For Immediate Release May 14, 2005

For More Information Contact: Rich Schneider, 317-278-4564 rcschnei@iupui.edu

Awards Presented at School of Nursing Reunion Weekend

INDIANAPOLIS - Five individuals were presented awards recognizing their work in the field of nursing or on behalf of the School of Nursing at the spring alumni luncheon at the School of Nursing reunion weekend.

The recipients are:

Mary Luanne Lilly, PhD, RN

Clinical Excellence Award - Mary Luanne Lilly, PhD, RN

Established in 1990, this award is presented annually to an alumna/alumnus of the Indiana University School of Nursing, who has graduated within the last ten years, and who has made significant contributions to the clinical practice of nursing.

Mary Luanne Lilly currently serves in three roles for Indiana University. She works for IU School of Nursing as an assistant professor in the Department of Environments for Health. Lilly also is a family care coordinator at the Indiana University Alzheimer's Clinic. Her final role for Indiana University is as an adjunct assistant professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

In her current position as an IU School of Nursing faculty member, Lilly has taught courses that have enabled future clinical nurse specialists and researchers to learn and put into practice knowledge essential to providing safe and effective care for geriatric persons.

According to nominator Sandy Wood, "Lilly is a teacher, researcher, scholar, but most of all, a clinician. She role models what all nurses strive to be - a knowledgeable, committed, caring nurse who endeavors to learn, care, and pass on what she knows to students, families and the public."

 

Anne Mitchem-Davis

Distinguished Alumni Award - Anne Mitchem-Davis

Established in 1974, this award is presented annually to an outstanding alumna/alumnus of the Indiana University School of Nursing, who is nationally or internationally recognized for significant professional and/or academic contributions to the field of nursing and/or health care.

Anne Mitchem-Davis is a 1953 graduate School of Nursing and was the first African-American to graduate from the school.

She spent her early days as a school nurse with the Marion County Department of Health and Hospitals in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mitchem-Davis went on to serve as a staff nurse and assistant supervisor in the Visiting Nurse Association of Boston. She continued her career path as a nursing advisor for the Consultation and Education Program at Boston University.

Next Mitchem-Davis worked with Boston City Hospital in its outpatient department as a nursing director for 13 years. She then entered into academics as chairman of the College of Nursing for Chicago State University. During her tenure at Chicago State, she also served as Acting Dean and was awarded advisor of the year (1983) and twice awarded faculty member of the year (1984, 1985). Mitchem-Davis then became chairman of Senior Studies for the College of Nursing at Howard University. During her time at Howard, she also functioned as coordinator of the Mississippi Delta Project and served as assistant dean of the School of Nursing.

 

Joyce Splann Krothe, BSN, MSN, DNS

Distinguished Service Award - Joyce Splann Krothe, BSN, MSN, DNS

Established in 1960, this award is presented annually to an alumna/alumnus of the Indiana University School of Nursing, who has made significant volunteer and/or service contributions to the IU School of Nursing, its alumni association, the nursing profession, and/or the community.

According to nominator Deanna Reising, "Dr. Krothe has worked diligently to establish access to health care services for uninsured residents in Brown County." Krothe also serves as the Director of the baccalaureate program of the Indiana University School of Nursing on the Bloomington campus.

In 1996, Krothe received initial funding from the Indiana State Department of Health to establish the Brown County Health Support Clinic, a nurse-managed clinic. Since then she has received funding in excess of $1 million to provide a wide range of health promotion, health education, and disease prevention services to the community. The clinic also serves as a clinical service-learning setting for nursing students in rural health and nurse-managed care.

In 2000, Krothe was recognized by the Indiana Rural Health Association with the Rural Health Award for community services at the local level. In 2003, she received the Tony and Mary Hulman Achievement Award for Preventive Medicine and Public Health from the Indiana Public Health Foundation, Inc. and the Public Health Nurse Creative Achievement Award from the Public Health Nursing section of the American Public Health Association. Krothe was also selected as a Community-Campus Partnership in Health Fellow in 2002-03. The service-learning component of the project was recognized by Indiana University's Committee on Distinguished Teaching in 2002 when Krothe received the Thomas Ehrlich Award for Excellence in Service Learning.

 

Sharon L. Sims, PhD, RN

Honorary Alumna Award - Sharon L. Sims, PhD, RN

Established in 1970, this award is presented annually to a non-alumna/alumnus of the Indiana University School of Nursing, in recognition of outstanding contributions of time, leadership, service to the field of nursing, and dedicated efforts to bring greater recognition to the nursing profession and/or the Indiana University School of Nursing.

Sharon "Sherry" Sims currently serves as the Chair for the Indiana University School of Nursing Department of Family Health on the IUPUI campus. According to nominator Phyllis Noerager Stern ," Not only is Sherry a favorite with both faculty and administration for her leadership and scholarship here in the school, she has increased public awareness of the IU School of Nursing on the local, regional, and national scene."

Sims has worked tirelessly on behalf of the School of Nursing , doing public service in the Shalom Nurse Run Clinic, serving on regional committees, communicating with the higher levels of the university, and mentoring faculty in her department.

According to nominator Phyllis Noerager, Stern it is "without a doubt, she is nonpareil as a candidate for the IU School of Nursing Alumni Association Honorary Alumni Award."

 

Jane R. Pinkerton, RN, BSN, CDE

Special Recognition Award - Jane R. Pinkerton, RN, BSN, CDE

Established in 1978, this award is presented annually to an individual(s) or group who has provided significant contributions of time, energy, and aid to the growth and development of the Indiana University School of Nursing and/or its Alumni Association.

Jane Pinkerton is a 1969 graduate from the BSN program. Since 2000 she has served as a Diabetes Nurse Educator with the multidisciplinary team of the Chicago Children's Diabetes Center at La Rabida Children's Hospital.

Before this position Pinkerton served as Health Services Coordinator for the Valparaiso Community Schools from 1988 to 2000. This position was responsible for health and safety needs of 6,000 students and 800 staff. It was during her tenure at this position Pinkertonwas honored with the Indiana School Nurse of the Year in 1995 -1996 by the Indiana Department of Education and the Indiana State Department of Health.

Pinkerton has also been selected as a member of the first School Nurse Academy (1998 - 2000) and as Indiana 's delegate to the National School Safety Center for training in 1999. She has also served as a member of the Indiana Association of School Nurses since 1991, and on the Board of Directors (1997-2000) as Legislative liaison.

Dean Emerita Angela McBride who nominated her for the award wrote in the nomination that she remembers having a conversation at Jane's 30 th reunion in which Jane said "there are two lasting bequests we can give our children-one is roots and the other wings." Dean McBride went on to say in the nomination that Jane's "strong commitment to child advocacy that has sought to motivate school nurses to use their collective professional voice and to encourage IUSON to play a leadership role within school health."

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