The College is pleased to announce fundraising is underway to establish two endowed professorships ($500,000 each): one in memory of Nancy Melvin to be dedicated for pediatric nursing and one in honor of Bernita ‘B’ Steffl to be dedicated for geriatric nursing. Both Nancy Melvin and B Steffl were pioneers in their respective fields of nursing, which have become academic strengths for the college.
Nancy Melvin is believed to have been the first pediatric Nurse Practitioner in the Valley. She earned a baccalaureate nursing degree at the University of Nebraska and a doctorate in higher education at the University of Arizona. Nancy was a career nurse who set high goals, focused her work to achieve them and was a wonderful mentor to graduate students as a result. Indeed, she was the first ASU nursing professor to receive a $1 million research grant. Known for being a bit rough on the edges, eccentric and wearing wonderful shoes, Nancy was a gardener at home, while being neat and organized every where. She was loved and is missed by many.
The Nancy Melvin Professor will embody the same leadership role in educating ASU Nursing professionals for the challenges of pediatric practice and providing purposeful research to improve health outcomes for all children.
B Steffl is a true clinician, respected for identifying what needs to be done in healthcare and then leading the way to address the issues. She first studied nursing at the Anker Hospital of Nursing in St. Paul, MN. Then, following her service in the Army Nursing Corps during WWII at stations in the United States, Italy and Iran, B continued her education with a baccalaureate degree at the University of Minnesota and a master’s degree in public health. Over time, she developed a keen interest in the unique health issues facing the elderly in the emerging field of geriatric nursing, at which time she earned a Certificate in Gerontology at the University of Southern California. During B’s academic career, she developed curriculum dedicated to gerontology including a certificate program at ASU. Among her many activities beyond ASU, B established the Geriatric Nurses Interest Group of the Gerontological Society of America and worked for the passage of state and federal policies and legislation on aging. B’s warm personality is adored by her colleagues, friends and extended family.
The B Steffl Professor will help support the goal of educating specialized faculty to prepare professional nurses with expertise in meeting the healthcare needs of an increasingly aging population both in the community and in long-term care facilities.
These professorships will enable the college to expand access to more students who want to study nursing, to build excellence by recruiting and/or retaining the nation’s best nursing faculty and to make an impact on the health of our children, our grandchildren and our parents. Please join us in making contributions to these valuable professorships.
With more than 7,600 alumni we can reach our goal to endow both professorships if each alumna and alumnus gives. Gifts of $1,000 and above will receive special donor recognition in a permanent manner as part of the College’s Phase II expansion plans on the Downtown Phoenix Campus to be completed in summer 2009. Your gift to the professorship will honor our 50th Anniversary. Pledge payments can be made over time to enable you to reach your philanthropic goal. Please contact Laurel Van Dromme for more information on making a pledge, or give online now.
Please mail your gift to:
Laurel Van Dromme, Director of Development
ASU College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation
500 N. 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004
