EMCON Alumni Newsletter July & August 2024
Dear Alumni & Friends,
I hope you are enjoying your summer! This newsletter is dedicated in memory of Rachel E. Tierney, a BS and MS graduate of the EMCoN in 1962 and 1974, respectively, and who earned her PhD from the School of Public Health and Health Sciences in 1990.
Named a Living Legend in 2012 by the Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses, Rachel was a fearless nursing advocate and served on multiple volunteer boards at the college and at UMass. A dedicated psychiatric mental health nurse who specialized in treating adults with chronic mental illness, she found great joy in empowering the next generation of nurses, both through teaching and scholarships. Rachel’s parents both attended UMass as did many members of her family.
I will always remember her as a true and active member of our community who brought grace, wit, and acumen into every interaction, and who possessed a true love of UMass. Rachel is a big reason these monthly newsletters are sent out, as she was a firm believer in the importance of transparency and consistent communication. I would encourage you to read more about Rachel’s incredible life in her obituary. We will remember Rachel, Ann Sheridan, and those we have lost in the past year at Homecoming on September 21.
Rachel was always so happy to hear about the successes of fellow alumni and I am excited to share with you quite a few accomplishments from our graduates.
Alumni Featured in Boston Globe 2024 Salute to Nurses
Four alumni were recognized for the incredible work they do in the Boston Globe's Salute to Nurses 2024. Congratulations to Kelly, Sandra, Pat, and Katie—I greatly appreciate and admire your dedication to your patients and the nursing profession.
Brigham and Women's Hospital
"Kelly skillfully balanced the critical tasks of an ICU nurse while providing emotional support to our family. It was apparent from the moment I met her that she was very knowledgeable, and I felt so reassured that my husband was going to receive expert care."
Cooley Dickinson Hospital
"Sandra is the epitome of an incredible labor and delivery nurse...Sandra was by my side every step of the way, making sure I felt safe, comfortable, and, most importantly, heard."
Pat Reidy ’09DNP
Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions
"[Pat's] dedication will benefit future nurse educators and the healthcare system at large by addressing critical shortages in nursing education. Your work is so appreciated!"
Katie Roche ’18
Newton-Wellesley Hospital
"Katie is a nurse who cares deeply and has made an impact on so many throughout her time as a nurse...She practices with compassion, critical thinking, and patient advocacy at the forefront, ensuring that each of her patients gets the absolute best care possible."
Alumni Gracing Our College as New Faculty
It is my honor to share that amongst our new faculty joining us in the fall, we have two talented nurses who graduated from UMass!
Linda Koh ’22PhD recently completed her post-doctoral studies at Stanford University School of Medicine in the Stanford Prevention Research Center in the areas of nutrition and pediatric gastroenterology in clinical and community-based settings.
Jeannine Blake ’20MS, ’22PhD is a post-doctoral fellow with the College of Engineering and our Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation. Her research focus is to improve patient outcomes and nursing workflow by disrupting the status quo using innovative research methods and device development strategies.
UMass Nursing Abroad in London
Nancy Thompson '73, '91MS recently traveled to the Sigma Biennial European Nursing Conference with fellow faculty Sheila Pennell '08, '17MS, '17DNP, Lindsay Dubois '11, '28DNP, and Celeste Surreira '96, '11MS, '14DNP. Held at Bournemouth University in England June 26-28, 2024 with 288 nurses from 28 countries attending.
Dubois gave a podium presentation on her research entitled, “Reflections on the Impact of Low Fidelity Simulation Resources for Newborn Resuscitation Skills Retraining with Midwives in Ghana: A qualitative thematic analysis.” Surreira, Pennell and Dubois also presented their research, “Improving Diverse Patient Representation and Nursing Competency Through Clinical Simulation.” Thompson served as chair for three presentations.
UMassGives Recap and Thank You!
Your alumni support during UMassGives in April allowed us to give three nursing students $2,500 each for their study abroad experience this fall—thank you! Curious what that could do for each student? See here a few fun ways our students could choose to use the funds, and please make sure to follow us on Instagram while you're there.
Save the Date(s)
Atlanta Nursing Alumni Brunch
Sunday, August 25, 1:30 - 3 P.M.
No cost to attend, please register here
Contact Ben Monat at bmonat [at] uma-foundation [dot] org with any questions.
Homecoming
Please save the date for Saturday, September 21, full event schedule forthcoming.
Providence, RI Alumni Reception
Saturday, October 19, late afternoon
Location and time will be announced, please stay tuned.
2024 Western MA Healthcare Workforce Summit
Monday, October 28, 8:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
Student Union Ballroom, UMass Amherst
No cost to attend, registration forthcoming
- Keynote Speaker: Kate Walsh - Secretary, Executive Office of Health and Human Services
Nurse Resilience Retreat
November 8 - 10, 2024
Mt. Ida Campus
Please contact Emerita Professor Dr. Ginny Chandler for more information at gec [at] nursing [dot] umass [dot] edu (subject: ) (gec[at]nursing[dot]umass[dot]edu)
EMCNEI Corner
The Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation welcomes post-doctoral fellow, Colin Plover, PhD, MSN, MPH, MSEd, RN. Plover’s work applies his training in nursing, public health, research education, and entrepreneurship to generate systems-level societal impact. His experience working clinically on a medical-surgical unit revealed operational challenges that burdened nurses, decreased care delivery efficiency, and negatively impacted outcomes for both nurses and patients. Glad to have him as a part of the team at the Center!
In Closing
Our vibrant and dedicated alumni make our college strong, provide a pathway and example of success for our students, and are rightfully being acknowledged for the significant impacts they make. As we get ready to welcome students back to campus next month, I hope that you will continue to share your good news and please join us at an upcoming community gathering. Have a terrific rest of your summer!
Sincerely,
Allison Vorderstrasse
Professor and Dean
Elaine Marieb College of Nursing