Alumni Highlights

Mayo Receives School’s Highest Alumni Honor

Ann Mayo, (MSN ‘90, DNSc ‘98) was the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science’s 12th recipient of USD’s Dr. Author E. Hughes Career Achievement Award. The award was presented to Dr. Mayo during a black tie gala dinner held Saturday, May 6th at the Jenny Craig Pavilion. More than 600 attendees witnessed the ceremony in which individual achievement awards were presented to each of USD’s five schools.

Dr. Mayo was selected for the honor based on her career achievements which have included serving in a volunteer role as the past president of USD’s Alumni Association. She is one of only two nursing alumni to ever hold this position. Currently, Dr. Mayo is completing her post doctoral studies with the University of California at San Francisco. Recently she received the prestigious 2006-08 John A. Hartford Foundation/Atlantic Philanthropies Claire M. Fagin Fellowship Award.

The School of Nursing held a special reception to honor Dr. Mayo for her achievement on May 4th at USD’s Degheri Alumni Center. More than 100 faculty, students, co-workers and friends helped Dean Sally Brosz Hardin pay tribute to Dr. Mayo.

Dean Sally Hardin presents award to Dr. Ann Mayo.

Hughes Career Achievement School of Nursing Past Recipients:

2006: Ann Mayo ’90 (MSN) 98 (DNSc)
2005: Julie Novak ’89 (D.N.Sc.)
2004: Cay Casey ’84 (M.S.N.), ’02 (Ph.D.)
2003: Sandra C. Garmon Bibb ’83 (B.S.N.), ’91 (M.S.N.), ’99 (D.N.Sc.)
2002: Ruth Grendell ’81 (M.S.N.), ’91 (D.N.Sc.)
2001: Jaynelle F. Stichler ’90 (D.N.Sc.)
2000: Carol Beth Sise ’85 (M.S.N.), ’92 (J.D.)
1999: Daniel Gross ’97 (D.N.Sc.)
1998: Rear Admiral Kathleen Martin ’92 (M.S.N.)
1997: Felicitas A. dela Cruz ’91 (D.N.Sc.)
1996: Mary B. Middleton ’80 (B.S.N.), ’83 (M.S.N.)
1995: Dian Kotarba Doyle ’83 (B.S.N.), ’88 (M.S.N.)

Alumni Event in Washington, D.C.

The School of Nursing and USD Alumni Association hosted a “behind the scenes tour” of the U.S. Capitol and a reception in the Rayburn Office Building for alumni in the Washington, D.C., area. Dean Sally Hardin, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., who was attending the American Academy of Colleges of Nursing spring meetings, provided a nursing school update for the attendees. Special thanks to nursing alumna, Denise Mathes ’88 (B.S.N.) and Ted Schelenski, vice president of the Heritage Foundation, for helping arrange the tour.

SON Development Director Joe Passaretti; Lisa Stephens ’98 (M.S.N.) and daughter, Hannah; Nancy Saks (M.S.N. ’85, D.N.Sc. ’98); Denise Mathes ’88 (B.S.N.); Dean Sally Hardin; Cynthia Gantt ’02 (Ph.D.); and Bob Gantt; tour leader Steve Livengood; Luz Meloy ’58 (B.S.N.) and Todd Meloy.

Welcome Home Ministries: Changing Lives

Founder of Welcome Home Ministries, Rev. Carmen Warner-Robbins ’82 (M.S.N.), tackles one of society’s biggest issues - incarcerated women trapped in a cycle of crime and repeated imprisonment. This faith-based ministry helps hundreds of women make the transition from incarceration to productive citizenship and has reduced the cycle of repeated incarceration to 6 percent.

School of Nursing faculty, Diane Hatton, D.N.Sc., R N., C.S., and Anastasia Fisher, R.N., D.N.Sc., have collaborated with Welcome Home Ministries through a California endowment grant that assessed the health care of incarcerated women and recommended appropriate remedies.

Warner-Robbins states “abuse and violence have reached epidemic proportions in the nation and are fueling the rise of the female incarceration rate.” Studies indicate the number of females in U. S. jails and prisons is increasing faster than that of male populations. Approximately 95 percent of women committed their crimes while under the influence of drugs or alcohol; 40 percent are violent offenders. Unfortunately, there is an 80 percent recidivism rate upon which traditional systems have not improved.

According to Warner-Robbins, spiritual beliefs and practice, as well as freedom from addiction, are critical elements for a successful transition to the community. Welcome Home Ministries has made a difference by providing a support system, a sense of family and programs to meet the physical and spiritual needs of these women. Welcome Home Ministries provides women who are re-entering the community with referrals for dental and vision care, transitional housing and emergency shelter. It also provides food and clothing, bus passes, gas vouchers, employment readiness training, assistance in securing driver’s licenses and, most important, mentoring.

The most powerful benefit echoed repeatedly from clients is the sense that they are “part of family.” Welcome Home Ministries saves society significant amounts of money, which has led to the State of California asking the organization to develop a model re-entry program for men, which is expected to be utilized nationwide.

For information or volunteer opportunities, call Welcome Home Ministries at (760) 439-1136.

Rev. Carmen Warner-Robbins (middle); and training coordinator Suzanne Cittel (back center); with Welcome Home clients Penni (far left), Kyme (front right) and Stephanie.