Share this story

GSN Alumni Dinner celebrates achievements of advanced practice nurses

By Sandra Gray

June 03, 2016
  • The Graduate School of Nursing Class of 2016 gathers before the GSN Alumni Dinner on June 2.
  • Chancellor Collins and Dean Vitello present the Chancellor’s Award to Edwin Aroke, MS, CRNA.
  • Dean emeritus Lillian Goodman reads the citation for the award named after her to recipient Michele Griswold, with Dean Vitello holding the mike.
  • Professor emeritus Mary Kay Alexander, EdD (right), presents the award named after to her to Robin Arel, with Dean Vitello.
  • Jenna Lizewski accepts the Academic Achievement and Leadership Award from Jill Terrien, PhD, and Dean Vitello.
  • Dr. Terrien and Dean Vitello present the Mary Kinnear Raymond Award to Amelia Nelson.
  • Sonja Schaffer receives the Lucie K. Russell Briefcase Award from Dean Vitello.
  • Dean Vitello and Cynthia French (center), present the Outstanding Nurse Practitioner in Critical Care Award to Shenley Meyer.
  • The ceremony closes with each graduate receiving a rose from members of the GSN Graduate Student Nursing Organization.

A packed room cheered the 58 members of the Graduate School of Nursing’s Class of 2016 at the Alumni Dinner on Thursday, June 2. A new tradition for the Graduate School of Nursing, the dinner drew many faculty, alumni, family and friends to reminisce and to recognize the achievements of advanced practice nurses. The event precedes the 43rd annual Commencement at UMass Chan Medical School on Sunday, June 5.

Recently appointed dean of the Graduate School of Nursing, Joan Vitello, PhD, introduced herself to the assembly as someone proud and honored to be “standing on the shoulders of two deans emeritus here tonight.” Former deans Lillian Goodman, EdD, and Paulette Seymour-Route, PhD, were in attendance.

Keynote speaker Michelle Degrazia, PhD, RN, NNP-BC, a 2002 GSN graduate and the director of nursing research for neonatal intensive care at Boston Children’s Hospital, presented the Lillian R. Goodman Lectureship in Graduate Nursing. Dr. DeGrazia focused on how graduates can use their newly acquired knowledge to achieve great things through leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship. She cited initiatives that her training enabled her to launch, such as a device she invented to cradle neonates’ heads so they don’t flatten.

A new award was added to the roster of recognitions and scholarships, many funded by alumni, with the introduction of the Annie Vigeant Worcester City Hospital Scholarship. It was awarded to Mary Fortunato-Habib, MS, and Cheryl Hersperger, MS. Commencement class speaker Telana Fairchild, MS, who will receive this year’s sole Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, was also recognized.

The awards for graduating and continuing GSN students and community-based faculty recipients were:

Chancellor’s Award
Edwin Aroke, MS, CRNA

Lillian R. Goodman Award
Michele Griswold, MPH, BSN

Kathleen H. Miller DNP Scholarship
Caroline Kane, MS

Mary K. Alexander Academic Achievement and Leadership Award
Robin Arel, RN

Academic Achievement and Leadership Award
Jenna Lizewski, BSN

Mary Kinnear Raymond Award
Amelia Nelson, BSN

Lucie D. Russell Briefcase Award
Sonja Schaffer, RN

GSN Community Service Awards
Christina Janssens, RN, and Rachel Bensen, RN
Stephanie Salvi, RN

GSN Community Faculty Awards
Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Track
Joyce Landers, MS

Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Track
Robert Svensson, MS

Family Nurse Practitioner Track
Heather Briere, MS

2016 Outstanding Nurse Practitioner Student in Critical Care Award
Shenley Meyer, RN

2016 UMass Memorial Medical Center Outstanding Preceptor in Critical Care Award
Daniel Smith, MS

Suzanne T. Sullivan Scholarship
Emily Martin, RN

Lynne Foster Davidson Scholarship
Heather Beckner, RN

Anne Vigeant – Worcester City Hospital Scholarships
Mary Fortunato-Habib, MS
Cheryl Hersperger, MS

Related stories on UMass Chan News:
Like mother, like daughter: Raymond and Creedon share passion for nursing
Tenth pinning ceremony marks entry of 29 new nurses to profession
Hockey player, brain tumor survivor turns to nursing to give back
Pinning ceremony a milestone for nontraditional nursing students