.S. ’04/PC; Ph.D. ’11/HRS; Cert. ’11/RC), and Faresha Sims, S.R.N.A., of the Department of Nurse Anesthesia, were chosen to represent the School of Allied Health Professions at the Virginia Network for Women in Higher Education Women of Color Conference. Held in June 2012, and hosted by The Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, Duncan and Sims were each endorsed by Cecil B. Drain, Ph.D., CRNA, FAAN, FASAHP, professor and dean of the School of Allied Health Professions, after selection by the conference committee members. Duncan participated on the panel of experts in the program “Stepping IN: Opportunities and Challenges of Interim Positions,” and discussed how serving in the interim capacity presents many unique challenges and rewards. Sims served on the panel titled “The Mind of the Marathon: Empowering Graduate Students to Succeed,” and described that much like running a marathon, the process of completing graduate school is one that requires endurance and strength to complete the race.

Riddle leads $5.2 million Phase III clinical trial

Radiation sciences professor publishes textbook Terri L. Fauber, Ed.D., R.T.(R)(M), associate professor and director of the radiography program in the Department of Radiation Sciences, published the fourth edition of “Radiographic Imaging and Exposure.” The textbook provides comprehensive coverage of both digital radiography and conventional film-screen radiography, and helps students master the fundamental principles of imaging, produce clear images

The $5.2 million, multiyear grant requires a multifaceted team consisting of clinical research specialists and coordinators, physical therapists, nurses and physicians. Pictured, from left, are Carissa Strane, D.P.T., Kimberly Bradley, EMT, CCRP, Sarah McAllister, D.P.T., Lou Usry, R.N., Elizabeth Ripley, M.D., Dan Riddle, PT, Ph.D., F.A.P.T.A, Meagan Miller, B.S., and William Nay, Ph.D.

Spring 2013

News

Gerontology, city honor local centenarians

Photo courtesy of Joe Gendron

Students, faculty and staff from the Department of Gerontology collaborated with the city of Richmond’s Office of Aging and Persons with Disabilities to honor local centenarians — people living in the Richmond area who are 100 years old or greater. Twenty-three centenarians participated in the mayor’s inaugural celebration, held at the Virginia Historical Society in September 2012, after being interviewed by VCU students and staff. Those in attendance included Mayor Dwight Jones; James Rothrock (M.S. ’78/RC), commissioner of the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services; and Gloria Lawlah, secretary of the Maryland Department of Aging. The project personifies the Department of Gerontology’s mission of improving eldercare through education as well as its position of supporting initiatives that promote optimal aging, community engagement and the professional identity development of students through university-community partnerships.

Honoree centenarian Katherine Tolton (center) joins gerontology department and city leaders for the event, including (from left) Tracey Gendron, assistant professor, VCU Department of Gerontology; Carol Stanford, Tolton’s daughter-in-law; Thelma Watson, CEO of Senior Connections, Capital Area Agency on Aging; daughter Cindy Greer; son Peter Tolton; and E. Ayn Welleford, Ph.D., chair, VCU Department of Gerontology.

Gerontology course receives top 20 recognition Assisted Living Today, a provider of free senior care news and information, placed the VCU Department of Gerontology’s Psychology of Aging course on its list of the Top 20 College Courses for Geriatrics and Senior Care. Based on metrics that include U.S. News & World Report rankings as well as qualitative and quantitative surveys from industry professionals, Assisted Living Today praised the course’s instruction of “research methods related to optimal aging, psychological adjustment in late life, development of personality, cognitive function and emotional aspects of the aging process.”

VCU Allied Health

Ph.D. program welcomes Kupstas as its new director Paula K. Kupstas, Ph.D., was appointed director of the Ph.D. program in health related sciences. She joined VCU in 1996 as a staff member at the Virginia Center on Aging and served as adjunct faculty Paula K. Kupstas, Ph.D. in the VCU Department of Health Administration for more than 10 years. Kupstas obtained her Ph.D. in Health Economics from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Tech.

Physical therapy department names Shall chair Mary Snyder Shall, PT, Ph.D. (Ph.D. ’91/M), was named chair of the VCU Department of Physical Therapy this past fall. Shall, who joined the department in 1987, teaches functional neuroanatomy in the PT program and holds an affiliate appointment in the VCU School of Medicine’s Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology. Her primary research interests lie in the areas of mechanical parameters and behavior of motor units used for fine motor control, the role of the vestibular system input on the development of skeletal muscle fiber types, and the importance of integrative health to the quality of life among patients undergoing treatment for cancer. Mary received her Ph.D. in Anatomy and Neurobiology from the VCU School of Medicine, her M.S. in Physical Therapy from Duke University and a B.S. from Creighton University.

Academy selects professor for national nursing honor Kenneth White, Ph.D., Sentara Professor in the Department of Health Administration and professor in the School of Nursing, was one of 176 nurse leaders from across the nation inducted as fellows during the American Kenneth White, Ph.D. Academy of Nursing’s 39th annual meeting and conference held Oct. 13, 2012. Composed of the nation’s top nurse researchers, policymakers, scholars, executives, educators and practitioners, the 2012 cohort is the largest class of inductees yet. White is one of more than 1,800 nurse leaders in education, management, practice, policy and research nationwide that have earned the Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing

News

Photo courtesy of the Department of Nurse Anesthesia

distinction based on their contributions to nursing and health Stay connected with the School of Allied Health care. White’s experience includes Professions, its faculty, staff, alumni and friends, serving as a senior executive in marketing, operations and interby joining us on Facebook and LinkedIn! national health care consulting at Mercy Health Services and as the associate director of the M.H.A. and M.S.H.A. programs, and later as the director for International Cooperation” was signed with Jiao Tong of the M.H.A. program at VCU. He also served as the first University and discussions are now under way to formalize an Charles P. Cardwell, Jr., Professor of Health Administration, “Agreement of Cooperation” to develop academic exchange from 2006-09. and cooperation with VCU in teaching and research. In addition to his health care and teaching accolades, “Traditional Chinese medicine dates back nearly 5,000 White is a noted author and received the James A. Hamilton years and includes techniques for pain management that can Book of the Year Award from the American College of inform our scholarship,” Fallacaro says. “Academic instituHealthcare Executives for his book (with John Griffith), tions, their faculty and the students served are all made richer “Reaching Excellence in Healthcare Management.” He is also with the free exchange of ideas across cultures.” presently an acute care nurse practitioner student at the Fallacaro has met with leaders in the Chinese Ministry University of Virginia. of Health regarding the standards of practice for anesthesia nurses in China. He envisions future distance-learning colNew nurse anesthesia fund highlights diversity laborations between his department and Jiao Tong University. Earlier this year, Hu Jaile (Gary), a Jiao Tong University Suzanne Wright, Ph.D., CRNA, assistant professor, direcfaculty member and anesthesia nurse from the Ninth People’s tor of doctoral education and director of the Center for Hospital, visited the VCU Department of Nurse Anesthesia Research in Human Simulation in the Department of and the VCU Medical Center. While in Richmond, he Nurse Anesthesia, established the Dr. Suzanne M. Wright observed anesthesia education and practice and presented lecDiversity Fund in 2011. tures to nurse anesthesia students describing anesthesia care “Many times over, the generosity of others has contribin his country. In his concluding remarks, he cited the words uted to my well-being,” she says. “I simply want to keep that ball rolling.” of Thomas Jefferson that he saw on a visit to Monticello: “The Wright created the endowment to help the department in international exchange of useful knowledge among intellecactivities such as workforce development, mentoring minority tual peers was a hallmark of the Enlightenment.” students and international student exchange, and to advance diversity in the Department of Nurse Anesthesia. “I feel the establishment of a diversity fund may create at least some small opportunity for someone to succeed; an opportunity that may not have otherwise existed,” Wright says. “I hope the fund will provide resources to allow for mentorship of diverse groups of future health care workers who will one day be challenged with meeting the needs of our ever-growing and constantly changing patient population.”

Nurse anesthesia begins international exchange

The Department of Nurse Anesthesia has embarked on an international cooperation with the Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital and the Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China. Department Chair Michael D. Fallacaro, D.N.S., CRNA, and department faculty members Chuck Biddle, Ph.D., CRNA, and Suzanne Wright, Ph.D., CRNA, have traveled to China as visiting professors giving lectures in Beijing, Taiyuan and Shanghai. In 2011, a “Letter of Intent

Michael D. Fallacaro, CRNA, DNS, and Hu Jaile, visit the VCU Department of Nurse Anesthesia’s Center for Research in Human Simulation.

Spring 2013

News

OT professor uses expertise to benefit TBI community “Community-based research is important because it involves collaboration between the academic institution and the community to conduct research that is beneficial to both,” says Kelli Williams Gary, Kelli Williams Gary, Ph.D. Ph.D. (Ph.D. ’08/HRS), assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy. Gary is passionate about her research and service to individuals with traumatic brain injury. She is involved in a research project that enhances the skills of students and junior faculty interested in research for racial and ethnic minorities with disabilities. In addition, Gary is working on a grant to develop an intervention that will improve community participation and productivity for individuals with TBI living in low-income communities. Gary has authored journal articles on racial and ethnic minorities with TBI. She also has served as vice chair of the Virginia Brain Injury Council for three years. Currently, she co-facilitates a brain injury support group for the Brain Injury Association of Virginia. – Courtesy of CCTR reSearchlight Newsletter

Rehab counseling’s Wagner co-authors book Christopher C. Wagner, Ph.D., L.C.P., associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling, co-wrote “Motivational Interviewing in Groups,” a new title published in December by Guilford Press. A unique clinical resource, the 402-page book illustrates how to infuse the

methods and spirit of motivational interviewing into groupbased interventions. Wagner, along with co-author Karen S. Ingersoll, demonstrates how the four processes of motivational interviewing with individuals translate into group contexts. They explain both the challenges and the unique benefits of motivational interviewing in groups, guiding practitioners to build the skills they need to lead psychoeducational, psychotherapeutic and support groups successfully. Chapters by contributing authors present innovative group applications targeting specific problems, including substance use disorders, dual diagnosis, chronic health conditions, weight management, adolescent risk behaviors, intimate partner violence and sexual offending. The book is part of the Applications of Motivational Interviewing Series, edited by Stephen Rollnick and William R. Miller.

Health administration earns high ACHE honor The Department of Health Administration received the American College of Healthcare Executives’ 2012 Higher Education Network Award. The department was recognized for its graduate program, which had the greatest percentage of graduates who became a member or fellow after a one-year period.

Anesthesia providers train at NAFA conference The Department of Nurse Anesthesia faculty held the VCU Nurse Anesthesiology Faculty Associates’ 36th Annual Anesthesia Conference in Williamsburg, Va., Nov. 5-8, 2012. David Marx, J.D., renowned author and president of Outcomengenuity, served as keynote speaker at the conference, which provided 23 continuing education credits for attendance at all main conference sessions.

Mark your

Calling all

Rams!

Alumni Month 2013

Alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students — April is a month for reconnecting on campus. Join in on a full lineup of activities and gather with your fellow Rams. Get out your calendar and visit www.vcualumni.org for complete details.

Calendar!

April 20 “Highways to Healing,” a daylong event celebrating 55 years of clinical pastoral education and 70 years of pastoral care. For details or to register, contact Brenda Brown at (804) 828-0540 or brownbl@vcu.edu.

Intercultural festivals • Sporting events • Reunions • Lectures • Awards and recognition • Musical performances

Class notes Keep in touch! Let us know about your accomplishments by emailing your news to classnotes@vcu.edu or submitting them online at www.sahp.vcu.edu/alumni. Or, mail your news to Virginia Commonwealth University, MCV Alumni Association of VCU, P.O. Box 980156, Richmond, VA 23298-0156.

1960s Rev. Robert B. Lantz (Cert. ’64/PC) was posthumously celebrated in the biography “Rev. Robert B. Lantz – A Transformational Life,” by Michael J. Kurtz, Ph.D. The Rev. Lantz, who died in 2008, bequeathed $1 million to VCU’s patient counseling program. J. David Smith, Ed.D. (B.S. ’67; M.S. ’73/RC), attended a presentation and book signing at the VCU School of Education in November for “Good Blood, Bad Blood: Science, Nature, and the Myth of the Kallikaks,” a book he co-authored with Michael L. Wehmeyer. A professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Smith’s experience includes work as a licensed professional counselor, professor, department chair, dean and provost. Author of nearly 100 articles and 14 books, he is a regular contributor to scholarly and professional journals on special education, human services and public policy.

1970s David Bernd (M.H.A. ’73/HA), CEO of Sentara Health System, was named No. 96 in Modern Healthcare magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare for 2012. Richard Bracken (M.H.A. ’77/HA), chairman and CEO of Hospital Corporation of America, was ranked No. 74 in Modern Healthcare magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare for 2012. George Dawson (M.H.A. ’75/HA) retired from his position as president/CEO of Centra Health in Lynchburg, Va. Art Layne (B.S. ’72; M.H.A. ’76/HA) served as executive-in-residence at the Department of Health Administration Jan. 23-27, 2012. During his tenure, he gave a presentation to faculty, staff and students titled “Data: What Physicians Don’t Know Can Hurt Them.” Layne is president of Intellimed International Corp., a health care-specific, decision-support software provider focused on business development, strategic planning, marketing, physician relations and recruitment. J. Daniel Miller (M.H.A. ’78/HA) retired from his position as division president for HCA in Florida. James Rothrock (M.S. ’78/RC), commissioner at the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services, announced the merger of his department with the Virginia Department for the Aging,

forming the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services. Students, alumni and community partners from the VCU Department of Gerontology were in attendance for the October networking event.

1980s Victoria “Vickie” Crenshaw, Ph.D. (M.S. ’81/G; Ph.D. ’93), was selected as vice president of programs and services with the Alzheimer’s Association National Capital Area Chapter. Crenshaw will lead the chapter’s initiatives to provide information, service and support to the 80,000 people with Alzheimer’s disease and their 250,000 family caregivers in Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and suburban and southern Maryland. Mark Hudson, FACHE (M.H.A. ’83/HA), received the Exemplary Service Award from the American College of Healthcare Executives. Hudson is the first affiliate of the organization in North Carolina to receive the award. Cathy Saunders (B.S.W. ’76; M.S. ’82/G) was named Realtor of the Year for 2012 by the Richmond Association of Realtors. Saunders, a former gerontologist who worked with policy issues around aging, was honored for her service with local, state and national associations, civic involvement and business accomplishments. She is the only individual in the association’s history who has received the group’s Rookie of the Year, Sales Associate of the Year, Realtor of the Year and Civic Leader of the Year awards. Saunders serves as chair of the Dean’s Advisory Board in the School of Allied Health Professions. Marilyn Tavenner (B.S. ’83; M.H.A. ’89/HA) was appointed COO and acting administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In October she served as one of the keynote speakers at the 2012 American Academy of Nursing’s 39th Annual Meeting and Conference in Washington, D.C. Tavenner also was named one of Modern Healthcare magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare for 2012, ranking No. 8 on the list.

2000s Colin Banas, M.D. (H.S. ’05; M.S.H.A. ’08/HA), chief medical information officer at the VCU Medical Center, was named one of the top 25 clinical informaticists in the country by Modern Healthcare magazine. Banas, who helped create a

Spring 2013

Class notes

Abby Swanson Kazley, Ph.D. (Ph.D. ’06/HSO), was appointed program director for the Master of Health Administration program at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Health Professions. Mary Ligon, Ph.D. (Ph.D. ’07/HRS), assumed the role of chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences at York College of Pennsylvania in July 2012. In February 2012, she also began a three-year term as president of Sigma Phi Omega, the national academic honor and professional society in gerontology. Ligon is a gerontologist who specializes in psychosocial development in late life, experiential learning and intergenerational programming.



Can’t wait to see what’s happening with your fellow alumni and allied health professions faculty members?

View expanded class notes online at www.vcualumni.org/classnotes.

program that allows physicians to use smartphones to improve charge capture, also led the rollout of the medical center’s electronic health record in its 60 outpatient clinics, and spearheaded a medication reconciliation project that raised levels of discharge medication reconciliation to 90 percent. Our Health magazine also named Banas one of the 15 Richmond Health Care Leaders Under 40 along with Brett Butler (B.S. ’06; M.H.A. ’09/HA), administrative director for planning and medical economics for Bon Secours Virginia Health System, Alan Dow, M.D. (H.S. ’04; M.S.H.A. ’05/ HAE), assistant dean for medical education at the VCU School of Medicine, and Brent Rawlings, J.D. (M.H.A. ’04/HA), associate in the Richmond, Va., office of McGuireWoods, LLP. Jami DelliFraine, Ph.D. (Ph.D. ’04/HSO), received the Helen Yerger/L. Vann Seawell Best Article Award for outstanding editorial achievement in Healthcare Financial Management magazine. “Do EHR Investments Lead to Lower Staffing Levels?” was published in February 2012 in collaboration with several of her colleagues at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston. Jackie DeSouza (M.H.A. ’01/HA) was named one of Modern Healthcare’s 2012 Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare. The award honors those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, dedication and the ability to influence positive change. William Haugh (M.H.A. ’08/HA), CEO at Logan Memorial Hospital, received the American College of Healthcare Executives Early Career Healthcare Executive Regent’s Award in June at the Kentucky Hospital Association Annual Meeting. The award recognizes ACHE members who have made significant contributions to the advancement of health care management excellence and the achievement of ACHE’s goals.

VCU Allied Health

Veronica Sikka, M.D., Ph.D. (B.S. ’01; M.H.A. ’03/HA; Ph.D. ’09/ HSO; M.D. ’09; H.S. ’12), attending emergency medicine physician at the VCU Medical Center, served a monthlong internship in 2012 for ABC News’ Medical Unit in New York. Sikka participated in the program during her term as chief resident in VCU’s Department of Emergency Medicine. She was one of four residents from medical centers across the country helping produce medical stories on network news programs, including “Good Morning America,” “Inside Edition” and “World News Tonight.” Residents worked closely with Richard Besser, M.D., the network’s chief health and medical editor, to translate scientific findings into health news. Sikka, who holds the lifelong goal of working in broadcast journalism, researched and wrote stories about prostate and lung cancer screenings, prescription medications for children, weight loss and more. She also was selected as the resident ex-officio board member of the American College of Physician Executives. Matt Tavenner (M.H.A. ’09/HA), assistant administrator at Jackson Purchase Medical Center in Mayfield, Ky., spoke at the March 2012 Federation of American Hospitals conference in Washington, D.C. Eric Young, FACHE (M.H.A. ’07/HA), accepted the position of director of patient care services at Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, Va.

2010s Jody Balko, Ph.D. (Ph.D. ’12/HRS), received a Presidential Poster of Distinction award at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases for her poster, “Procalcitonin as a Biomarker of Bacterial Infection in Acute Liver Failure.” Sam Jordan (M.H.A. ’10/HA) and Austin Manning (M.H.A. ’10/ HA) were accepted into HCA’s 2012 Executive Development Class.

Faculty and staff Awards VCU School of Allied Health Professions Distinguished Faculty Awards 2012 • Distinguished Faculty Award for Excellence: Gloria Bazzoli, Ph.D., Bon Secours Professor of Health Administration, Department of Health Administration • Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching: Cheryl FordSmith PT, DPT, M.S., N.C.S., associate professor, Department of Physical Therapy

Class notes

• Distinguished Faculty Award for Service: Elizabeth Howell CRNA (M.S.N.A. ’04/NA), assistant professor, Department of Nurse Anesthesia • Distinguished Faculty Award for Scholarship: Daniel Riddle, PT, Ph.D., F.A.P.T.A., the Otto D. Payton Professor in Physical Therapy, Department of Physical Therapy Outstanding Teacher Award, class incorporated into medical student training: Tim Ford (M.S. ’02/PC), clinical instructor in the Department of Patient Counseling and chaplain for the Thomas Palliative Care Unit at VCU Medical Center, received the VCU School of Medicine’s Outstanding Teacher Award for High Evaluation for his class on spirituality and medicine. Ford’s class is now offered to first-year medical students and has been incorporated as a mandatory part of a student’s medical training. ACHE Regent’s Award: Delores Clement, Dr.P.H., FACHE, the Charles P. Cardwell, Jr. Professor of Health Administration, vice chair of the Department of Health Administration and director of graduate programs, received the 2012 American College of Healthcare Executives Regent’s Award in recognition of her significant contributions toward the achievement of ACHE goals and the advancement of health care management. Award for Social Media-Based Health IT Video Game: The Association of University Programs in Health Administration awarded Jon DeShazo, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Administration, the top poster award at its annual meeting for his HITga.me: The Social Media-Based Health IT Video Game. The game is aimed at improving nutritional information and diabetes management skills for adult users.

Projects Health Policy Collaborative funding awarded: The VCU Health Policy Collaborative awarded funding to faculty members Gloria Bazzoli, Ph.D., the Bon Secours Professor of Health Administration, and Patricia Edinboro, Ph.D., adjunct faculty, to design and implement a comprehensive and rigorous study of integrated case management programs of Virginia Premier Health Plan. Pilot project for patient-centered treatment: Ken Faulkner, assistant professor and director of pastoral care in the Department of Patient Counseling, is working on a pilot project involving the implementation of Physicians Orders on Scope of Treatment at the VCU Medical Center that will encourage a patient-centered approach to late-stage treatment of diseases. This program mirrors innovative programs being introduced at facilities statewide and complements elements of the Affordable Care Act.

Conferences Research in clinical pastoral education: Alexander Tartaglia, D.Min., the Katherine I. Lantz Professor and senior associate dean for the School of Allied Health Professions, and Diane Dodd-McCue, D.B.A., associate professor in the Department of Patient Counseling, presented workshops on implementing research curricula in clinical pastoral education programs at both the ACPE National and MidAtlantic Regional conferences. Additional related research activities for the department are located at www.acperesearch.net/Fall12.

Alumni-initiated faculty presentation in Moscow: Eric Silfen, M.D. (M.S.H.A. ’95/HAE), vice president and chief medical officer of Philips Healthcare, was instrumental in health administration department Chair Cindy Watts, Ph.D., along with professor Yasar Ozcan, Ph.D., and former faculty member Lou Rossiter, Ph.D., presenting the workshop “Effective Medical Institutions: Recipe for Success” at Sechenov Medical University, which Philips sponsored. Faculty serving as delegate at international conference: Cindy Watts, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Health Administration, served as delegate and speaker at the Eighth International Organizational

Abbreviation key Allied health professions degrees are noted with year and department; other VCU degrees are designated by year. A single asterisk (*) identifies members of the MCV Alumni Association of VCU.

Degrees A.S. Associate of Science B.F.A. Bachelor of Fine Arts B.S. Bachelor of Science Cert. Certificate D.N.A.P. Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice D.P.T. Doctor of Physical Therapy H.S. House Staff M.A. Master of Arts M.H.A. Master of Health Administration M.S. Master of Science M.S.H.A. Master of Science in Health Administration M.S.N.A. Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia M.S.O.T. Master of Science in Occupational Therapy O.T.D. Post-professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy

Departments and programs CLS Clinical Laboratory Sciences G Gerontology HA Health Administration HAE Health Administration Executive HCM Health Care Management HRS Health Related Sciences HSO Health Services Organization and Research MRA Medical Records Administration MET Medical Technology NA Nurse Anesthesia OT Occupational Therapy PC Patient Counseling PT Physical Therapy RC Rehabilitation Counseling RS Radiation Sciences RTE Radiologic Technology

Spring 2013

Class notes

Behavior in Healthcare Conference at Trinity College in Dublin. The conference explored how health care organizations and professions can work toward achieving patient-centered health care. Department of Radiation Sciences visiting professors: Jeffrey S. Legg, Ph.D., R.T.(R)(C)(QM), chair and associate professor, was a visiting professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s School of Health Professions, while Mark Crosthwaite, program director and associate professor of nuclear medicine technology, traveled to Kuwait’s Cancer Control Center as a visiting professor lecturing on PET/CT (Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography) in oncology practice.

ASRT speakers exchange award recipients announced: Terry L. Fauber, R.T.(R)(M), associate professor and director of the radiography program in the Department of Radiation Sciences, is one of two speakers selected by the ASRT Education and Research Foundation to participate in the 2013 International Speakers Exchange Program. Fauber will present “X-ray Field Size and Patient Dosimetry” at the 71st Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists Annual Conference in St. John’s, Canada, this May. “I am honored to have this opportunity through the ISEA program to present my research to technologists around the world,” she says. “We all share the same commitment to limit patient radiation exposure.”

In memoriam Faculty and staff

Honor a loved one Express sympathy and respect for a loved one by giving a gift in that person’s memory. Gifts can be made online at www.support.vcu.edu/give/AlliedHealth.

1970s

Photo courtesy of the Keyes family

Tim Stack (M.H.A. ’77/HA), president and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta, July 30, 2012, at age 60. An active alumni member, he served the Department of Health Administration as president of the alumni association from 1992-93 and as an M.H.A. residency preceptor for more than 15 years, mentoring more than a dozen students. He received the 2008 Outstanding Alumnus Award and was the founding donor of the Roice Luke Scholarship, which is used to recruit and maintain M.H.A. students with a preference for underrepresented populations. The department is seeking to establish the R. Timothy Stack Professorship to honor his many contributions to the department and to the field of practice.

Paul A. Keyes, of Mechanicsville, Va., Nov. 3, 2012, at age 50. Keyes served as head baseball coach at VCU for 18 seasons, leading his team to eight NCAA appearances and five Colonial Athletic Association championships in the past 11 years. He was VCU baseball’s winningest coach (603-428) and saw 36 Rams move into the sport professionally, including six into the major leagues. Keyes served as an assistant coach at VCU from 1985-91 before returning to become head coach in 1995. He turned the baseball program into not only one of the best in the state, but also the East Coast, notching victories in nearly 60 percent of its games in the past 15 years. Under Keyes, who was named CAA coach of the year four times, the Rams picked up 12 straight winning seasons from 1996-2007 and grabbed more than 40 victories on four occasions. A native of Newport News, Va., he is survived by his wife, Trisha (A.S. ’84/RTE), and three children, Paul Jr., MacKenzie and Kyle.

1980s

C. Henry Hinnant III (B.S. ’82/HCM), Feb. 10, 2012. Hinnant, born in Richmond, Va., returned to college in his home city in the late 1970s and graduated summa cum laude and valedictorian of his class in health care management at VCU’s School of Allied Health Professions — 20 years after he graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in vocational and occupational training. Before graduating from VCU, he taught high school math, sold textbooks, worked as a stockbroker and was president of an engineering firm, but he found his passion to be planning and overseeing retirement communities. After school, Hinnant worked at Westminster Canterbury of Lynchburg, Va., where he became vice president and treasurer, and in 1989, he became president and CEO of the Westminster Canterbury in Charlottesville, Va. He guided the completion of construction and the opening of the facility in 1990 and, until his retirement in 2005, oversaw several expansions of the community.

VCU Allied Health

The Keyes family (from left) MacKenzie, Kyle, Trisha, Paul and Paul Jr.

By the numbers School of Allied Health Professions faculty members contribute to their fields through research, publications and engagement with scholarly and professional associations. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a glimpse of the impact our faculty members had in 2012.

223

international, national and regional presentations/posters

peer-reviewed journal articles

book chapters written

books authored

Spring 2013

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Allied Health Professions

Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid RICHMOND, VA Permit No. 869

1200 East Broad Street P.O. Box 980233 Richmond, Virginia 23298-0233

Thank you for your support of the School of Allied Health Professionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; annual fund. As the only vehicle for unrestricted giving to immediate needs in the school and departments, this fund provides the dean and department chairs with dollars to support key initiatives, such as student scholarships. Your gift to the annual fund provides a major investment in our students, our faculty and our school â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and we thank you.