(Photo courtesy of Ryan DiVita)

Transcription

1 It was a night to remember at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel as the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing celebrated the nursing profession and honored its dean, May L. Wykle, with the announcement of a new endowed professorship in her name. The May L. Wykle Professorship is the first endowed chair in the university s history to be named for an African American, and it joins only a handful of nursing professorships named for African Americans in the entire nation. (Photo courtesy of Ryan DiVita) In all, more than 600 organizations and individual donors supported the new May L. Wykle Professorship, including numerous people who gave $1,000 and above. The three lead gifts were provided by The Payne Fund, The Elisabeth Severance Prentiss Foundation and Dr. Paul Bilka, and the event s presenting sponsors were The Cleveland Clinic, Forest City Enterprises, and University Hospitals Case Medical Center.

2 Close to 500 guests filled the hotel s Grand Ballroom for The Art and Soul of Nursing: A Celebration, where they mingled and admired renowned photographer Nannette Bedway s brilliant black and white nursing photos in a gallery setting. The emcee of the event, WKYC-TV 3 anchor and reporter Barbara Gauthier, welcomed the audience and introduced speeches by the event s co-chairs, former Congressman Louis Stokes and New York University s Nursing Dean Terry Fulmer. Later, Interim President Gregory L. Eastwood and President-Elect Barbara Snyder united on stage during the dinner service to announce the new endowed chair. Dean Wykle has been a vital part of the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing for nearly forty years as a student, faculty member, and now dean, Dr. Eastwood said to the lively crowd. All throughout her life, she has demonstrated that nurses can not only fulfill the incredible demands being made of them, but they can do so with a grace and spirit that helps to achieve true healing. To great applause, President Snyder added, The May L. Wykle Professorship is the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing s 13th endowed professorship, giving it the distinction of having the most endowed professorships of any nursing school in the nation. Dr. Eastwood and President Snyder discussed the fundraising efforts and the uniqueness of The May L. Wykle Professorship as the first at Case Western Reserve University to be named for an African American. They then presented Dean Wykle with the University s gift of a miniature brass chair engraved with The May L. Wykle Professorship. As the Honorary Co-Chairs of the event, Terry Fulmer, dean of the NY University College of Nursing and FPB Visiting Committee member, and Louis Stokes, U.S. congressman (ret.) and FPB Visiting Committee member, welcomed the crowd and thanked everyone for their support of the event and The May L. Wykle Professorship.

3 Photographer Nannette Bedway Several students and staff volunteers helped bring magic to the evening.

4 John Sideras, president and CEO of MetroHealth Medical Center, congratulated Dean Wykle. A group of alumni from the Ruth Brant School of Nursing in Martins Ferry, Ohio, where Dean Wykle began her nursing education, supported the guest of honor and enjoyed the festivities. Isabelle Boland, MSN 80, Celebration Steering Committee member and FPB Visiting Committee member, and husband John, toasted with Dean Wykle.

5 Charlene Phelps, FPB Visiting Committee member and campaign chair reported on the Campaign Committee s efforts (see article below). Other members of the Campaign Committee are William Bolton, Leah Gary, Elaine Hopkins, Edgar Jackson, and Bob Trombly. FPB Campaign Operating a world-class school of nursing is a very costly proposition, requiring philanthropic contributions well beyond the dollars that tuition and annual fund contributions generate. One source of the generous contributions that cover the shortfall is generated by the Campaign Committee, a volunteer group of alumni and friends chaired by Charlene Phelps, MSN 65, BSN, RN. Claire Young, chief nursing officer of the Cleveland Clinic, During Dean Wykle s tenure, nearly $22 million has been raised to support student scholarships, professorships and exceptional nursing education. This first phase of the fund-raising campaign was recognized at The Art and Soul of Nursing: A Celebration. The next phase of the campaign will seek to meet the challenge of renovating the building to provide more space for simulation labs, research, state of the art teaching environments and student services. The Campaign Committee, in cooperation with the Development and Alumni Relations Department, will lead our continuing fund raising campaign. David Telfer, Campaign Director Nancy Gorenshek, MSN 69, BSN 65, and Judy Berry,

6 Cathy Koppelman, chief nursing officer of University Hospitals, President Snyder (Photo courtesy of Ryan DiVita) W hen Dean Wykle took the stage to address her adoring audience, she had a long list of people including family, friends and former students to thank for the honor. Everyone s gift, no matter how large or how small, is vastly appreciated, and without your collective and generous grassroots efforts, we would not be gathered here tonight, Dean Wykle said. This professorship will play a huge role in strengthening the financial base of our school, thereby helping us recruit outstanding faculty who will teach new generations of nursing students, change the delivery of health care, and improve physical and mental health both domestically and throughout the world. Charles Bolton (left) and William Bolton (right), grandsons of Frances Payne Bolton, were acknowledged by Dean Wykle during her honor acceptance speech. Dean Wykle expressed special gratitude to the family of Frances Payne Bolton for their inspiration and support, and to Charlene Phelps, a longtime friend and former vice president of nursing at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, who is chair of the school s campaign. A rousing performance by the classic R&B group Bill Pinkney and the Original Drifters, as well as the local group, Retrospect, rounded out the evening with exciting music as the crowd danced for the rest of the night.

7 Jane Fusilero, vice president of nursing and chief nursing officer of MetroHealth Medical Center, Barbara Gauthier, Cleveland WKYC-TV 3 anchorwoman, was the event emcee. Beverly Malone, CEO of the National League for Nursing, The Original Drifters featuring Bill Pinkney performed. (Mr. Pinkney passed away just 10 days after the event. One of his last performances will not be forgotten.)

8 Diane Andrica, FPB Visiting Committee member and Celebration Steering Committee member, and husband John, enjoyed dancing and mingling.

9 The crowd enjoyed dancing to many classic tunes. Dean Wykle and husband Bill danced so well together! Dean Wykle had a great time on the dance floor with William Kiser, former CEO of the Cleveland Clinic; his wife Jean, FPB Visiting Committee member; and Elaine Hopkins, FPB Celebration Steering Committee member and FPB Visiting Committee member.