Message From The Chancellor Steve J. Schwab, MD
I
t has been a very good year for UTHSC and the College of Nursing. Major changes are under way on our Memphis campus including the planning for complete renovation of the historic UTHSC quadrangle. The Governor’s budget this year allots $66 million to renovate the Nash, Crowe and Mooney buildings, the cornerstone structures of the 1920s quadrangle. Last year, we received the planning money that allowed us to start the design process for this major undertaking. This is exceptionally important as the Crowe building is planned as the first-ever dedicated College of Nursing building on the UTHSC campus. In addition, we are demolishing old buildings and constructing several new teaching and research buildings as we finish the transformation of the Memphis campus. On the education front, one of Dean Talbot’s first major initiatives, the reactivation of the BSN program, is meeting with enthusiasm from all quarters. With applications on the rise and our institutional commitment to the highest admissions standards, we are assured of a talented, topnotch pool of candidates for the fall 2013 class. As Dean Talbot notes, finding ways to increase the supply of doctorally trained nurse practitioners (DNPs) is the next major area of focus for the college. As an institution, we are committed to actively addressing the expanding primary care needs of our state. DNPs have the skills and the training to make a critical difference in wellness, disease prevention, and meeting basic health care needs. We will educate and train more of them. In December, we revisited our long-range plans for the campus renovation, presenting an updated outline for the campus master plan. During the next five years, this comprehensive, strategic effort will change the face of our campus, aligning our academic focus with our emphasis on training students for a more team-oriented health care environment. We invite you to review our most recent campus updates on construction/renovation, research and finances through this link: www.uthsc.edu/chancellor/messages/ To one degree or another, we are all experiencing the furious pace of change determined by modern technology. Higher education and health care are equally enmeshed in the digital, Internet age. In late September, our organization welcomed Johannes van der Aa as vice chancellor for Information Technology and chief information officer. His depth of knowledge and experience are certain to be evident in his biographical sketch on page six. We are already deriving benefit from his innovative leadership and project management skills. As 2013 unfolds, we invite you to join us on campus when you are in the area. Make plans to attend events that reunite you with fellow alumni, professional colleagues and longtime friends. On page five, read about the new, annual Legacy Scholarships that will be available starting this fall. Perhaps someone in your family will become part of the rich UTHSC legacy that was shaped and is supported by alumni like you.
Steve J. Schwab, MD Chancellor
Alumni Board of Directors President
E. Dianne Greenhill, ’62
President-Elect
Patti Ketterman (2014) ’89 (UTK), ’06
Secretary
James Albert “Hutch” Hutcheson (2014) ’07
2
Tennessee Representatives West
James Albert “Hutch” Hutcheson (2015) ’07 Emily Mewborn (2015) ’09 Crystal Martin (2015) ’11
Middle
Betty Witherspoon (2014) ’71, ’68 Janice Shelley Ledbetter (2014) ’71 Alice Parham Nunnery (2013) ’71, ’95
East
Allyson Neal (2014) ’10 Patti Ketterman (2013) ’89 (UTK), ’06 M’ Liss Darr Mather (2014) ’78
Out-of-State Representatives
Barbara Cherry (2015) ’06 – Lubbock, TX Elizabeth Fuselier Ellis (2015) ’93, ’95, ’05 – Bedias, TX Amelie Hollier (2015) ’07 – Lafayette, LA