USF College of Nursing celebrates start of 2013-2014 academic year during Opening Days

University of South Florida College of Nursing kicked off the 2013-2014 academic year during Opening Days with the annual tradition of presentations, meetings, workshops, and fun activities for faculty and staff Aug. 21 through Aug. 23, 2013.

Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, professor, senior associate vice president of USF Health and dean of the College of Nursing, launched the three-day event with an exciting presentation to a packed room of over 100 faculty and staff on August 20, 2012. During her opening presentation, Dr. Morrison-Beedy recognized new faculty and staff who joined over College over the past year.

Denise J. Maguire, PhD, RN, CNL, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Nursing Awards Committee presented 13 awards to outstanding faculty and staff.

2012-2013 Awards include:

Teaching Awards

• Innovative Teaching Award: Barbara A. Redding, EdD, RN, CNE, Director of Office of Program Evaluations and Professor

Research Awards

• New Investigator Award: Denise J. Maguire, PhD, RN, CNL, Assistant Professor

• Established Investigator Award: Cindy Munro, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, FAAN, Professor and Associate Dean, Research and Innovation

• Research Article of the Year Award: Dianne Morrison-Beedy, PhD, RN, WHNP-BC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN, Professor, Senior Associate Vice President of USF Health and Dean of the College of Nursing

• Clinical and Teaching Article Award: Denise Passmore, PhD, Assistant Professor and Academic Writer

Community Service Awards

• Professional Service Award: Debra Friedrich, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C, CLS, FNLA, Assistant Professor and Concentration Director for Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Community Service Award: Cindy S. Tofthagen, PhD, ARNP, AOCNP, Assistant Professor and Concentration Director for Oncology

Staff Awards

• Staff Leadership Award: Troy Hambrick, Lab Assistant for Virtual Simulation

• Staff Teamwork Award: Selena Thomason, Clinical Site Coordinator

• New Staff Award: Marianne Goossens, Instructional Developer

• Staff of the Year Award: Dewel Lindsey, Coordinator of Enrollment & Curriculum Management

• True Unsung Hero: Diane Lee-Gordon, Coordinator of Administrative Affairs

• Diversity Enhancement Award: Kimberly Brown, Support Specialist and Chair of USF Nursing Diversity Committee

In addition, Don Snyder, Director of Development and Edwin Hernandez, Assistant Director of Alumni Relations, announced that the USF College of Nursing received a 2013 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence Bronze Award for the B.E.A.R.S. (Bulls Encouraging and Assisting through Research and Scholarship) Collaborative Program. Through B.E.A.R.S, the College delivered more than 200 bears to sick children at local hospitals. The College created B.E.A.R.S in 2012 in an effort to provide alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends with a new way to support their alma mater, and make a significant impact in the community.

USF College of Nursing Associate Professor, Versie M. Johnson-Mallard, PhD, ARNP, MSN, MSMS, was honored for receiving her tenure and promotion to Associate Professor at the College effective Aug.  7, 2013. She received high-fives from faculty and staff as she descended the auditorium stairs on her way to the podium at the front of the room.

Dean Morrison-Beedy concluded the presentation discussing the College accomplishments and acknowledged faculty and staff for their tireless efforts to make the College successful regionally and nationally.

College of Nursing’s Associate Deans presented on the College’s academic successes and new initiatives. Rita F. D’Aoust, PhD, ACNP, ANP-BC, CNE, FAANP, FNAP, Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Interprofessional Initiatives at USF College of Nursing, presented on the College’s educational excellence and interprofessioanal initiatives. Cindy L. Munro, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, FAAN, Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Innovation discussed research and innovation at the College of Nursing. Connie Visovsky, PhD, RN, ACNP-BC, Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Community Engagement, updated faculty and staff on the College’s current student affairs information. Anne Philips, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Administrative Affairs at the USF College of Nursing presented information about administrative affairs, infrastructure optimization and fiscal responsibility.

Other presentations covered the College’s strategic planning process,  child abuse prevention, and updating faculty/staff information online. Also during the three-day event, Chief Diversity Officer for USF System, Dr. Jose Hernandez, spoke to faculty and staff about the importance of diversity in the workplace and USF’s plans for the upcoming academic year in the diversity office.

Faculty and staff were also treated with two End of Summer Salad Bar lunches, hosted by USF Nursing Diversity Committee. During the event, the USF Nursing Diversity Chair Committee, Kimberly Brown, awarded the person who brought the most unique salad bar topping, wasabi peas. The winner was USF Nursing Instructor and Director of Virtual Simulation Center of Excellence and Clinical Education, Marisa Belote, RN, BSN, MBA.

Faculty and staff concluded the annual Opening Days activities with Connection Time, complete with USF-themed cupcakes and iced tea.