Since 1972, the Michigan State University College of Nursing has presented accomplished nursing alumni with our highest honors of recognition: Distinguished, Service and Recent Graduate Alumni Awards.
Recognizes an alum of the College of Nursing who has advanced the nursing profession through professional accomplishments and commitment to nursing education, practice and research. Recipients must have demonstrated leadership and influence in their support of nursing and the college.
Recognizes an alum of the College of Nursing whose dedicated work and exemplary service have benefited society and the profession of nursing. Recipients must have demonstrated community service on a local, state, national or international level.
Recognizes an alum of the College of Nursing who graduated within the past 10 years and who has obtained a level of professional accomplishments including but not limited to: contributions to employer, history of promotion, military accomplishments, continued education or published work.
Deborah Lee, MSN ’10, PhD ’20, fell in love with nursing, finding it to be the perfect balance between patient connection and her aptitude for science. Lee spent the first 15 years of her career in the emergency department, starting as a bedside nurse and later as a nurse manager. Ready for a new challenge, Lee enrolled in the family nurse practitioner master’s program at the MSU College of Nursing, becoming a proud Spartan Nurse in the process. Later, she even encouraged her sons to attend MSU.
After earning her MSN in 2010, she worked as a nurse practitioner in Kalamazoo, MI for several years before setting out to educate the next generation of nurses. She became faculty at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, where she earned her BSN, and began teaching in the adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner program in 2013.
When the time came for her to pursue her PhD, the decision to return to MSU was an easy one. While in her doctoral program, Lee researched pediatric oncology under Professor Gwen Wyatt. She noted how much she valued the mentorship and advice of Wyatt.
Lee continues to teach at the U-M School of Nursing. Since 2018, she has also served as the Director of the Clinical Learning Center (CLC). She implemented a simulation training program at the CLC, which utilizes virtual reality headsets that allow students to practice independently after being pre-trained by faculty. They can perform procedures as many times as necessary to feel confident. The training program has resulted in an increase in students’ precision and competency. It has been adopted by the U-M School of Dentistry and the U-M Medical School.
For the past two years, Lee has also traveled with U-M NP students to Bangkok to gain experience working in the emergency department and critical care of Siriraj Hospital. This study abroad opportunity was launched after Lee visited several MSU PhD alums from her cohort in Thailand.
As faculty and the director at the CLC, Lee has made it a priority to create a compassionate learning environment where students feel comfortable seeking guidance and growing their skills. According to Lee, this learning philosophy was modeled after her experiences with MSU Nursing faculty. Time and time again, Lee has demonstrated what it means to be a Spartan Nurse through her innovation, leadership and compassion. WATCH HER STORY.
Inspired by her grandmother, a certified caregiver, Pamela Jones, BSN ’93, MSN ’07, decided on a career in nursing while in seventh grade. The influence from her grandmother never faded, prompting Jones to become a two-time College of Nursing alumna.
After completing her bachelor’s degree, she began her nursing trajectory as a staff nurse on the optical medical-surgical unit. Interested in taking on leadership roles, she became a unit manager in a long-term care facility for a few years before shifting gears into radiation oncology at then-Beaumont Hospital, which is now part of Corewell Health.
Jones returned to MSU to pursue her family nurse practitioner MSN. Upon graduation in 2007, Beaumont Hospital created a nurse practitioner position specifically for her. In her new role, Jones participated in a community outreach initiative where providers for common cancers and chronic diseases offered free screenings in the community to underserved populations in Detroit.
While in her master’s program, Jones had a clinical at the Michigan Institute of Urology (MIU) in Troy, MI, which she enjoyed. When a nurse practitioner role opened at the clinic, she sprang at the opportunity to return and has remained there since.
At MIU, Jones guides advanced prostate cancer patients through their treatment plans. Although not always easy, she finds it rewarding to see her patients experience a better quality of life and longer life expectancies through treatment.
Jones’ service to the others does not end with her role at MIU. She serves on the health ministry of New Providence Baptist Church in Detroit. Jones has previously co-led initiatives such as back-to-school immunization events and community health panels, which often focused on health concerns that disproportionately impact Black communities. Jones has also participated in panels as a prostate cancer specialist.
Since college, she has been a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), an international organization founded over a 100 years ago by college-educated Black women with the mission to encourage unity, community service, and the pursuit of higher education. Jones helped establish the Farmington Hills chapter of AKA in December 2024. Their initiatives have included mentoring middle school girls to grow their confidence and self-esteem and adopting a school to provide meals for students facing food insecurity to take home over the weekends.
According to Jones, service is a part of who she is. She believes everyone has a responsibility to contribute to their community in some way. Jones' dedication to serving her patients and community perfectly encapsulates the Spartan Nurse spirit. WATCH HER STORY.
Joshua Winowiecki, DNP ’24, had always had an affinity for science and helping others. He grew up around nurses and noticed the way they demonstrated these values, so a path toward nursing was an easy choice. After earning an associate degree from Henry Ford Community College in 2007, Winowiecki spent nearly two decades in various roles at Henry Ford Hospital in the surgical ICU as a bedside nurse, charge nurse, and unit educator and as a trauma coordinator and clinical quality facilitator.
Upon earning a BSN, he wanted to build on the momentum and pursue his dream of becoming a clinical nurse specialist. Winowiecki was drawn to the specialty where he would be able to implement changes that would support nurses and improve healthcare systems, while staying connected to bedside care and advanced practice. He began his CNS DNP at MSU, drawn to the opportunity to earn his doctorate directly after his BSN.
Since completing his DNP in 2024, Winowiecki has become an integral part of the CNS program at MSU. He is preparing the next generation of clinical nurse specialists as an assistant professor, while also serving as a co-faculty advisor to the MSU LGBTQ+ Allies Student Nurses Association. In addition, he is the inaugural director of the Center for Practice Transformation. The center bridges the gap between academia and clinical practice, providing resources to nurses and healthcare systems so they can deliver high-quality, evidence-based care.
In partnership with Henry Ford Health, he has launched a multi-site journal club initiative that brings nurses together across campuses to translate research into practice. He is also working collaboratively to strengthen a culture of evidence-based nursing and improve patient safety across clinical settings. In parallel, he is partnering with system leaders to evaluate the scope, equity and impact of Henry Ford’s virtual care programs.
In July, Winowiecki and collaborators launched NPATHS (Nursing Program for Advancing Training in Health and Social Determinants), a nationally recognized, National Institutes of Health-funded training program for nurse scientists to incorporate health equity and social determinants of health into their research. The inaugural cohort includes 14 scholars from across the U.S.
His scholarship also explores how artificial intelligence can ethically and equitably support nursing education. In addition to presenting strategies for advanced practice nurses to use AI effectively, he reviews manuscripts on AI in nursing, investigates its use in simulation and virtual reality environments, and studies how AI-enhanced teaching and learning strategies impact student outcomes.
Throughout all areas of Winowiecki’s nursing practice, inclusive and equitable nursing is at the forefront. Although it has only been a year since he graduated from his doctoral program at the College of Nursing, he continuously exemplifies what it means to be a Spartan Nurse and shows no signs of slowing down. WATCH HIS STORY.
Margaret Muir, BSN ’83, is the recipient of the Spring 2025 Michigan State University College of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award. This award recognizes an alum who has advanced the nursing profession through professional accomplishments and commitment to nursing education, practice and research.
When Margaret embarked on a trip to North Carolina with two fellow MSU nursing students shortly before graduation, she never could have predicted how a stop at Duke University would change the trajectory of her life. After earning her BSN from the MSU College of Nursing in 1983, she moved to North Carolina and has been employed with the Duke University Health System for the last 41 years.
After serving as a staff nurse and an educator at the university hospital, Margaret was encouraged to transition into a role at Duke Regional Hospital, tasked with building trust between the hospital and community. Unsure, yet determined, Margaret took the leap into community care. Twenty-five years later, she continuously goes above and beyond as their patient experience officer to ensure patients receive the best care possible.
Margaret believes that the key to exceptional patient care is to first provide staff with proper resources and support — from trainings on how to yield the best patient experience survey results to “just because” coffee for hospital staff on their way into work. After realizing that there was a gap in resources for providing culturally competent care to transgender patients, Margaret made it the focus of her DNP thesis, which she earned from the University of North Carolina Greensboro in 2018. Now, she regularly teaches classes on transgender care to healthcare workers, nursing students and other community leaders.
Margaret is consistently seeking opportunities to serve the community. She has organized 33 American Red Cross blood drives and given 13 gallons of blood herself. After noticing that nurses were purchasing clothes for patients with their own money, she applied for a grant to open a Community Caring Closet at Duke Regional Hospital, where staff could pick up clothes for patients who needed them. She receives $10,000 annually in grant funding to keep the closet stocked with items for patients in need.
Margaret may have built a successful career in North Carolina, but she remains close to her Michigan roots, crediting her mother for encouraging her to pursue nursing at MSU. Furthermore, Margaret credits her MSU CON education for laying the foundation of the innovative mindset that drives her to always go one step further in caring for her patients and community. Margaret exemplifies the Spartan spirit in all she does.
The 2025 Spring Michigan State University College of Nursing Alumni Service Award recipient is Julie Bekius, MSN ’01. This award recognizes a nursing alum whose dedicated work and exemplary service have benefited society and the profession of nursing. Recipients have demonstrated community service on a local, state, national or international level.
Julie knew she wanted to be a nurse from a young age. A native of West Michigan, Julie started her nursing journey at Grand Valley State University (GVSU), earning her BSN in 1997. After three years working as an RN, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a Nurse Practitioner. Julie discovered an MSU program that allowed her to attend classes in Muskegon, Michigan where a MSU professor in East Lansing taught over satellite video. She earned her MSN from the MSU College of Nursing in 2001. Before virtual learning was commonplace, this innovative program allowed Julie to engage in the Spartan experience while working full-time in the Grand Rapids area.
Julie worked for 10 years in several areas of practice including family practice, allergy and asthma, retail medicine, and physical rehabilitation, before finding her passion in palliative care. Though challenging, she considers it an honor and privilege to be with patients through serious illness, often lending emotional support in addition to medical care. When Julie started a dozen years ago, she worked primarily in the inpatient setting for palliative care. At the time, Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) offered only two half-day palliative care clinics per month. Now, the program offers clinics both in person in Grand Rapids, and virtually at five regional cancer centers across Michigan. Julie’s advocacy was integral to expanding access to palliative care at Corewell Health.
Julie still works one day a week in the palliative care clinic, but recently, she has shifted her focus toward empowering the next generation of nurses. After receiving her DNP from Missouri-based Maryville University in 2023, Julie earned a tenure-track position at GVSU, where she teaches in the undergraduate and graduate programs through didactic, clinical and simulation courses. She also serves as project advisor to DNP students and faculty advisor for the GVSU student Chapter of Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners (MiCNP).
In 2024, Julie co-led a study abroad program to Cape Coast, Ghana, where BSN students provided care in community clinics while being immersed in the culture. She also participated in a medical mission trip through her church to Tima, Egypt, where they held six free medical clinics in the surrounding communities. In 2025, Julie became the chair of the Study Abroad Task Force at the GVSU Kirkhof College of Nursing.
Julie is also engaged in Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Hospice and Palliative Nursing Association and the MiCNP. Overall, Julie believes that service is at the heart of nursing. She is grateful for the support she has received from her family and mentors throughout her career and education journey, which has allowed her to follow her passion for helping others, whether it be on a local or global level.
Alexis Skuras, BSN ’18, DNP ’23, is the Spring 2025 Michigan State University College of Nursing Recent Graduate Achievement awardee. This award recognizes an alum who graduated within the past 10 years and has obtained a high level of professional accomplishments including but not limited to: contributions to their employer, history of promotion, military accomplishments, continued education, or published work.
Alexis is an educator, student and doer. From a young age, Alexis had always thought she would become a teacher. Upon arriving at Michigan State University, she found that nursing would be the perfect field to do just that — to serve as a teacher to her patients. Alexis received her BSN from the MSU College of Nursing in 2018 and then worked as an RN at Harper Hospital in Detroit.
Following her passion for education, Alexis returned to MSU to earn her Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist DNP in 2023, finding it to be the perfect combination of patient care, evidence-based practice and nursing education. As someone who loves to learn and is the first college graduate of her family, Alexis considers earning her doctorate her biggest achievement.
This accomplishment has launched her into the next phase of her career. Alexis is currently a clinical nurse specialist at the 501c3 non-profit organization, Recovery Mobile Clinic (RMC) and is the first to join their team since it was founded in 2020. The clinic specializes in the care of patients with substance use disorders. The RMC takes an integrated care approach to address basic primary care needs and mental health to set up patients for success in their recovery, such as by administrating 1,159 of the revolutionary Vivitrol shots in 2024, which manage cravings and prevent relapse.
Alexis also teaches undergraduate students part-time as an assistant professor at MSU’s Detroit Campus during the summers. Additionally, she mentors DNP students from MSU and Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU), often taking them on the road with the RMC to gain hands-on experience.
Earning her doctorate was not where Alexis ended her education. She is currently enrolled at SVSU to earn her psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner certification. Her favorite way to spend her spare time is having fun with her one-eyed Pitbull, Fetty.
Upon reflection, Alexis called her years as an MSU student the best time of her life, attributing the friends she made and the mentorship she received from faculty, such as Jackeline Iseler and Emily McIntire. Alexis lives out the Spartan will by working toward a future with less stigma and barriers to care for people with substance use disorders.
When the Alumni Board was asked to nominate an alumni who exemplified the Spartan way, there was no doubt that Joan Brueggeman matched the description of a model alumna perfectly. Joan Brueggeman received her BSN from the MSU College of Nursing in 1987. She has been a loyal Spartan since her first day on campus; many of her siblings and closest friends are MSU alumni as well.
Joan is the Clinical Operations Director of Care Coordination, Telephone Nurse Advisors, and Utilization Management at Gundersen Health System in Wisconsin. She has maintained several roles at Gundersen Health since her arrival in 2007. She values teaching and mentorship in all she does, encouraging those around her to be the best version of themselves.
In addition to serving on the MSU College of Nursing Alumni Board since 2017, she also holds board positions with The American Case Management Association and serves on the ACMA national editorial and membership board. Joan has held several leadership roles with the Wisconsin chapter of the American Case Management Association, including terms as treasurer and president, and currently presides as the Wisconsin chapter’s secretary. Joan served on the National ACMA board of directors and is currently a mentor for the ACMA Minnesota and Illinois chapters.
Joan is fiercely dedicated to the College of Nursing. Despite having to travel an entire day to reach Michigan from her Wisconsin home, she is always there when you need her. Joan advocates for nursing education and the college at every turn and represents the university wonderfully. WATCH HER STORY.
Teberah Alexander exemplifies a Spartan Nurse’s calling to serve their community. As a Detroit native, she cares deeply for the people in her community and shows it through education and service. Teberah received her BSN from the College of Nursing in 2003. She has spent her entire nursing career caring for those who are at risk for being lost in the healthcare system.
Teberah opened the Excelling Nursing Academy in 2017. This Certified Nurse Assistant program that allows students to receive their CNA certification after a two-week program and clinical rotations at a long-term care facility. It encourages students to continue their nursing education by attending community college or university. Teberah also organized the Future Nurses Program in 2023 into expose children ages 6 to 13 years old in the Detroit metropolitan area to careers in healthcare. Her dedication to the community did not end there. In collaboration with Detroit Renaissance High School, her alma mater, Teberah began teaching free CNA classes for juniors and seniors in 2023. Students are exposed to opportunities in the healthcare field and provided hands-on training, including CPR certification.
Teberah also takes her care around the world. She volunteered in countries like South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Mexico, donating supplies and knowledge to local healthcare facilities. She applies her experience in Labor and Delivery and Long-Term Care Units to her volunteer service, including volunteering at a South African nonprofit protecting abandoned babies.
Teberah maintains all of these organizations on top of several major businesses. Teberah founded Compassionate Home Care Services and Kathelene’s Adult Day Care Center to support elderly people, especially those with dementia. Teberah channeled her experience with patients and family members with dementia into action with the care centers. She also maintains Nurse T’s Body Bar in Farmington Hills that offers post-op care and body contouring services. Teberah is the personification of a Spartan’s dedication to serve their community. Please welcome Teberah Alexander back to East Lansing as this year’s College of Nursing Alumni Service Awardee! WATCH HER STORY.
Emily Krueger made a leap of faith when she changed her career path to nursing. After working in computer science during technology’s most transformative years, she made the move to nursing in 2009 after receiving her BSN from Grand Valley State University. She found a home in the nursing field, and in hopes of tapping into the skill set that she used in the computer field, she opted to continue her education at MSU. Today she stands as a 2022 graduate of the DNP program, specializing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist.
Emily employs evidence-based care in all she does. She demonstrates the knowledge and skills learned at MSU as she leads and participates in several interprofessional quality improvement projects for Trinity Health Grand Rapids. She mentors many new nurses that practice in perioperative services, which includes nurses in preop, intraop, postop, and endoscopy, ensuring that they are knowledgeable of the newest practice changes. Her leadership also extends back to MSU, appearing as a guest lecturer and panel expert for College of Nursing graduate students. Every advancement Emily makes is shared with new nurses and students alike.
One of Emily’s most recent achievements led to massive increases in intraop compliance at Trinity Health. She led an initiative to increase periarticular injection during intraoperative total knee and total hip arthroplasties. The initiative was run entirely by operating nurses, and the pain management technique increased compliance from 60% to 100%, which had positive effects on pain control management in the postop phase of care.
Emily continues to make incredible strides in quality care at her organization and is invaluable to preparing students and new nurses to perform their best. She will continue to inspire future Spartan Nurses for years to come. WATCH HER STORY.
A summer job as a case management assistant in Las Vegas, Nevada turned Martin on to the world of business in healthcare. Since graduation, she has held a series of prominent leadership roles, most recently joining United States Medical Management as the Chief Operations Officer. Martin previously served as the President of OptumCare - Utah, where she helped build a program that oversaw 60,000 Medicare patients. WATCH HER STORY.
At just 26 years old, Chepkorir is the co-founder and president of the Mwangaza Cancer Initiative, which was formed in 2018 in response to rising cases of cancer diagnosed at later stages in Kericho County and other parts of Kenya. Through her work, the organization has provided breast and cervical cancer education to over 4,000 women and girls and supported the screening of 100 women living with HIV and AIDS. Chepkorir is currently a doctoral student at the University of Johns Hopkins. WATCH HER STORY.
Special Assistant to the Dean and Associate Professor Emerita Dr. Teresa Wehrwein was, until December 2016, Associate Dean for Academic and Clinical Affairs for the MSU College of Nursing, a post she held for more than eight years. Overall, she has worked at the College since July 2001. Dr. Wehrwein also holds an adjunct appointment in the College of Osteopathic Medicine, and is a guest faculty member at Chongqing Medical University in China. She was elected Fellow of the National League for Nursing’s Academy of Nursing Education in 2016.
Commenting on receiving the 2017 MSU College of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award, Dr. Wehrwein said, “It is extremely humbling and a great honor to be recognized by my alma mater. MSU has been an integral part of my life for 50 years and, most directly, over the last 16. My nursing career began and is ending here, with many opportunities in the middle facilitated by MSU.”
Dr. Wehrwein’s sustained contribution to nursing education is a body of work focused on developing the nursing workforce through establishing collaborative partnerships among academic health systems and governmental partners. Academic practice partnerships she has led have increased the size and preparation of the workforce by providing urgently needed opportunities for individuals entering nursing, returning to practice, transitioning clinical roles, and progressing in their careers.
Dr. Wehrwein has served as project director on grants for scholastic and academic program development in excess of $5 million. She has leveraged resources from private foundations and state grants to strengthen nursing education practice in both hospital and primary care settings. These projects have included career-transition programs for registered nurses, a second-degree BSN program, a statewide model for cultural competence education, and DNP education.
Prior to her appointment with the MSU College of Nursing, Dr. Wehrwein served nine years in the Henry Ford Health System, providing leadership for the professional development operations of its flagship hospital. She also led the nurse educator team, coordinating educational processes across the system including affiliated community hospitals, ambulatory clinics, home care, hospice, and long-term care settings. As part of her assignment with Henry Ford, Dr. Wehrwein served as Assistant Dean for Oakland University, coordinating the implementation of the collaborative agreement between the health system and the university.
Dr. Wehrwein served as faculty at Madonna University in Livonia for 10 years from 1982-92 in a variety of roles, including faculty teaching assignments in pediatrics and nursing administration and as coordinator of the MSN program during its development and initial accreditation. Prior to that, she worked at Pontiac General Hospital, Grace Hospital School of Nursing, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, and Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital, where she began her professional career as a staff nurse in pediatrics.
Dr. Wehrwein holds a BSN from the MSU College of Nursing and an MSN and PhD from Wayne State University in Detroit.
Patrick began his nursing career in military service at the U.S Army Health Science Center at Fitzsimons Medical Center in Denver, Co. This was closely followed by stints as a staff nurse at the 130th Station Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany; coursework at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC; and a staff nurse position at the Medigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA.
Since then, Dr. Hawkins earned an Associates of Science in Nursing and a BS from State University of New York, Albany; an MSN in the Adult Nurse Practitioner Program at the MSU College of Nursing; and his DNP in Nursing Practice from St. Louis University in St. Louis, MO.
Patrick continues to give back through community service. Tonight, we honor Dr. Hawkins for his more recent activities and, especially, his service work with the people of Flint, MI, and their ongoing water crisis. An article in the Winter 2017 MSU Alumni Magazine provides details on Dr. Hawkins’ work in Flint:
After providing healthcare to the people of Flint for more than 20 years, Dr. Hawkins was well positioned to see the effects of the city’s lead-tainted water crisis up close—and in places others hadn’t looked. A giant of a man with a heart to match, his faith and professional training compelled him to take action. Hawkins, an advanced nurse practitioner and an instructor in the College of Nursing, now volunteers with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, helping organize free community health fairs to bring lead screenings, nutrition support, educational materials and other services to hard-to-reach populations in Flint.
“Water is the one thing that can build or destroy you. Everything revolves around it,” Hawkins said.
He lives by the motto “everyone is someone’s someone” and strives to treat every patient like family. He had already been doing outreach work through his practice at Kidney and Hypertension Consultants, organizing free health fairs offering everything from children’s vision screening and vaccinations to blood pressure tests and health insurance information.
Hawkins brought a deep sense of cultural sensitivity to the water situation. “After they found out about the contamination, some people were reluctant to trust those sent to help,” he said. “They’d say, ‘They already didn’t protect us.’ So, we would go through organizations where trust existed, like religious and community groups. At the same time, there are clients who might be afraid because they are undocumented, or not able to get to a screening due to lack of transportation, so we’d bring services to them.”
During a health fair at a church this past winter, Hawkins, clad in a white coat and brown fedora, functioned as a traffic controller of sorts, calling out over the crowd to direct patients to booths offering a range of services, and to organize the array of student volunteers from MSU and other nearby colleges and universities, all while managing vendors and supplies such as lead-fighting fresh foods and water filters.
“We educate about how and why they need to filter their water,” said Hawkins, who was named Caregiver of the Year by the American Kidney Fund in 2015. “We try to give hope; I don’t want an entire generation of young people thinking because they were exposed, they are powerless, or that they won’t mature. As an advanced healthcare advocate for patients, that speaks to your core.”
Dr. Nicole Osier has demonstrated a dedicated commitment to the nursing profession through a strong track record of teaching, research, and service, starting as a BSN student at Michigan State and continuing throughout her PhD studies at the University of Pittsburgh, a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), and a new-faculty role at the University of Texas at Austin with a joint appointment in the School of Nursing (Holistic Adult Health Division) and Dell Medical School (Department of Neurology).
“I hope to build on the strong foundation that began with dual degrees from Michigan State University in Nutritional Science (2008) and Nursing (2010),” Nicole says.
As a PhD student, Nicole sought out numerous teaching opportunities at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Besides several teaching fellow positions, she delivered 39 undergraduate guest lectures spanning 21 topics; 9 graduate lectures on 3 topics; and served as primary instructor for a clinical course. Nicole also mentored 9 undergraduate / post-baccalaureate students and 7 graduate students of diverse backgrounds and earned numerous grants to support her work, including an F31 from the National Institutes of Health, 7 foundation grants, and 2 travel grants. Also during her PhD program, Nicole was named a Rising Star of Research and Scholarship and attended the 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International Conference in Cape Town, South Africa to present her research and represent her school.
As a postdoc student, Dr. Osier provided training to 4 post-baccalaureate and 2 graduate students and gave a guest lecture at the NINR Summer Genetics Institute. She also trained under an Intramural Research Training Award at the National Institute of Nursing Research, where she conducted cutting-edge research aimed at improving outcomes for military service members with brain injury. Nicole was one of a few international early-stage researchers invited to attend the Emerging Nurse Scholars forum in Toronto, Canada, and was the only nurse invited to participate in the Young Investigator Colloquium hosted by the American Psychosomatic Society in Seville, Spain.
Dr. Osier notes that her passion for research was fostered by many faculty members in the College of Nursing, including Dr. Manfred Stommel, Dr. Debra Schutte, and Dr. Jenifer Fenton. Nicole contributes to the scientific evidence base through a strong track record of publications and presentations and regularly engages in service as a peer-reviewer including for conference abstracts and manuscripts.
Dr. Osier is excited that, by completing her training at age 30, she will have several decades for her research, service, and teaching efforts, and she aspires to instill the same values in her students as she was taught at MSU’s College of Nursing and make a lasting impression on her students, as her instructors and professors did on her.
Dr. Osier was recruited to the UT Austin under the prestigious Rising STARS (Science and Technology Acquisition and Retention) program through the UT System, which provides her with a generous start-up package to maximize her success and set up her state-of-the-art laboratory space. In addition to her start-up funds, Dr. Osier was awarded a Heilbrunn Nurse Scholar Award from the Heilbrunn Family Center for Research Nursing at The Rockefeller University.
As a new faculty member at UT Austin, Dr. Osier is teaching Genetics in Healthcare to undergraduate and graduate nurses to ensure they have a fundamental understanding of genetics, can identify and utilize reputable sources of information relevant to genomics and health, and are able to work with transdisciplinary teams and incorporate genomic knowledge to inform diagnosis, care, and education of patients.
An active member of her local MSU Alumni group, Nicole has donated her time and money to support the mission of the College of Nursing. In gratitude for the numerous scholarships and grants she earned during her time at Michigan State University, Dr. Osier and her husband plan to “pay it forward” and develop a scholarship fund to support the next generation of aspiring Spartan Nurse researchers.
Dr. Martha Keehner Engelke (Marti) is currently a professor at East Carolina University College of Nursing where for 12 years she served as the Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship. Marti received her BSN from Michigan State University in 1971 and an MPH in public health nursing and health education from the University of Michigan in 1976. In 1991, she graduated from North Carolina State University with a PhD in sociology and a minor in health occupation education. She is extremely accomplished in both nursing research and practice.
Although she has lived in North Carolina for over 30 years, Marti is and will always be a Spartan nurse. She is quick to explain that MSU feels like home – that of all the degrees she has received, she still feels most connected to her baccalaureate education. A BSN degree, says Marti, “is the heart of nursing education; you are learning the profession and developing as an adult.” MSU is where Marti grew. It shaped her values, widened her views, and shaped her into the person she is today.
After graduation from the College of Nursing in 1971, Marti was caught up in life. She married and moved to North Carolina, started a family, and, like many graduates, she lost touch with Michigan State. It wasn’t until years later, after inviting an MSU faculty member to do a presentation that she began to reconnect with MSU and the College of Nursing. Over the years, she has become involved as a member of the Alumni Board and recently endowed a scholarship.
In Marti’s own words, becoming involved with the College of Nursing as a member of the Alumni Board has helped her reconnect with the mission of MSU. She has enjoyed seeing how the University has grown and is very proud of the way the College has advanced and the quality of the graduates it produces. The College of Nursing values excellence while remaining inclusive and approachable in both nursing practice and research. She is glad to have the opportunity to serve and be a part of all the great things happening here.
Working in higher education, Marti is very aware of how fragile finances are in students’ lives, and it is important to Marti and her family to give back. Her parents valued education and saw it as a way to be more mobile; they believed that it was important for Marti and her siblings to be well educated and find a career that was fulfilling. To honor their memory and the sacrifices they made, Marti and her brothers established the William and Angeline Keehner Scholarship with hope that this scholarship will help make a student’s life easier. In both her career and philanthropy, Marti exemplifies what it means to “pay it forward.” In doing so, she continues to exemplify the very best that the Michigan State University College of Nursing has to offer.
In her mother’s final days, Joyce gained first-hand perspective in the value of hospice care. When her mom passed away, Joyce honored her memory and that positive hospice experience by opening her own non-profit organization, B.I. Hospice and Helping Hands, which helped over 200 patients before merging with Munson Hospice of Traverse City in 2008. Joyce’s contributions and community impact extend beyond Michigan to the Arizona community that she and John call home when they aren’t on Beaver Island. She has been instrumental in building a strong hospice network to support countless families when they need it most. When Ghandi said, “the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” he could easily be describing the gift of this ever-Green Spartan Nurse who has made such a difference in so many lives.
Heath credits his experience at MSU as the springboard that directed him on a path of success, professional achievement, and fulfillment. He genuinely enjoys mentoring and promoting nurses, both new and seasoned, to achieve their personal best and provide the best possible patient care.
Since graduating from MSU, Heath has attained a Master of Science degree in Nursing Management and Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota and will be graduating with a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Dakota in December 2016. Additionally, he has served as an interim nurse manager for the Neuroscience ICU at Saint Mary's Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota and is currently the nurse manager for the inpatient rehabilitation unit, supporting a nationally ranked Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program. In addition, Heath has multiple scholarly accomplishments to his credit. As a Captain in the Minnesota National Guard, he has proven to be promotable and served as the Officer in Charge (OIC) for a humanitarian service mission to Panama in 2013.
Heath has demonstrated success within the profession, leadership within both his civilian and military experience, and a commitment to the profession by striving to add to the body of knowledge and sharing of best practices.
2015 Alumni Awards
Dr. Angela Datz Strawn, BSN '65: Distinguished Alumni Award
Dr. Roberta Hoebeke, BSN '74: Alumni Service Award
Kathleen Bair, MSN '13: Recent Graduate Achievement Award
2014 Alumni Awards
Dr. Louise Conyers Selanders, BSN '69: Distinguished Alumni Award
Kate Lein, PTGR '96: Alumni Service Award
Jessica L. Diver, BSN '05: Recent Graduate Achievement Award
2013 Alumni Awards
Janice Granger, BSN '80: Distinguished Alumni Award
Dean Carpenter, MSN '02: Alumni Service Award
Dr. Michelle Munro, BSN '03: Recent Graduate Achievement Award
2012 Alumni Awards
Judge Paula Manderfield, BSN '79: Distinguished Alumni Award
Sharon Buursma, BSN '65: Alumni Service Award
Dr. Elizabeth Kuzma, MSN '08: Recent Graduate Achievement Award
2010 Alumni Awards
Kathleen Nowicki Schwartz, BSN '71: Distinguished Alumni Award
Michele Sturt, MSN '92: Alumni Service Award
Dr. Patrick Crane, MSN '07: Recent Graduate Achievement Award
2009 Alumni Awards
Patricia Hemingway Hall, BSN '75: Distinguished Alumni Award
Andrea Tilford, BSN '92: Alumni Service Award
Sarah Bergman, BSN '02: Recent Graduate Achievement Award
2008 Alumni Awards
Bernadette Marquez, BSN '80: Distinguished Alumni Award
Michelle Scott, BSN '95: Alumni Service Award
Sarah Witt, BSN '03: Recent Graduate Achievement Award
2006 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Dawn Fields, BSN '93
2005 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Jeanette Klemczak
2003 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Dr. Carol Beals-Kruger, BSN '72
Candace Burns, BSN '69
JoAnna Fields, BSN '56
Barbara Hertzler, BSN '71
2002 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Mary Gillette, BSN '57: Administration
Michelle Liken, MSN '93: Education
Opal Lesse, MSN '00: Extraordinary Clinical Nurse
Dr. Katherine Dontje, MSN '85: Faculty
2001 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Carolyn Ballard, BSN '67: Direct Delivery of Health Care and Administration
2000 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Linda Yaroch, BSN '73: Administration
Patricia Bednarz, MSN '80: Advanced Practice Nursing
Cynthia Coviak, BSN '77: Education
Mary Pat Randall, BSN '74: Extraordinary Clinical Nurse
1998 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Billie Gamble: Honorary Outstanding Alumni
Nancy Hadley, BSN '90: Administration
Linda Addy, BSN '71: Advanced Practice Nursing
Sandra Geller, BSN '72: Advanced Practice Nursing
Suzanne Allen, BSN '77: Education and Direct Delivery of Health Care
Dr. Linda Scott, BSN '79: Education and Research
Linda MacGregor, BSN '72: Extraordinary Clinical Nurse
1997 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Carol Frank: Honorary Outstanding Alumni
Shirley Weis, BSN '75: Administration
Carol Buzzitta, BSN '69: Administration
Dr. Judith Longworth, BSN '70: Advanced Practice Nursing
Dr. David Williams, BSN '69: Education
Dr. Mary Sue Marz, BSN '66: Education and Research
Ann Minnick, BSN '70: Education and Research
1996 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Helen Grace: Honorary Outstanding Alumni
Marilyn Glidden, BSN '65: Administration
Ellen Basmaji, BSN '66: Direct Delivery of Health Care
C. Lynne Royer-Willoughby, BSN '89: Education and Research
1995 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Carol A. Dwyer, MSN '79: Administration
A.J. Jones, BSN '86: Community Health Care
Dr. Linda Spink, BSN '67: Education and Research
1994 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Henrietta Eppink: Honorary Outstanding Alumni
Dr. Christine Zambricki, BSN '76: Administration
Susan Havens-Lang, BSN '69: Community Health Care
Clarissa Shavers, BSN '77: Education and Research
1993 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Isabelle Payne: Honorary Outstanding Alumni
Mary Milner-Estes, BSN '64: Administration
Dr. Lucille Grimm, BSN '72: Community Health Care
Dr. Jean Davis, BSN '67: Education and Research
1992 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Janice Strom, BSN '78: Administration
Sally Whitten, BSN '59: Community Health Care
Dr. Phyllis Gendler, MSN '79: Education and Research
1991 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Kathryn Kacynski, BSN '78: Community Health Care
Carol Cox, BSN '57: Direct Delivery of Health Care
Dr. Teresa Wehrwein, BSN '72
1990 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Dr. Dorthea Milbrandt: Honorary Outstanding Alumni
Wendla Kushion, BSN '75: Direct Delivery of Health Care
Dr. Sharon King, BSN '63, MSN '82: Education and Research
1988 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Anna Spaniolo, BSN '65: Direct Delivery of Health Care
Mary Soja, BSN '71: Education, Research, and Administration
Dr. Joan Scialli, BSN '65: Education, Research, and Administration
1986 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Karen Dailey, BSN '65: Community Health Care
Sue Haviland, MSN '83: Direct Delivery of Health Care
1984 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Dr. Joyce Ann French, BSN '56: Community Health Care
Christine Zambricki, BSN '76: Direct Delivery of Health Care
Dr. Barbara Pieper, BSN '70: Education, Research, and Administration
Dr. Susan McCabe, BSN '60: Education, Research, and Administration
1983 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Barbara Van Dyke, BSN '60: Community Health Care
Joyce Hanlon, BSN '59: Direct Delivery of Health Care
Kathleen Cofer-Jones, BSN '66: Education and Research
1982 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Judith Kulka, BSN '62: Community Health Care
Barbara Hammes, BSN '56: Direct Delivery of Health Care
Betty Porter, BSN '59: Direct Delivery of Health Care
1981 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Patricia Peek, BSN '72: Community Health Care
Dr. Nancy Leidy, BSN '75: Education and Research
1979 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Velma Theisen, BSN '68: Community Health Care
Elizabeth Price, MSN '78: Direct Delivery of Health Care
Dr. Nancy King Reame, BSN '69: Education and Research
1977 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Carolyn Paine, BSN '57: Community Health Care
Susan Bobek, BSN '67: Direct Delivery of Health Care
Dr. Bonnie Wilson, BSN '72: Education and Research
1976 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Marcia Kopacz, BSN '70: Direct Delivery of Health Care
1975 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Carol Paxton, BSN '69: Community Health Care
Lottie Lamphere, BSN '63: Direct Delivery of Health Care
Jacqueline Wright, BSN '62: Education and Research
1974 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Harriet Wheelock-Bolodar, BSN '61: Education and Research
1972 Outstanding Alumni Awards
Lavonne Huels, BSN '65: Community Health Care
Kay Ortman, BSN '68: Direct Delivery of Health Care
Dr. Nola Pender, BSN '64: Education and Research