FNU

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY Fall 2016

Volume 91

Number 3

Answer the Call This holiday you can give the gift of health care to individuals across the country by making your donation to the FNU Student Scholarship Fund. Together, we are improving health care, and access to health care, one graduate at a time.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction to FNU.............................................................................................1 The Journey – Dr. Susan Stone..............................................................................2 Alumni Homecoming............................................................................................4 Alumni Spotlight...................................................................................................6 Courier Corner......................................................................................................8 Courier Spotlight.................................................................................................12 Field Notes ...........................................................................................................13 Beyond the Mountains........................................................................................14 Notes.....................................................................................................................16 Wendover Report.................................................................................................17 Footprints.............................................................................................................19 In Memoriam.......................................................................................................21 Trustees................................................................................................................22 Board of Directors...............................................................................................23 Your Gifts at Work...............................................................................................24 US ISSN 0016-2116 Statement of Ownership Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin, publication #835-740 is published four times per year. Mailing address: 132 FNS Drive, Wendover, Kentucky 41775. Contact person: Denise Barrett (859) 899-2828. The publisher, editor and managing editor of the Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin is FNU, Inc., 132 FNS Drive, Wendover, Ky 41775. The owner is Frontier Nursing University, 132 FNS Drive, Wendover, Ky 41775. There are no other bondholders, mortgagees or other security holders. The tax status has not changed in the last 12 months.

Total number of copies

Average No. Copies Each Issue during previous 12 months

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

Outside county copies

9000

9226

In-county copies

100

114

Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes

0

0

Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail

0

0

Total Distribution

9100

9340

Copies Not Distributed

50

50

Total Sum

9150

9390

Percent paid

0

0

Paid Electronic Copies

0

0

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Introduction to Frontier Nursing University

M

ary Breckinridge spent her early years in many parts of the world — Russia, France, Switzerland and the British Isles. After the deaths of her two children, she abandoned the homebound life expected of women of her class to devote herself to the service of families, with a particular focus on children. Mrs. Breckinridge founded the Frontier Nursing Service in 1925 after several years of studying and practicing nursing and midwifery in the United States, England, Scotland and France. It was the first organization in America to use nurses trained as midwives collaborating with a single medical doctor, based at their small hospital in Hyden. Originally the staff was composed o  f nurse-midwives trained in England. They Our aim has always been traveled on horseback and on foot to provide to see ourselves surpassed, quality primary care, including maternity care, to families in their own homes. In 1928, and on a larger scale.” she recruited young people to serve as Couriers –Mary Breckinridge, and help the Frontier staff and nurse-midwives in Wide Neighborhoods, 1952 all manner of efforts. In 1939, Mrs. Breckinridge established a school of nurse-midwifery. The school provided graduates, many of whom stayed to offer care to families in Leslie County, Kentucky.

“

Today, Mrs. Breckinridge’s legacy extends far beyond Eastern Kentucky through Frontier Nursing University (FNU), which offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Master of Science in Nursing degree with tracks as a Nurse-Midwife, Family Nurse Practitioner and Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner. FNU has students and graduates serving all 50 states and many countries.

How to Reach Us The Office of Development and Alumni Relations: Please direct questions, comments or updates to Denise Barrett, Director of Development, at (859) 899-2828 or send an e-mail to development@frontier.edu. The Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn: The Big House, Mary Breckinridge’s home, is a licensed Bed & Breakfast Inn located at Wendover. For reservations or to arrange a tour, call Michael Claussen, Development Officer, at (859) 899-2707 or e-mail michael.claussen@frontier.edu. Group tours can be arranged, and we are always happy to set up tours for organizations and educational programs with an interest in nursing history and Appalachian studies.

1

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

the journey Dear Friends,

A

s our year comes to an end, I am amazed at what we have accomplished and I want to say thank you for your commitment to Frontier Nursing University. The collective efforts of our Board members, Trustees, faculty, staff, alumni, preceptors, donors, students, and Couriers are what make it all possible. The nationwide Frontier network is stronger than ever before. We are all driven by a compelling vision to improve the healthcare of all families and communities and our critical mission of educating the advanced practice nurses and midwives to carry out this important work. In recent years, we have emphasized the importance of scholarships for our students. We have shared stories of student recipients that were able to complete their degree and begin practice in their communities, and we have shared stories of philanthropic individuals, families, corporations, and foundations that have chosen to assist with scholarships. In the last three years, we have established 12 new scholarships and significantly increased the funds available in our general scholarship funds. It has been very rewarding to provide this support to students, and hear firsthand about the impact on their education.

Due to our tremendous growth to an enrollment approaching 1,900 students, our need for scholarship support continues to be great.

Due to our tremendous growth to an enrollment approaching 1,900 students, our need for scholarship support continues to be great. Just 2% of our students are receiving scholarship support. Frontier students are busy, working adults, most with families to support. Unexpected financial hardships arise in their lives every day. In fact, upon announcing availability of a new scholarship specifically for financial hardship and emergency support, we had 64 requests

2

QUARTERLY BULLETIN for assistance within 48 hours. Requests from students ranged from students affected by Hurricane Matthew, students experiencing health setbacks or dealing with major illnesses of a spouse or child, unexpected job losses, and more. Many students must reduce paid work hours in order to complete the clinical practicum requirements for their degree. Scholarship support can make the difference in students’ ability to continue pursuing their degree while also juggling many family, career, and personal responsibilities. Students can see the finish line—which includes becoming a resource to their community and often also means more financial security for their family due to their advanced education. You can be the difference in a student’s life with a gift to the Frontier Student Scholarship Fund. Please consider an annual gift to support Frontier. Together, we are improving health care, and access to health care, one graduate at a time.

Susan E. Stone, DNSc, CNM, FAAN, FACNM President

K

insey Fisher, a family nurse practitioner student from Missoula, Montana, received a scholarship in 2016. During the winter, Kinsey became ill and was placed on medical leave, limiting her ability to work and receive income. The scholarship allowed Kinsey to complete her recovery without interruption to her education. Kinsey explains her desire to work in family practice: “Working in this type of setting creates opportunities to care for those in the underserved population. Part of providing care to this population starts with taking the time to get to know patients, as well as their family, cultural, and social situations. It also requires identifying any potential barriers patients may encounter when faced with a medical condition. Based on the knowledge of these factors, I can provide referrals to community resources that may benefit my patients. My goal is to always strive to be an advocate for my patients.”

3

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

alumni homecoming

Alumni Homecoming and Courier Conclave 2016

A

s anyone who has ever visited the Big House at Wendover knows, there is a magic in those grounds that connects visitors to the history and service of FNU in an almost spiritual way. That magic was in abundance during our 2016 Homecoming celebration held September 30 – October 2. Over 40 individuals came together for laughter, sharing, and renewal. Attendees enjoyed a special Pioneer celebration, Alumni & Courier Award presentations, Continuing Education opportunities, a party to celebrate the 90th birthday of Kitty Ernst, the Mary Breckinridge Festival, and many more activities. While a plethora of planned activities were available, some of the most special moments occurred spontaneously. Lynn Kugler (class of 1965) shared her original saddle bags, log books, and experiences from her time at FNS and Harlem Hospital in NYC, Vivian Good (class of 1957) shared stories about her experiences to younger graduates who sat gathered around her in the Big House living room, Sylvia Enriquez (Class of 1958) brought four of her six children with her, and Alumni Advisory Committee President Susan Clapp (Class 81) donned the FNS uniform and walked in the Mary Breckinridge parade with other graduates and Dr. Susan Stone. These are just a few of the moments that made the 2016 Homecoming so magical. We hope that you will join us for Homecoming next year! Look for details coming soon! 4

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Award Recipients Each year, Frontier Nursing University honors two graduates and one courier for their outstanding service to the university and their community. These awards are given at the annual Homecoming and Courier Conclave held at Wendover in Hyden, KY. This year we are proud to announce the following award recipients.

Distinguished Service to Society: Jan Stalder, FNP Class 65 The Distinguished Service to Society award recognizes an alumnus who goes above and beyond to provide exceptional service in his or her community.

Distinguished Service to Alma Mater: Pat Caudle, CNM Class 9 The Distinguished Service to Alma Mater honors an alumnus who has continued to provide support to Frontier through volunteer efforts and donor support.

left: Sylvia Enriquez with her children; right: Michael Claussen greets alumni and Couriers

5

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

alumni spotlight

Tiffany Jackson, MSN, CNM CNEP Class 44

T

iffany Jackson graduated from Frontier Nursing University (FNU) in 2007. In her early career, she worked as an obstetric nurse in a hospital; there weren’t any nurse-midwives present. but there weren’t any nurse-midwives present. It was earlier, during clinical training in nursing school, that one patient had opened her mind to another way of thinking about birth.

“It’s not for the faint of heart. You do it because you have a passion, not to get rich. You have to love women, and sometimes it’s hard, emotionally demanding and exhausting.”

The patient she observed chose to go through labor without the common types of support. Tiffany typically saw most mothers at the hospital hooked up with IVs and epidurals, but this mother was laboring with only the support of her husband, Tiffany, and Tiffany’s nursing preceptor on the unit.

Tiffany describes the mother as being “very Zen— just breathing through her contractions,” which inspired her. She wanted to provide care for women who would have relationships with their providers and options for how they would give birth. Tiffany envisioned a relationship where she would offer expert guidance and provide information, while the woman would make informed choices about her own body and her baby. Tiffany decided that as a nurse-midwife she could reach more women and help them have better birth experiences. Tiffany chose FNU because the distance education model worked well for her as an independent learner. She explored different options, but was drawn to the heritage and the strong history of FNU—and the amazing Kitty Ernst. Tiffany says of her career choice, “It’s not for the faint of heart. You do it because you have a passion, not to get rich. You have to love women, and sometimes it’s hard, emotionally demanding and exhausting.”

6

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

In 2014, Tiffany accepted a position with MomDoc, a privately-owned obstetrics practice in Arizona that was started by physicians. They started with physician assistants and women’s health nurses in the clinics. The practice has grown to 20 branches, three of which now have certified nurse-midwives. The nursemidwives practice with hospital privileges to offer full-scope midwifery care to women. Since becoming a nurse-midwife, Tiffany has attended more than 1,000 births. She respects each mother’s choice and believes women should have personalized birth experiences. She recently attended a birth with a family having their seventh child. The parents brought in their 12-year-old daughter to be present at the birth and welcome the new baby into the world. MomDoc nurse-midwives precept midwifery students in the clinics, and some of Tiffany’s colleagues are also FNU alumni. She says they joke about getting t-shirts that say, “Team FNU.” MomDoc has a mentoring program for new midwives who join the practice, which transitions them through what is called the “Circle of Safety.” In the mentoring stage, each new midwife must complete 30 deliveries. They have an additional three months where they can call their mentors for help and advice. Tiffany credits one of her FNU preceptors, Dr. Kim Couch, for helping her make that transition earlier in her career. “Some midwives may have been expert nurses, but they are new to the role of nurse-midwifery,” said Tiffany. “So, they have to ’hang in there’ and not be afraid to ask for help in their new role.” Tiffany is considering pursuing a doctorate when her children are older, and possibly opening a birth center business with a friend and colleague who is also a certified nurse-midwife. Tiffany’s mother has an MBA, and Tiffany imagines her mom handling the business affairs of the practice. “Someday, I would love to be in a birth center and attend out-of-hospital births,” Tiffany said. “That’s what FNU trains us for, and I’d love to be able to support home or birth-center deliveries.” The FNU community is proud to have alumni like Tiffany who are passionate about helping women make informed choices that lead to better birth experiences.

7

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

courier corner By Mandy Hancock, FNU Courier Program Coordinator

T

he Courier Program has officially wrapped up another amazing and successful summer! I am so grateful for the seven outstanding young men and women who served this summer. The mark each left on Eastern Kentucky is evident and long-lasting. I can’t help but think Eastern Kentucky left an equal mark on each of them. As I reflect on the summer, it is hard to summarize in a few words and the statistical data reflecting the hours of service. It truly does not encompass the sharing, growing, reflecting, stretching, and serving these young men and women did in such a short period of time. However, I will do my best to try by sharing their hours of service: 2016 (7 couriers) Total service hours: 1,815 Clinical: 1.474 Community Service and Big House dinners: 341 Average of 259 hours per Courier

8

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Do you know someone who embodies the Courier legacy? We are accepting applications for the 2017 Courier Program beginning November 1, 2016. The deadline to apply is February 9, 2017. Applications and program information can be found at www.frontier.edu/courier.

9

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

I

n other Courier news, we are excited to welcome Anthony Douglas, Courier 2016, back to Hyden November 17-18. Inspired and moved by what he saw happening in Leslie County, Anthony chose to focus his college special project on economic revitalization. Even though the summer has passed, Anthony has been working with members of the Leslie County Chamber of Commerce. He is bringing back the Democracy Fellows from Wabash College, comprised of students and faculty, to host a community summit on Economic Development in Hyden, KY. In addition to telephone interviews with community members prior to traveling to Hyden and private meetings with community members, the Democracy Fellows will lead and facilitate a discussion with members of the community at large. The forum will focus on realistic economic opportunities generating positive improvements by examining assets already existing in the community. They will work to generate new ideas and determine how to prioritize the new ideas. Ultimately, they will generate a report geared to assist the Chamber of Commerce and the community. This event is sponsored by FNU, the Leslie County Chamber of Commerce and the Community Foundation. Several members of FNU staff and Courier Program staff assisted with the Miss Mary Breckinridge Scholarship Pageant. This pageant is for female seniors enrolled in a Leslie County School. The winner of the pageant received a cash scholarship for college, which was sponsored by FNU. She will also serve as a role model for others in the community by speaking and participating in events focusing on Mary Breckinridge’s legacy and the importance of education. We are currently working toward the summer of 2017. We are excited to welcome more Couriers into the fold next summer. In the meantime, I will be traveling over the next few months meeting with community partners, site mentors, and Couriers from many different states. I hope to see many of you in my travels!

The Door is Open! Do you have ideas on ways to connect? Do you have any comments, suggestions or questions? My door is always open, and I want to hear from you! Please reach out to me any time at mandy.hancock@frontier.edu or (859) 899-2827.

10

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

I recently attended the Kentucky Rural Health Association Conference. I am so grateful for the connections, education, and experience! I am excited to bring these lessons forward with me as we begin preparing for the 2017 Couriers!

Let’s Connect!

Once a Courier, Always a Courier! Like us on Facebook! Share your story! I want to capture your memories! Contact me at courier.program@frontier.edu for an interview. Host a “high tea” at your home, in the spirit of Mary Breckinridge. I will help you plan it! Come home to Wendover! Visit the place where your journey began! I will meet you for tea! Check out our website at www.frontier.edu/courier Join the Wide Neighborhoods Program and be an ambassador in your state.

11

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

courier spotlight

Marian Leibold, Unbridled Service Award Recipient

T

Marian Liebold and Dr. Susan Stone

he Courier Program Unbridled Service Award is given annually to a former Courier who has carried the torch of Mary Breckinridge beyond the mountains, perpetuating the mission and spirit of Frontier in their own lives. The criteria for this award includes dedication to serving others; ongoing, longstanding stewardship of Frontier; and demonstration of personal conviction, courage and a zest for adventure. We are excited to honor Marian Leibold with the 2016 Award.

Marian served as a Courier in 1977 and has continued to volunteer in various capacities since that time. She has most recently served on the Courier Program Advisory Council and as Chair of the FNU Cincinnati Committee. As Chair, Marian hosts an annual dinner in Cincinnati for Frontier Couriers, alumni, students, donors and others interested in learning about FNU. Through her annual events, and the passionate story of her experience as a Courier and the effect on her own life, Marian has helped to drive new support for Frontier in addition to her own leadership support. All of this helps sustain and grow the Courier program. In addition to the outstanding service Marian has given to Frontier, she is actively involved in her own community. Marian is an active philanthropist and volunteer. She has served on numerous boards in addition to her role with Frontier including the Bethesda Foundation, Hospice of Cincinnati, The Summit Country Day School, the Barrett Cancer Fund, the Convalescent Hospital for Children, and the Cincinnati Parks Foundation. A Master Gardener, she serves as the Zone X (Ohio, Michigan and Indiana) Conservation Representative of the Garden Club of America. Marian was among the first to complete the inaugural Docent Training Program with the Cincinnati Parks Foundation and leads tours of the riverfront parks. For her many years of support and advisement to Frontier, and to honor all her life’s work to help better her community, we are honored to award Marian the Courier Unbridled Service Award. 12

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

field notes

Mary Breckinridge Lifetime Service Award presented to the Van Sloun Foundation

T

he Mary Breckinridge Lifetime Service Award recognizes an individual or organization providing longstanding support and commitment to the mission and work of Frontier Nursing Service and Frontier Nursing University. We are honored to give this inaugural award to the Van Sloun Foundation, Nancy Van Sloun, Amy Van Sloun, which has been supporting the work of and Anna Barnard Frontier Nursing University for nearly 30 years. The Van Sloun family has shown great interest in the work and region, and has visited Kentucky to see first-hand the impact of their giving. Funding from the Foundation has supported scholarships, renovation of the chapel’s stained glass window, and growth of the endowment. To provide impactful giving into the future, the Van Sloun family has most recently funded an endowed scholarship which will be awarded annually to Frontier students. We were honored to have Nancy Van Sloun, Amy Van Sloun, and Anna Barnard from the Van Sloun family join us during homecoming weekend to accept the award.

Frontier hosts 2nd Annual Digital Summit "I so enjoyed listening to these women sharing about that moment that actually fueled their desire to become nurse-midwives. I have also been listening to Kitty Ernst’s daily videos. Her story and passion is out of this world." - Digital Summit participant

National Midwifery Week was created by the American College of NurseMidwives (ACNM) to celebrate midwives and midwife-led care. We filled the week with activities and events to celebrate the occasion. From October 1-7, the “Let Our Stories Move You to Answer the Call” virtual event explored the experiences and stories of Certified Nurse-Midwives who are passionate leaders committed to better care for women and families. All sessions were offered free with easy access to join. Sessions are available to view anytime at www.frontier.edu/MidwiferyWeek. 13

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

beyond the mountains

F

American Association of Birth Centers Annual Birth Institute

rontier Nursing University (FNU) faculty, alumni, students, staff and preceptors along with over 150 registered participants traveled to Pittsburgh, Pa., Sept. 22–25 for the 2016 American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) Birth Institute. The conference was held at the Omni William Penn Hotel and and offered great networking and educational opportunities for attendees. FNU hosted its annual reception at the conference on the evening of Thursday, September 22. More than 50 members of the FNU community attended the reception, which included light appetizers and fellowship in celebration of Kitty Ernst’s 90th birthday. Dr. Susan Stone welcomed everyone and gave updates on the launch of FNU’s new Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program, the 2016 Digital Summit as well as the Kitty Ernst Midwifery Chair opportunity. Dr. Tonya Nicholson also awarded several preceptors with tokens of appreciation, including Maureen Darcy, Jackie Griggs, Ava Miller, and Jami Hain.

Guests gather for the FNU reception

14

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Bluegrass and Louisville Committees host annual luncheon On September 14th, 2016 the Bluegrass and Louisville Committees hosted a combined annual luncheon at the Lexington Country Club in Lexington, KY to support FNU. The luncheon hosted over one hundred attendees and raised over $10,000 for the FNU Scholarship Fund. The luncheon featured an update from Dr. Susan Stone, Dr. Susan Stone, Silas House, Dr. Julie Marfell, a keynote address from award-winning and Linda Roach Kentucky author Silas House, and a rousing call to action by Bluegrass Committee Member, Lindy Karns. The Bluegrass Committee Chair, Linda Roach not only acted as a wonderful mistress of ceremonies, but also hosted committee members Cindy Harpring and Alice Leininger at her home to create the beautiful centerpieces that adorned each table at the luncheon. Our sincere thanks to the members of the Louisville and Bluegrass Committees for their hard work and dedication to FNU: Betty Brown, Carlyle Carter, Martha Copeland, Anne Evans, Cindy Harpring, Lindy Karns, Alice Leininger, Selma Owens, Helen Rentch, Linda Roach, Sandra Schreiber, Mary Clay Stites, Vicki Tobin, and Fra Vaughan.

15

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

NOTES Congratulations to Faculty Member, Deborah Karsnitz, DNP, CNM, FACNM and Interim DNP Program Director for her recent publication. The article titled “National Partnership for Maternal Safety: Consensus Bundle on Venous Thromboembolism” is being published concurrently in the September/October 2016 issue (Vol. 45, No. 5) of Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, the September/October 2016 issue (Vol. 61, No. 5) of Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, and the October 2016 issue (Vol. 123, No. 4) of Anesthesia & Analgesia.

Lees Breckinridge Dunn Yunits, Chair of the FNU Boston Committee, gave the keynote address to more than 100 registered nurses who graduated from the Signature Hospital in Brockton, Massachusetts, on May 19, 2016. She was invited to speak by the Dean of Nursing, Sue Taylor, because of her relationship to Mary Breckinridge (great niece). The theme of her talk focused on one of Mary Breckinridge’s mottos “begin small, take root and then grow.”

Congratulations to our staff for bringing home a first place trophy from the Mary Breckinridge Festival Parade this year! Staff members Susan Morgan and Katie Moses were actual LEGO people (Frontier graduate and nurse) on the float! Way to go and thanks to everyone who helped make this year’s event a success!

FNU representatives attended the 2016 Florida State ACNM Conference and Gala in Orlando on September 24th.

16

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

wendover report Michael Claussen, Development Officer

A Trip to Wendover

A

utumn is a wonderful season to visit Wendover. We continue to have several guests stay with us at the historical headquarters.With sixteen rooms to choose from, many large families have stayed with us as part of their annual family reunion. A continuing tradition is for nursing schools to bring their students to visit Wendover and the Hyden campus of FNU for our lively Frontier Tour and luncheon each year. The following colleges and universities took a trip to visit us this past fall: Berea College, Hazard Community and Technical College, University of Tennessee Hazard Community and Technical College at Knoxville, Eastern Kentucky University, and Carson-Newman University. Clay County Technical School also brought several of their high school students this past fall. We invite other nursing schools to visit us and experience this important legacy of nursing history.

Wendover Advisory Council Established One of the goals of the Strategic Plan of Frontier Nursing University is: To preserve, celebrate and share the history of the Frontier Nursing Service through the operation of the Wendover Bed and Breakfast Inn. This fall, the Wendover Advisory Council was formed to share new ideas and help make Wendover the best it can be for all our visitors. At the first meeting, the group shared ways to fine tune the dĂŠcor and amenities of the bed and breakfast. We will submit an update of the progress of this group in the next Quarterly Bulletin. The members of this committee are as follows: Dr. Susan Stone, President of Frontier Nursing University, Robert Montague, FNU Board Member, Barb Gibson, FNU Facilities Manager, Carol Joseph, Mayor of Hyden, Andrea Begley, Field Representative for Congressman Hal Rogers, Angela Feltner, Leslie County High School Drama teacher, Barbara Napier, Owner of the Snug Hollow Bed and Breakfast, Sherrie Rice Smith, former FNS nurse, and coadministrator of the Facebook group, Frontier Nursing Service: A Pictorial History, and Sandra Schreiber. Thank you to our volunteers for your service! 17

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

Handmade Baby Caps, Scarves and Blankets FNU is always in need of handmade baby caps, scarves and lap quilts that we give to our Frontier students at the Wendover celebration dinner during Clinical Bound. Rhonda Arthur submitted this photo of the stack of baby caps ready to be gifted to our midwifery students at Clinical Bound dinner. It is a very special ceremony for the students. Recently we have experienced a shortage of scarves and lap blankets. We would appreciate any assistance in obtaining these important gifts for the patients of our students. Thank you to all of our knitting friends who graciously donate towards this Frontier tradition.

18

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

footprints Even before Mrs. Breckinridge started the Frontier Nursing Service, she had answered the call. The following information was taken from the yearbooks of Crescent College of Eureka Springs, Arkansas where Mrs. Breckinridge taught for nearly a decade. The material was compiled by the Executive Director of the Crescent College History Project, Rebecca J. Baker. Space does not permit us to print the whole story, but for additional reading and several other pictures visit Ms. Becker’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/crescentcollegehistory.

Mary Breckinridge Answers the Call After Mrs. Breckinridge obtained her nursing license soon after she graduated from St. Luke’s Hospital Training School for Nurses of New York, in 1910, her mother asked her to return to Arkansas to help at home. It was there that she met Richard R. Thompson, President of Crescent College, and in October, 1912, the couple celebrated their marriage at Crescent College. This time Mary was determined to craft a different kind of marriage: one of true equals, where she would continue to pursue her desire to improve the health Mary Breckinridge Thompson from the 1918 and welfare of children everywhere. The Crescent Crescent College Yearbook College yearbook that year was full of Mary Breckinridge Thompson! In fact, they dedicated the entire volume: “To Mrs. R. R. Thompson this volume is affectionately dedicated: ’Earth’s noblest thing / A woman perfected.” Our first glimpse of her, through the students’ eyes, is in a wonderful parody they wrote, based on Longfellow’s “Song of Hiawatha”: Hearken! Big Chief left us for a season; ’Ere the moon had waned to Crescent He brought back to share our wigwam, Minnehaha, kind and loving… This description of Mary’s arrival appeared under the heading, “Socials”: “The first event of the year was the return of the bride and groom from their honeymoon. President and Mrs. R. R. Thompson made their first appearance in

19

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

the school dining-room, October the nineteenth. President Thompson granted the school a holiday. “That night, although it was a great temptation, the girls refrained from a serenade because the bride ’must be awfully tired.’ "However, they made up for it the next night, and sang ’I Love You Truly’ and other songs as appropriate.” In her first year at Crescent College, Mary taught French, but she made plans to introduce Child Welfare and Infant Hygiene into the curriculum. She studied nursing schools around the state with a committee of other health care professionals, and her efforts led to a nursing practice act standardizing licensing in the state. In January, 1914, Mary gave birth to Clifton Breckinridge Thompson—a healthy, radiant child who was adored by every student and member of the faculty at Crescent College. They all called him “Breckie,” and soon were filling the Crescent yearbooks with drawings and photographs of the little boy with his mother or father. In fact, the 1914 yearbook begins “To Mrs. R. R. Thompson and her son Clifton Breckinridge we dedicate this volume of ’The Crescent’ in reverence for ’The Holy Bond of Motherhood / Which is more Eternal than Life.’ “A little bundle swathed in white, Embodiment of joy, And what can bring more pure delight Than a little baby boy?”

20

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

in memoriam Dr. Yvonne Imbleau, 88, of Salisbury passed away August 10, 2016 at Noble Horizons. She

was born in Summit, New Jersey on May 17, 1928, the daughter of the late Joseph and Helen Depaoli Imbleau. Dr. Imbleau served as a Frontier nurse as was described in her obituary: “An illness brought Yvonne back to the states, and once recovered she then looked to serve the poor in Appalachia. She chose Kentucky as her destination and she, with her beloved nurse and lifelong friend, Annie Miller, brought hope to the expectant mothers living on remote hillsides in poverty. Together, they encouraged good nutrition, delivered healthier babies, and provided maternal care throughout each nine months of pregnancy.� Barbara Brown Webster, known to her family as Barbar and to friends as Bobsie, Babs, or

Mrs. Webby, passed away after 96 extraordinary years on August 11, 2016. Born on April 5, 1920 to Fayette and Geraldine Walker Brown, she was educated at Hathaway Brown School, the Milton Academy and the French Institute in New York City. Soon after graduation, she served as a Courier in the Frontier Nursing Service providing healthcare to families in rural Kentucky. This was the start of a lifetime devoted to community service.

21

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

Frontier Nursing University

trustees Mrs. Tia Andrew, Hamilton Parish Ms. Sarah Bacon, Brooklyn, NY Mrs. Heather Bernard, Hamilton, NY Gov. Steven Beshear, Lexington, KY Mrs. Betty Brown, Louisville, KY Dr. Wallace Campbell, Berea, KY Miss Anna Carey, Hyden, KY Ms. Carlyle Carter, Evanston, IL Mrs. Jean Chapin, Oldwick, NJ Dr. Holly Cheever, Voorheesville, NY Mrs. Lois Cheston, Topsfield, MA Mrs. Julia Breckinridge Davis, NC Mrs. John Dete, West Liberty, OH Mrs. Selby Ehrlich, Bedford, NY Mrs. Robert Estill, Raleigh, NC Mrs. Noel Smith Fernandez, NY Mr. John Grandin, MA Dr. Joyce Fortney Hamberg, Southgate, KY Dr. Horace Henriques, Lyme, NH Mr. & Mrs. John Hodge, Berwyn, PA Mrs. Robin Frentz Isaacs, Lincoln, MA Ms. Deborah M. King, Dedham, MA Mrs. Patricia Lawrence, Westwood, MA Mrs. Henry Ledford, Big Creek, KY Mrs. Marian Leibold, Cincinnati, OH Mrs. Joan Lambert McPhee, Potomac, MD Mr. Wade Mountz, Louisville, KY Dr. Spencer Noe, Lexington, KY Mrs. Frank O’Brien, Boston, MA Mr. Dean Osborne, Hyden, KY Mrs. Helen Rentch, Midway, KY Mrs. John Richardson, DC Mrs. Linda Roach, Lexington, KY Mrs. Georgia Rodes, Lexington, KY Mrs. Sandra Schreiber, Louisville, KY Mrs. Austin Smithers, Lyme, NH Mrs. Robert Steck, Arlington, MA Mrs. Mary Clay Stites, Louisville, KY Mr. Richard Sturgill, Paris, KY Ms. Mary Frazier Vaughan, Lexington, KY Mrs. LouAnne Roberts Verrier, New York, NY Dr. Patience White, Bethesda, MD Mr. Harvie Wilkinson, KY

Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FAAN, FACNM, President Julie Marfell, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, Dean of Nursing Anne Cockerham, PhD, CNM, WHNP, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Tonya Nicholson, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, Associate Dean of Midwifery and Women’s Health Lisa Chappell, DNP, FNP-BC Associate Dean of Family Nursing Jacquelyne Brooks, DNP, MS, ADN-MSN Bridge Director Michael Steinmetz, CPA, CMA, Vice President of Finance Shelley Aldridge, BA, Chief Operations Officer Denise Barrett, MBA, Director of Development and Alumni Relations Angela Bailey, MA, Associate Director of Development Mandy Hancock, MPH, Development Officer and Courier Program Coordinator Michael Claussen, BA, Development Officer Beulah Couch, Human Resources/Site Manager Barb Gibson, Facilities Manager

22

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

board of directors Chairman Michael Carter, FNP, DNSc Vice Chairman Michael T. Rust, Louisville, KY Secretary Marion McCartney, CNM, FACNM, Washington, D.C Treasurer John Foley, Lexington, KY Board Members Wallace Campbell, PhD, Berea, KY Peter Coffin, Chair, Frontier Nursing Service, Inc. Foundation Chestnut Hill, MA Eunice (Kitty) Ernst, CNM, MPH, Perkiomenville, PA Della Deerfield, CPA, Richmond, KY Nancy Hines, Shepherdsville, KY Jean Johnson, PhD, RN, FAAN, Cabin John, MD Phyllis Leppert, MD, PhD, Durham, NC Robert Montague, JD, Urbanna, VA Kerri Schuiling, PhD, CNM, FAAN, FACNM, Marquette, MI Peter A. Schwartz, MD, Wyomissing, PA Kenneth J. Tuggle, JD, Louisville, KY Nancy Fugate Woods, PhD, RN, FAAN, Seattle, WA May Wykle, PhD, Cleveland, OH

Pictured l to r: Ken Tuggle, Wallace Campbell, Marion McCartney, Della Deerfield, Phyllis Leppert, Jean Johnson, Nancy Fugate-Woods, Michael Carter, and Peter Schwartz Not pictured: Michael Rust, John Foley, Kitty Ernst, Nancy Hines, Kerri Schuiling, May Wykle, and Robert Montague

23

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

your gifts at work

Social Charitable Committee at Breckinridge Capital Advisors

F

rontier Nursing University is proud to partner with corporations in furtherance of our mission and work. Sponsorships for events and support for programs from corporate partners are an integral part of our annual fundraising plan. We are especially honored to work with Breckinridge Capital Advisors. This Boston-based Breckinridge Capitol Advisors Social fixed income investment management firm Charitable Committee was founded by Peter Coffin, current Chairman of the Frontier Nursing Service, Inc. Foundation board of directors, a member of the FNU Leadership Council, and a descendant of Mary Breckinridge. Breckinridge embraces the concept of charitable giving and community support, and encourages employees to be generous with their time in support of organizations that are meaningful to them. Breckinridge continues to commit a percentage of gross revenues to charitable causes. This includes matching employees’ charitable giving for financial donations or for volunteer hours served. Breckinridge also offers multiple volunteer opportunities for its employees on a company level. Breckinridge’s employee-run Social Charitable Committee meets regularly to review prospective non profits and programs worthy of support. Frontier has been fortunate to receive annual contributions from Breckinridge for more than five years. Each year, Frontier visits with the Committee to provide a review of accomplishments, statistics, and plans for the future. We share stories of successful students and graduates to demonstrate the ultimate impact of their generous support. This year, the Committee decided to designate their annual giving to endow a new scholarship. The Breckinridge Capital Advisors Scholarship will be awarded annually to Frontier students. We are honored to recognize Breckinridge’s generosity with a named scholarship. Thank you, Breckinridge Capital Advisors, for answering the call and supporting the future of healthcare! Breckinridge Capital Advisors is a Boston-based investment advisor specializing in the management of high-grade fixed income portfolios for institutions and private clients. Learn more at www.breckinridge.com. 24

QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Ways to Give: A Lasting Investment Your investment in Frontier Nursing University is an investment in quality healthcare for all. There are many ways you can support FNU. Gifts ranging from donations for operations to trust instruments to testamentary gifts each provide much needed support for our work. Some of the more common methods are: • A  nnual Fund Donations: Gifts may be made by check or credit card and can support the general operations of FNU, or be restricted to particular programs. You can use the enclosed remittance envelope or make a gift online at www.frontier.edu/ online-giving. • S  tock Gifts: You can donate your appreciated stock directly to FNU. Please call the Office of Development for instructions. • C  haritable Remainder Trusts: These gift instruments allow you and/or your loved ones to benefit from monies placed in the trust during your/their lifetime. Upon the death of the named beneficiary, the remaining balance in the trust is transferred to FNU. • P  erpetual Income Trusts: These gift instruments allow the income from monies you place in trust to benefit FNU in perpetuity. The principal of your gift remains intact for the life of the trust, and the income it generates is transferred periodically to FNU. • Life Insurance: You can name FNU as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, or transfer ownership of the policy directly to FNU. • Charitable Gift Annuity: You can give a one-time gift to FNU in exchange for fixed, recurring payments over the balance of your life. Upon your death, the balance of your original gift is maintained by FNU for its general use. • Testamentary Gifts: You may make provision in your will to provide a specific bequest to FNU, or provide for some or all of your remaining estate to be given to FNU upon your death. Each of these gift avenues has specific tax implications. Please contact your attorney or financial advisor for further information. For additional information on making a gift to FNU, please call 859-899-2828 or email Denise Barrett, Director of Development at denise.barrett@frontier.edu.

25

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

FRONTIER NURSING SERVICE, Inc. Its motto: “He shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.� Isaiah 40:11 Its object: To safeguard the lives and health of mothers and children by providing and preparing trained nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners for rural areas where there is inadequate medical service; to give skilled care to women in childbirth; to give nursing care to the sick of both sexes and all ages; to establish, own, maintain and operate hospitals, clinics, nursing centers, and educational programs for nurse-midwives and nursepractitioners; to carry out preventive public health measures; to educate the rural population in the laws of health, and parents in baby hygiene and child care; to provide expert social service; to obtain medical, dental and surgical services for those who need them, at a price they can afford to pay; to promote the general welfare of the elderly and handicapped; to ameliorate economic conditions inimical to health and growth, and to conduct research toward that end; to do any and all other things in any way incident to, or connected with, these objects, and, in pursuit of them to cooperate with individuals and with organizations, private, state or federal; and through the fulfillment of these aims to advance the cause of health, social welfare and economic independence in rural districts with the help of their own leading citizens.

From the Articles of Incorporation

of the Frontier Nursing Service. Article III as amended April 1999

26