Congrats, Doctors!

Congrats Doctors! Francis Marion University graduated its first class of doctoral students at its fall commencement ceremony on December 15, 2018. Seven students received their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. FMU launched the program as part of a strategic mission to help improve health care access in the Pee Dee and beyond, and to provide meaningful career paths for students. The DNPs will help by serving as both frontline practitioners and in faculty roles at colleges and universities. Recent graduate, Dr. Australia Greene of Miami, Fla., says “being able to put time into this level of research, into topics that we’d see every day in a practice or a hospital, can make a real difference. I’m looking forward to doing more of this in the years ahead.” Dr. Ruth Wittmann-Price, dean of FMU’s School of Health Sciences, says the DNP was a natural and needed extension of the University’s growing programs in health care education. The Department of Nursing is now accepting applications for the Fall 2019 MSN to DNP program and BSN to DNP program. To view admission criteria and submit an application, please visit https://www.fmarion.edu/healthsciences/nursing/programs/dnp/ or contact Dr. Deborah Hopla at (843) 661-1693 or email DHopla@fmarion.edu

Congratulations, PAs!

Francis Marion University’s School of Health Sciences graduated the first class of Physician Assistants. The 32-member class culled from more than a thousand applicants graduated December 15, 2018. “This graduating class really solidified for us the importance of collaboration,” says Marin. “Their performance and feedback has really played a huge role in the success of the program. I am very proud of each and every one of them and I am extremely proud to now call them colleagues. I am excited to witness the impact they will have on healthcare in the Pee Dee region.”

In Memory of Dr. Willa Alfreda “Freda” Campbell Wilson

Dr. Wilson, 70 years old, Director of the inaugural program in Speech and Language Pathology at FMU, entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, December 25, 2018 following a valiant battle with an extended illness. Wilson was a feminist, social justice activist, scholar, and international healthcare development, specialist. She served in such diverse roles as CEO, director, consultant, project officer, and professor at universities and healthcare agencies in national and international arenas. Each of these roles required leadership and development skills.

She has served as Professor of Communication Disorders at Florida State University, South Carolina State University, King Saud University, San Jose State University, Tennessee State University, and Jackson State University over a period of nearly forty years. Before working in education and healthcare development in the Middle East, Dr. Wilson served as Professor of Communication Disorders and Clinical Supervisor at South Carolina State University. She also concurrently served as the lead investigator of the Communication in Rural Children research project, a USDA federally-funded initiative.

During the earlier stage of her career, before venturing abroad where she became affectionately known as the “American mother of Speech-Language Pathology in Saudi Arabia,” she was the protégé of the late Dr. Harold Powell, the founding chair of the SLP/A Department at SCSU. From 1975 to 1978, she was the first African American faculty member in the Department of Communication Disorders at Florida State University. She was the first African American to earn masters and doctoral degrees in Communication Disorders from the University of Illinois in 1972 and 1975, respectively. Her research, teaching, and clinical interests were in the areas of international and multicultural perspectives in speech-language pathology, child language developmental disabilities and neurogenics. Dr. Wilson was especially interested in issues impacting underserved, multicultural, rural, and remote populations. She did extensive research, teaching, and clinical service in the Middle East and the Arab Diaspora. A distinguished Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) since 1995, she was the Palmetto Upstate Woman of the Year and South Carolina Career Woman of the Year. She received the NAFEO Distinguished Alumni Award and served as the Dwight D. Eisenhower Citizen’s Ambassador for Russia and the Czech Republic. She was also a Fulbright Scholar in India. Surviving Dr. Wilson are her husband of 44 years, Dr. Johnny R. Wilson (retired and part-time Professor at Francis Marion University), her daughter Jamia Akilah Wilson (author, speaker, director of the Feminist Press at CUNY), her sister Dr. Kay Frances Campbell (artist), her son-in-law Travis Sullivan (jazz musician and music educator), and a host of cousins, nieces, and nephews on the McKinnie, Campbell and Wilson sides of her family throughout the Continental USA. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to South Carolina State College Foundation or the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. On February 8, 2019, Dr. Wilson was posthumously awarded the Frank R. Kleffner Award from the South Carolina Speech Language Hearing Association (SCSHA) at their annual awards luncheon. The Frank R. Kleffner Lifetime Clinical Career Award recognizes an individual’s outstanding contributions to communication sciences and disorders over a period of at least 20 years. The lifetime contribution may have been in clinical service, supervision or administration of clinical service, clinical research, or any other activity that has promoted clinical excellence. The award is given in honor of Frank R. Kleffner, a former ASHA Foundation president and former ASHA president, who worked tirelessly over his lifetime until his passing in 2015 to professionalize and expand the ASHA Foundation’s charitable goals. Dr. Nia I Johnson, CCC-SLP, Coordinator of Clinical Services accepted the award on her behalf.

Congrats Rebecca Perales! Rebecca graduated from FMU in 2014 with her BSN and 2017 with her MSN. She is currently a new nursing professor for Williamsburg Technical College for the ADN program. Before Rebecca transitioned into the role as professor, she was a supervisor at McLeod for 2 years. She has also taught clinical for FMU’s Department of Nursing for 3 semesters.

Congrats Gabrielle Scott! Gabrielle graduated from FMU in 2008 with her BSN and 2018 with her MSN Nurse Educator degree. Upon graduation, she accepted an instructor of nursing position at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College in the LPN program. Before Gabrielle transitioned into the role as instructor, she worked for Fresenius Kidney Care as a Hemodialysis Access Nurse and served as an adjunct clinical instructor for Francis Marion University’s undergraduate nursing program.

The last meeting for the Fall 2018 for the

Minority Nursing Association was

held November 13, 2018. Mrs. Marcie Patterson, RN for 20 years at McLeod Regional Medical Center was the guest speaker. Mrs. Patterson spoke of her challenges that she faced along her journey starting as a

Certified Surgical Technologist, a Licensed Practical Nurse, an Associate Degree Nurse and now a Bachelor of Science prepared Nurse. Her topic was: How to Remain Focused While Facing Adversity during Your Nursing School Journey.” She stressed to the participants that it is important to step up and take responsibility and that there is a nursing license for you if you work hard to earn it.

HopeHealth Federally Qualified Health Center and Francis Marion University School of Health Sciences Healthcare Administration (HCA) program partnered to offer four (4) competitive internships to graduating seniors in the HCA program. This was the first partnership between HopeHealth and the HCA program at Francis Marion. Janeshia Middleton, Shantel Jordan, Monique Simmons and Sheniqwa Moore (all pictured below with Dr. Kershner, Director of the HCA program) were selected to participate in the internships in Fall 2018 and all graduated in December 2018 with a Bachelors in Healthcare Administration.

Congratulations to the December 2018

Class of Family Nurse Practitioners!

The FMU Nursing Department hosted “Professional Day” to give students the opportunity to meet with future potential employers in the area and to learn about Nursing organizations and graduate programs offered at Francis Marion University School of Health Sciences.

The Minority Nursing Association guest speaker for October 16, 2018 was Dr. Irene Reed Singletary. Dr. Singletary’s topic was “How Do I Get Here to There? Goal Setting” in which she incorporated her six nuggets for life which were given to her by her father. The six nuggets for life were: (1) Getting Anchored: Getting to know the source of your true strength so that you will have a foundation on which to stand as you strive to fulfill the purpose for which you were created. (2) Know Your Purpose: Know the purpose for which you were given life and do not let doubt get in the way of you fulfilling it. (3) Whose Job is It?: The job is not yours; it belongs to the person, company or organization that hired you. Thus, do the tasks you were hired to do at the highest level or risk being replaced. (4) How Important Do You Think You Are in the Class/Work Place?: Never think you are too important to be replaced. Do your best at all times. (5) Always be Able to Return: Never leave a job to which you cannot return. As you cross bridges, do not burn them because you may need those same bridges to support you on your return trip. (6) Be a Class Act: Always carry yourself with dignity and grace as a lady and a gentleman in the manner of which you speak, dress, and interact with others and handle your temperament. Her presentation was inspirational to the attendees. In summary, she wanted each member to know that life is a journey and to continue to learn and grow as they travel their journey.

Congrats, Tiffany Murphy!

Congrats Tiffany Murphy (December 2018 graduate of the Healthcare Administration program) for accepting the position as Clinical Administrative Assistant in the Speech

Language Pathology Program led by Dr. Nia Johnson in the Carter Center for Health Sciences. It is always an honor to be able to hire our School of Health Sciences Alumni!

BRAVO to some of our own

Health Sciences Faculty as

they performed in the FMU

production “Oldest

Profession” by Paula Vogel

Dr. Skye Lewis played Ursula the prostitute that was driven mad by financial concern

Dr. Dorie Weaver played Vera the lone survivor of five old prostitutes in NYC

Dr. Ruth Wittmann-Price played the madam that held the group together for over 50 years

Congrats Dr. Nia Johnson!

Dr. Nia Johnson was named Interim Director of the School of Health Sciences Speech Language Pathology program. She also serves as the Coordinator of Clinical Services and Assistant Professor in the program.

Congrats Dr. Wendy Hatchell! Dr. Wendy Hatchell presented and passed her final Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) project at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Dr. Hatchell received her DNP degree in December 2018.

Congrats Dr. Hopla

and Dr. Muller!

Dr. Hopla and Dr. Muller won first place for their poster

presentation session at the Southern Regional Education

Board (SREB) Council on Collegiate Education for

Nursing (CCNE) 2018 Annual Conference in Atlanta,

Georgia.

The SREB Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing

helps strengthen schools of nursing at colleges and

universities to reduce the critical shortage of nurse

educators needed to train the nation’s registered nurses.

The title of the poster was: Transformational Education

for APRNs: Educating Providers about LGBTQ populations.

Congrats Dr. Gittings and Dr. Wittmann-Price

Dr. Gittings and Dr. Wittmann-Price earned the new Certified Academic Clinical Nurse

Educator (CNEcl) credential from the National League for Nursing. The Academic Clinical

Nurse Educator credential demonstrates expertise in clinical nursing education.

Technology-enabled population health collaboration

The School of Health Sciences and the Computer Science Department from the School of Business combined to receive a $100,000 grant from the South Carolina Research Authority.

Led Dr. Sarah Kershner from Health Sciences and by Prof. Rao and Dr. Araujo from the Computer Science department, this grant will be used to produce a phone app which will allow users to search for free/low-cost medical services in the area.

The app may also be used to record medical values such as blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc. for later viewing by a healthcare provider.

Welcome back

Dr. Chico Umeweni!

The School of Health Sciences is excited to announce the return of Dr. Chico Umeweni.

Dr. Umeweni will be teaching in the Department of Nursing and the Healthcare Administration program starting in Fall 2019.

The Department of Nursing Welcomes New Instructors

Anna Katherine Townsend, MSN, APRN,

FNP-C, C-EFM, began teaching for Francis

Marion University in Summer 2018 as an

adjunct instructor of nursing.

She then joined the Francis Marion University

Nursing faculty full time in August 2018 as an

instructor of nursing.

Anna Katherine will be teaching in both the

graduate and undergraduate nursing

programs. Additionally, she has returned to

school to pursue her doctorate of nursing

practice.

Megan Wayne, MSN, RN joined the Francis

Marion University Nursing faculty full time in

August 2018 as an instructor of nursing and

was hired as an Assistant Professor in the

Department of Nursing in Spring 2019.