UAB SHP Snapshots: Impressions of Alumni Excellence - Fall 2017

PHILANTHROPY ISSUE

SNAPSHOTS UAB School of Health Professions • Impressions of Alumni Excellence • Fall 2017 E-Magazine

BUILDING YOUR LEGACY

IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS

IGNITING THE FUTURE

{ SNAPSHOTS }

Impressions of SHP Alumni Excellence • Fall 2017

UAB Giving Day, which you saw us promote in our last Snapshots, had 41 donors give $1,370 to the Firehouse Shelter Crowdfunding campaign.

Another $310 in matching funds meant $1,680 went directly to our student-led Firehouse Shelter clinic.

What does that really mean?

It means this program, which includes students

“We shape our buildings; thereafter, our buildings shape us.”

— Winston Churchill

from every department in our school, can provide health care to nearly 50 men at no cost. It means free access to health care

This edition of Snapshots is dedicated to all the people who give in order to shape others. We look at the power of numbers and its impact on giving: the more who give – no matter the size of their gift – the more lives it impacts.

Quick example, the campaign to build our building’s top two floors saw more than 400 people contribute. Since opening, our Executive Learning Center has welcomed more than 35,000 people* to learn! Include the other learning spaces plus faculty and staff that work here and the numbers quickly increase exponentially.

for the homeless men who visit the shelter.

We would like to sincerely thank everyone who gave to each of our campaigns.

*The timeline for our statistics is August 15, 2013 through July 7, 2017.

Join our GLOBAL conversation ON YOUR favorite media outlet. /uabshp

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UAB School of Health Professions

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Go. Give. Serve.

Your SHP education is the foundation that built your future. Today, the place that helped build your future offers many ways for you to help build others’ futures.

GET INVOLVED SEPT 19: SHP Reception at

Braves game in Atlanta SEPT 28: PT Reception

GIVE BACK

SERVE OTHERS

ONLINE: uab.edu/shp/give

HOST Breakfast with Blazers

PHONE: Answer the call

GIVE a guest lecture

OCT 1: Dodging for Degrees

Tournament

from a student in the Annual Giving Office or call us at 205-996-5469

OCT 1-7: Homecoming Week

MAIL: Send a check

BE a mentor

OCT 6: HSA Women’s

ESTATE: Leave a legacy with

WRITE welcome notes to

a planned gift

incoming students

MATCH: Ask your employer

PARTICIPATE in one of our

Leadership Event

to match your gift

See all upcoming events!

Visit our event page: uab.edu/shpevents

Make a difference!

Contact Katie Adams: katiedav@uab.edu

BECOME a preceptor or

clinical instructor

many service opportunities

Get involved today!

Contact Amanda Sherman: asherman@uab.edu

DON’T MISS OUT: update your contact info at uab.edu/shp/alumni to receive alumni news & more.

JOIN US FOR OUR ANNUAL JAB DODGEBALL TOURNAMENT

Learn more: uab.edu/dodgingfordegrees or contact Amanda Burton Martin • aebmartin@uab.edu

SHP ALUMNI E-MAGAZINE • FALL 2017

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ALUMNI RECOGNITION

Alumni Excellence Our alumni are consistently recognized for service to their professions and to others — here are some of our most recent honorees.

Michelle Cardel (NS, 2009; R.D., DI, 2012; Ph.D. in NS, 2012) Outstanding Young Alumni Award, UAB

Deborah Grimes (HQS, 2016) named UAB Health System’s first Chief Diversity Officer.

Gwendolyn Gray (OT, 1972) Roster of Fellows, AOTA

Tara Franks Bailey (OT, 1994; AHS, 1999) Roster of Honor, AOTA

Ellen Strunk (PT, 1991) Lucy Blair Service Award, APTA

Callie Andrews (MSHA, Class 41) and Erin Yarbrough (HQS, 2014), 2017 Young Alumni Rising Star Award, UAB

Shanda Coomes Bland (MSHA, Class E47)

Regan Miller Jones (R.D., DI, 1998) Media Excellence Award, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Justin Bryant (MSHA, Class 47) Norman Bolus (NMT, 1989) elected 2017-18 President-Elect of Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS)

Courtney Duff-Harrison (OT, 2004) Keith Granger (RS, 1974) John Kueven (MSHA, Class 41) Mary Temm (DSc, 2013) Beth Whitehead (PT, 1972)

Samuel Hoskins (PA, 1973) Advanced Practice Clinician Award of Excellence, Bassett Healthcare Network

Dale Yake (PT, 1992)

SHARE YOUR SUCCESS: Tell us about your honors & achievements. shpalumni@uab.edu • 205-975-8415.

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ALUMNI RECOGNITION

Alumni in Action Oh the places our alumni go! No place is too far or too close for our alumni to get together.

NAS Scholarship Run

37th Annual National Symposium for Healthcare Executives

Junior Advisory Board showing off Blazer Pride

Nigel Brown (HQS, 2016), Linda Coogan (EMSHA, Class 40), John Kueven (MSHA, Class 41), Jim Burkhart (DSc, 2012; MSHA Class 13)

PA Alumni Reception, Las Vegas

GC Alumni Reception

Executive DSc Networking Reception

Class of 2015 graduates Sara Joyce, Lisa Bartlow, Alex Vaughan, Maureen LeFevre, and Katelyn Cresswell

National Society of Genetic Counselors convention, Columbus, Ohio

National Symposium for Healthcare Executives, Sandestin

HI Networking Reception

LVR Practice Update Course

Donna Martin Presentation

Cantina Laredo, Birmingham

School of Health Professions Building, UAB

President, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics with DI graduates

SHP ALUMNI E-MAGAZINE • FALL 2017

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WHAT WILL YOUR

IMPACT BE?

PHILANTHROPY

On paper, philanthropy is generous donations to good causes. But you don’t give on paper; we don’t help on paper; and our students don’t need on paper. In real life, philanthropy is real gifts with real impact on real people in real need.

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he director of operations of a healthcare system in Massachusetts is a high school dropout and he is in this elevated position because of real gifts from real people.

Nicholas Colleran (MSHA, Class 49) is a proud alumnus of our nationally ranked Master of Science in Health Administration program because people were generous with their time, their talent and their treasure.

“So many times money doesn’t allow us to do what we want in life but I believe education shouldn’t be one of them,” said Colleran, a member of MSHA, Class 49. “For many of us, these scholarships created the option to go where we wanted and many of us wouldn’t be here without them.”

Every student and every graduate has a story of how they got here. And each story generally begins with a dream. They dream to make a difference.

They dream to have an impact.

For some though, that dream is placed on hold unless someone helps them. The difference they wish to make and the impact they want to deliver must wait for another day, if at all.

One of our recent graduates, Dhara Shah, DPT (PT, 2015), has seen both sides of dreams. She spoke at our 2015 Scholarship Luncheon about the lifechanging impact that scholarships have on dreams, and in turn, reality.

“Growing up, dreams for me were seen always as just that, dreams, not reality,” said Shah. “My mother had a dream of becoming a microbiologist, however, in India a woman’s life revolved around

getting married to a man arranged for her: her dream was forgotten. My father wanted to go to college and be an accountant, but his father passed away and being the oldest he had to provide for his family: his dream was forgotten. So I say to the School of Health Professions scholarship donors: Thank you! Thank you for allowing my dreams to come to reality, and thank you for allowing all the students in this room to follow their dreams.”

For our impact investors, you can say this goes beyond individual dreams. You could look at it in investment terms and say it really is about ROI, but in this case, the return is in human capital.

It is the investment in faculty that can share top knowledge; state-of-the-art equipment to develop skills; mentors and preceptors to pass along experience; and technologically advanced learning settings to forever impact the next generation and beyond.

“These scholarships allowed us to come to this top ranked program that has been preparing us for the future,” said Colleran. “We will do everything in our power to show you that the generous scholarships you gave us were a good investment in the future of healthcare.”

So what will your impact be? Will it match the dreams of their future? Can it match the dreams of your legacy?

Well, don’t dream it, live it. The tradition of giving at our School is strong and it only grows stronger as people like you join in support or expand their current support. And for your support, we are all grateful. ●

“Growing up, dreams for me were seen always as just that, dreams, not reality... So I say to the School of Health Professions scholarship donors: Thank you! Thank you for allowing my dreams to come to reality." — DHARA SHAH

SHP ALUMNI E-MAGAZINE • FALL 2017

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YOUNG DONORS Our young donors are seeking new ways to give back. We are helping them deliver a hands-on, direct-impact legacy that supports the next generation.

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LASHONDA PEOPLES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT, 2005)

◗ Works with pediatric burn patients and children with mental illness

◗ Organizes the back-to-school supply drive for St. Paul AME Church

◗ Member of the SHP Junior Advisory Board

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aShonda Peoples does it all – she works full-time as an Occupational Therapist at Children’s of Alabama, raises two young boys with her husband, volunteers in her community and supports UAB through her time, talent, and treasure.

In 2008, only three years after graduating from the OT program, Peoples began remembering the out-of-pocket expenses she endured during her second year.

“While preparing for the National Board Certification exam, my classmates and I were looking for financial resources for study materials and registration fees but we couldn’t find anything,” said Peoples, “books alone felt like tuition and thinking about additional materials for licensing seemed daunting.”

This memory sparked a vision that Peoples quickly turned to reality, a scholarship that provided support for licensing exams, the National Board Certification Exam, and study materials for 2nd year OT students. The sponsored scholarship was named Helping Occupational Therapy Students Succeed (HOTSS).

Sponsored scholarships provide impact immediately at the value they are established at so as the fund grows, the opportunity for

real-time impact multiplies.

“Anyone can set aside $10 or $25 to give to a scholarship that you know will do a lot of good for a student, especially at a place like the School of Health Professions where you know good people are doing good things,” said Peoples.

HOTSS was a collaborative effort - Peoples rallied her family and fellow alumni to support the fund.

To date, 12 students have received the scholarship. This launched a chain of giving with former recipients of the fund now supporting it as alumni.

Peoples believes in the chain of giving and in people. She believes both will sustain HOTSS because she knows many others feel the same way she does: “I have my family and I have my work and I have my life, but giving makes everything fall into place.” ●

Peoples and HOTSS Recipient, Keaira Gunn, at the 2016 Scholarship luncheon.

PHIL ANTHROPY FEATURE

DOMINIQUE FORTE DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY (DPT, 2015)

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raduate. Find a job. Move to a new city. Find a place to live. These are the goals on most new graduates’ minds.

But for Dominique Forte – her list of goals looked different. At the top – establish a scholarship.

“As I walked across the stage at graduation, I reflected on my time at UAB – the people who helped me accomplish my goals: family, professors and staff in the School, plus the donors who generously established scholarships that benefited me,” said Forte. “That’s when I realized how blessed I was to have such support, and that many are not as fortunate.

At that moment I thought, I must assist students by removing that financial barrier” She started a conversation with David Morris, Ph.D., Chair of the

◗ Served on 3 PT

◗ Junior Advisory

◗ Secretary for AL

Mission Trips in 2 countries

Board member of SHP and NAS

Chapter of APTA

Department of Physical Therapy and her former professor, and it only took a few brief conversations to make it happen.

And just like that – well ahead of her self-imposed one-year deadline – Forte established the Bridging the Gap scholarship.

Each year, her scholarship provides funds for students in the final year of the DPT program to take the National Physical Therapy Exam as well as the PT jurisprudence exams.

Both exams are required to earn a PT license in the state of Alabama. Together, they can cost more than $800 – a lot of money for anyone, but especially significant for a recent graduate.

That was the situation Forte found herself in less than two years ago. That was the situation

that inspired her.

“I encourage all graduates to think about who and what inspired your educational journey,” said Forte. “Use that inspiration to make an impact on others!” ●

Inaugural BTG scholarship recipients Louise Webb and Reilly Beilman with Dominique Forte at the 2016 DPT Graduation Reception.

“Everyone who graduates should think about who and what impacted their journey, I guarantee someone at UAB helped you and I encourage you to ask yourself: how can I help others on their journey?” — DOMINIQUE FORTE

SHP ALUMNI E-MAGAZINE • FALL 2017

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STUDENT IMPACT A scholarship is a gift that has a direct impact on a student who will have a direct impact on the world.

MELODY WELDON DIETETIC INTERNSHIP (DI, 2017)

students have received critical funding to support their graduate studies in Nutrition Sciences.

The 2017 recipient, Melody Weldon, who grew up as a foster child, says without this funding pursuing her graduate education and dream of being a dietitian would not have been possible.

“Only three percent of former foster children graduate from college and less than 1 percent finish a graduate degree,” said Weldon. “The financial support from donors like Ms. Bradley have helped me fight this statistic and show others like me that nothing is impossible.”

Weldon was raised at the Big Oak Ranch, a group home in Springville, Alabama, that provides a nurturing environment for children separated from their biological families. She started living at Big Oak Ranch at the age of 10, lived there through high school, and in transition housing at the Ranch’s campus while attending undergraduate school at Jacksonville State University.

“I lived with a house mom and dad plus six other girls and I consider all of them family,” said Weldon. “They provided me with love, stability, security and the

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ndowed scholarships are unique, their impact starts once established and continues in perpetuity.

In 2005, through the generous contributions of Rebecca “Becky” Bradley (DI, 1980), alumna and former program director of the Dietetic Internship Program, alongside many alumni that she had impacted throughout her career, the Rebecca L. Bradley Endowed Scholarship was established. Since its establishment, more than 10

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Weldon and Bradley visit the Big Oak Ranch.

PHIL ANTHROPY FEATURE

“Only 3% of former foster children graduate from college and less than 1% finish a graduate degree. The financial support from donors like Ms. Bradley have helped me fight this statistic and show others like me that nothing is impossible” — MELODY WELDON

Weldon and Bradley with some of her Big Oak Ranch family: Mary Graham (Social Worker), Reagan Croyle Phillips (Childcare Team Director), Brodie Croyle (Executive Director) and John Croyle (Founder)

life-lessons and skills to grow and serve others.”

All of our donors have the opportunity to interact with the scholarship recipients. Many attend our annual Scholarship Luncheon in Birmingham to meet them in person. Bradley, who attends the luncheon, went one step further and recently visited the Big Oak Ranch with Weldon to learn more about her upbringing and understand the impact this scholarship has had on her life.

At the visit, Weldon’s army of support throughout her life, came together and boasted with pride, consistently saying – Melody is here because she chose to be.

“Big Oak Ranch laid the foundation for Melody to thrive but her perseverance to succeed comes from within. Seeing her passion for nutrition, her desire to impact others through the field and commitment to serving as an example to other

foster children is inspiring,” said Bradley. “It brings me joy to know that my financial support, and the support of others, is shaping the life of someone that will go on to do great things for themselves and others.”

Weldon graduated UAB in August 2017 with a Master’s of Science in Nutrition Sciences, Clinical Track – Dietetic Internship. Her next steps are to take national exams to become a Registered Dietitian (R.D.). ●

SHP ALUMNI E-MAGAZINE • FALL 2017

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TORCHLIGHTERS The SHP Torchlighters Society is an exclusive group of donors igniting the path for future generations of students and faculty.

HOWARD AND SHANNON HOUSER

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torch is a symbol of hope, life and regeneration. And that is why UAB honors those who have remembered us in their estate plans or in a planned gift outside of their estate with admission to the Torchlighters Society.

There are few – anywhere at UAB let alone SHP – who have lit a flame that has burned brighter or longer than Howard and Shannon Houser (HIM, 1993).

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Howard began working at UAB in 1965, which is before UAB was actually UAB. In 1970, after a stint in Iowa, he was named the second Director of the Masters of Hospital and Health Administration Program. Since then, Howard has taught thousands of healthcare students and every Class in our Master of Science in Health Administration program. He was named Department Chair in 1975.

Shannon is a three-time UAB graduate, which began with the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management from our school when we were known as the School of Health Related Professions. She joined the faculty in 2004 in the Department of Health Services Administration and has taught numerous undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of health information management/informatics, and healthcare management.

In addition to their legacy with UAB students, Howard and Shannon have impacted healthcare students in China for decades.

Together, they have hosted more than 300 visiting Chinese students, scholars and medical delegations at UAB, many of them played and are playing leadership roles in Chinese health care.

In 1984, Howard helped develop health administration education in that country and created the UAB School of Health Professions Master of Science in Health Administration Sino-American Joint Program, which graduated its only class in 1989.

Trevor Chen, known as CHEN Hua in his home country of China, was one of those graduates.

Recently he said Howard “was much more than a professor – he was and still is, a true friend and mentor to us all.” Because of the impact Howard had on his life, he recently endowed the Chen Hua Endowed Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Howard W. Houser. His gift will provide scholarship support to MSHA students in perpetuity.

There is also an endowed fund in Howard’s name for an MSHA professor. The Howard W. Houser Endowed Professor in Health Administration was funded by the Housers as well as numerous alumni and others who learned from the Housers. The first recipient, Amy Yarbrough Landry, is the MSHA program director and has been a student and co-teacher of Howard’s and a colleague of Howard and Shannon.

Howard officially retired in 2011, after more than 40 years at UAB, yet he continues to work as a professor

PHIL ANTHROPY FEATURE

emeritus. Shannon continues to work as an associate professor in the Graduate Programs in Health Informatics. But thanks to their philanthropic efforts, their direct impact on students will continue long after they stop teaching. And because they are funding their scholarship now – they will also see the impact of their gifts while they continue to teach.

Their newly created scholarship, the Howard W. and Shannon H.S. Houser Endowed Scholarship in Health Services Administration, will support students in the Department of Health Services Administration. They are funding their gift now so the first award will be given to a student this year. The scholarship is also part

of their planned giving efforts with Howard’s estate, which will significantly add to the scholarship at his passing.

George Bernard Shaw once said, “Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” The Housers both agree.

The Houser’s generosity, which includes the Howard W. Houser, Ph.D. Endowment Fund for Reynolds-Finley Historical Library, will ignite future generations across UAB and across the healthcare industry. Their legacy will blaze on in perpetuity. ●

Torchlighters The SHP Torchlighters include current and former faculty and staff, family and alumni.

Robert C. Chapman ✦

Myron & Carol Fottler ✦

Barbara Gower

✦

Howard Houser

✦

Carol Medders

✦

Bill Parker

✦

Dorothy Pinkston

✦

Sue Shaddeau

✦

Jon Vice

✦

O. Elizabeth Whitehead ✦

Tsinghua University student WANG Min with the Houser’s

MAKE A LASTING IMPACT: To learn how, contact Katie Adams • 205-996-5469 • katiedav@uab.edu

SHP ALUMNI E-MAGAZINE • FALL 2017

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CONSECUTIVE DONORS Our tradition of excellence is due to a legacy of generosity – a lifetime of giving by our most loyal alumni.

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e see the dedication in this snapshot of a few of our donors like Robert C. Chapman (MSHA, Class 6) who has given back 33 straight years and Megan Cooley (HCM, 2008) who has contributed every year since she graduated. We see this devotion in Betty Denton (PT, 1969) who has supported us 28 straight years and in Beth Baker (NMT, 2002) who earned her degree at age 55 and gives back every year.

Commitment, constancy and enthusiasm are distinctive features of our consecutive givers. We are grateful to each of these below and to all of you who support SHP year in and year out. ●

“Alumni generosity made our experience great; we owe it to the next generation of students to give back to make theirs even better." — MEGAN COOLEY

“Giving back helps ensure a quality education for future students enabling them to be future leaders in health care.”

— ROBERT C. CHAPMAN

“UAB PT set high standards in the pursuit of excellence and they continue today. I want them to continue into the future and that is why I give to UAB DPT. "— BETT Y DENTON

“I feel blessed to be able to give because of assistance I received and I want to give back to the program.”

— BETH BAKER

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Great Things are Results of Small Things The little things do add up and often we see the power of donors’ compound interest in our endowed gifts.

PAST LECTURERS 2017:

Shirley Sahrmann, PT, PhD, FAPTA

2016:

Steven L. Wolf, PT, PhD, FAPTA, FAHA

2015:

Pamela Duncan, PT, PhD, FAPTA, FAHA

2014: Gossman’s nephew Russ Hyde (PT, 1992), Calvin Clarke, Marsha Clarke, Carole Matcham and Dr. Harold Jones

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hat if we told you more than 300 people donated to support a lectureship in honor of the second program director and first chair of our Department of Physical Therapy? Probably no surprise.

But what if we told you they combined to give more than $100,000?!?!

It is true that no gift is too small.

It is also true that a series of small gifts can combine to create one great gift. And in this case, that gift is the Marilyn R. Gossman Endowed Lectureship for the Advancement of Physical Therapy.

Marilyn R. Gossman, PT, PhD, FAPTA, was a physical therapist, educator, researcher

and influential leader. In her honor, each year, a renowned therapist, who has made profound contributions to the profession, is selected to give a lecture that is free and open to the public. It is another unique opportunity to make a direct impact beyond SHP and beyond UAB. In only four years, we have seen the best of the best in the PT field deliver lectures.

In only four years, we have seen DPT students return to learn as alumni.

In only four years, this event that is open to anyone has become a gathering place for physical therapists everywhere who, like Gossman herself, believe the

Anthony Delitto, PT, PhD, FAPTA

pursuit of knowledge does not end at graduation.

This event has an immeasurable impact when you consider all who attend year in and year out, as well as all those they treat year in and year out. We hope you will join us for this momentous annual occasion next year. ●

SAVE THE DATE! Richard K. Shields, PT, PhD, FAPTA will give the lecture on Thursday, March 8, 2018, and we hope you will join us for another momentous event!

MAKE YOUR IMPACT: When you give something, you change everything. uab.edu/marilyngossman

SHP ALUMNI E-MAGAZINE • FALL 2017

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10/1

10/3

10/4

10/6

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DODGING FOR DEGREES

BUILDING DECORATION

UAB GURNEY DERBY

HOMECOMING PARADE

BLAZERS VS. LOUISIANA TECH

JOIN US OCTOBER 1-7! It has been more than 1,000 days since our last celebration. It’s about time you RETURNED home!

For more information & events:

uab.edu/homecoming