EMCON Alumni Newsletter November & December 2024
Dear Alumni and Friends,
Western Massachusetts Healthcare Summit Recap
We just wrapped up the Western MA Healthcare Summit, a forum bringing together Massachusetts health officials, legislators, nurses, educational leaders, healthcare professionals, and students to discuss what must be done to address the obstacles for nurses and other professionals to contribute to the healthcare system. Thank you to so many who attended, we had well over 200 people in the room.
Among the alumni represented, we heard from clinical associate professor Ann Becker '17DNP about her work with the state on a public health nursing consultation system for public health nurses. Alumni Board Member Kyle Kendall '21 (pictured below) shared with the audience how he became interested in the work of nursing through caring for family members long before he started at UMass Nursing.
After the summit, a health care job fair took place, with so much interest that more job applications needed to be printed on the spot. I want to specifically recognize Olivia Frazier, who worked with our alumni for many years and is now our college's executive director of strategic partnerships. Olivia planned and worked closely with leaders across the state on both events, and we are grateful to have her talents.
Exciting upcoming event
There's a very important event taking place on December 5, 2024 from 3 - 5 p.m. at the Campus Center Auditorium titled: Strategic Use of Power and Voice in Uncertain Times for Nurses and Other Health Professions - the 2024 Seedworks Symposium. This event is made possible through the generosity of Susan Hagedorn '77. Below are a few takeaways you'll get from attending:
- Awakening the power of nurses post-pandemic.
- Exploring the strategic use of power to transform health care.
- Diana Mason and Monica R. McLemore as featured presenters.
- Faculty experts including Lucinda Canty, Rae Walker, and Favorite Iradukunda '20PhD, speaking about a "new normal" for nurses, to use their voices to identify and advance key policy priorities.
Registration is now open and there is no cost to attend.
Congratulations are in order!
I have terrific news to share: Esther Uka '21 gave birth to a beautiful daughter, Samora! Both mother and baby are doing great.
Do you have news you'd like to share? Please share your news here, and I would be thrilled to feature it in an upcoming newsletter.
Calling PhD Graduates
Rae Walker, PhD Program Director, is looking to gather UMass Nursing PhD alumni feedback on the development of a remotely accessible post-PhD support workshop series. Potential topics might include:
- How to identify and pursue research-intensive roles like open tenure track academic positions or research-focused jobs in industry and the non-profit sector.
- How to increase support and recognition of your research expertise and scholarship, and access necessary mentoring, while on the clinical faculty track (or in a non-research-intensive role or environment).
- How to identify and pursue postdoctoral fellowships or other research training and career development opportunities (and what does that look like logistically, financially, etc).
- What resources exist here at the EMCON and beyond to support such efforts?
If you might be interested participating in such a workshop, or contributing your expertise as a presenter or moderator, please fill out this short form by Friday, November 15.
Stay in the loop
I know your life gets busy, so please consider staying in the know about the latest news from the college, including some fantastic pictures of what's happening on campus:
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Missed a previous newsletter? Catch up here on previous editions.
Pictures from recent events
C'Niyah Hines '27, Shaely Lora-Brito '27, Josie Thomas '27, Abena Ofori-Mensah '27; Seedworks Scholars at BusinessWest Dinner honoring Lucinda Canty as a 2024 Healthcare Hero on October 17, 2024 at the Log Cabin, Holyoke, MA.
Lee Myers '19DNP, Ben Monat, Linda Riley '74, Cheryl Sabola '85, Chelsea Ramos '25, Nancy Thompson '79, '91MS at Providence Alumni Reception at Xaco Taco on October 19, 2024.
EMCoN Faculty at American Academy of Nursing meeting, celebrating Jessica Dillard-Wright, Jeungok Choi, and Memnun Seven being inducted as fellows. Washington DC, November 1, 2024.
Please join us!
2024 Seedworks Symposium
Thursday, December 5, 2024
3 - 5 p.m.
Campus Center Auditorium
UMass Amherst
Register Here
UMass Hockey: Nurses Appreciation Night
Thursday, February 27, 2025
vs. UMass Lowell
Pre-Game Nursing Reception in Massachusetts Room and ticket to the game
Mullins Center
Save the Date - More Details Forthcoming
Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation (EMCNEI) Corner
The Elaine Marieb Center for Nursing and Engineering Innovation (EMCNEI) hosted nurses and nurse educators from the Baystate Medical Center Emergency Department (ED) in October. Ellen Smithline '21PhD, ED Director of Professional Practice, Outcomes, and Quality at Baystate Health brought the group to UMass. The group met with UMass faculty and graduate students, discussed healthcare collaborations, innovation needs and toured UMass lab facilities.
In Closing
I would like to thank our faculty, staff, students and alumni for their continued support. UMass has announced my re-appointment as the Dean of the college for an additional five years. I am honored to work with our campus community, and will strive every day to support our students, faculty and staff in the amazing work they do. It is my hope that through events such as the Western MA Healthcare Summit and the upcoming 2024 Seedworks Symposium we will continue to build together an inclusive and diverse community of nurses and nursing advocates.
Sincerely,
Allison Vorderstrasse
Professor and Dean
Elaine Marieb College of Nursing