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FCN Celebrates Achievements of Alumni and Students

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Alumni receiving the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing Medallion for distinguished achievement from Dean Donna Havens (2nd from left) include: James Eastwood ’68 COE, Jeanne L. Alhusen ’93 BSN, and Colleen Mattioni ’87 BSN, and – posthumously - Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima ’13 PhD. Her Medallion is displayed by Dean Havens.

The Fitzpatrick College of Nursing honored alumni and students on April 22 at its 32nd Annual Mass and Alumni Awards Ceremony held in the St. Thomas of ֱ Church. Awards were bestowed by Donna S. Havens, PhD, RN, FAAN, Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor. ֱ’s President, The Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, presided at Mass.

Alumni receiving the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing Medallion for distinguished achievement included: James Eastwood ’68 COE, Jeanne L. Alhusen ’93 BSN, Colleen Mattioni ’87 BSN, and – posthumously - Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima ’13 PhD. Senior student awardees included Elizabeth Thompson, Martina Morrell, Natalia Matar and Daniel Wala.

Read more below about FCN's honorees.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION:James Eastwood ’68 COE

James W. Eastwood graduated with a civil engineering degree from ֱ in 1968 and went on toserve in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam war and beyond, retiring from the Navy Reserve in 2001 asa two-star Admiral. Now a retired healthcare executive, Mr. Eastwood has led a life of giving back tohis community. He has been a highly engaged volunteer, ongoing champion and generous donor onbehalf of the College of Nursing for more than two decades. He served 14 years as a charter memberof the College’s Board of Consultors—advising three deans—and supports nursing students eachyear through the multiple scholarships that he and his wife Linda have established. He continues toinspire other donors, having established the College’s Eastwood Family Endowed Fund for AssistantProfessors of Nursing, the first of its kind in the College which blazed the trail for other similar funds.In many ways, Mr. Eastwood continues to champion the role and work of the College near and far,helps facilitate relationships on behalf of the College, and supports the success and enrollment ofprospective nursing students.

DISTINGUISHED CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROFESSION:Jeanne L. Alhusen ’93 BSN

Dr. Jeanne Alhusen, a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, is The University of Virginia (UVA)Medical Center Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean for Research at the UVA School of Nursing.She has contributed widely and deeply to nursing science, education and practice. She is nationallyand internationally recognized for her research in perinatal health disparities, with a particular focuson disabilities. Dr. Alhusen has continuous NIH funding, is a highly valued speaker, publishes in top-ratedjournals, has informed the development of federal policy and received multiple awards for herscience and mentorship. She holds leadership positions with organizations such as The Women’sInitiative focused on mental health care access, the Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities focusedon women with disabilities, and the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Agifted educator, Dr. Alhusen uses her experience as a family nurse practitioner, her local and nationalservice and advocacy for vulnerable mothers and infants as well as those with disabilities and mentalhealth issues, and imparts that knowledge to the current and future health care workforce to ensurehealth equity and science-based interventions in care.

DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP IN NURSING PRACTICE:Colleen Mattioni ’87 BSN

The COVID-19 pandemic struck just months into Dr. Colleen Mattioni’s tenure as Chief Nursing Executiveat Penn Medicine’s Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP), where she began as a new staffnurse. Her leadership is described as an unwavering commitment to patient care, employees, HUP andthe profession while weathering multiple waves of crises. In parallel, she also led HUP nursing throughthe acquisition of a community hospital that served the most vulnerable in Philadelphia; through theopening of HUP-Pavilion, one of the largest hospital expansions in the US, and through the process ofHUP’s 5th American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet designation. Dr. Mattioni is a humble leaderwho also has had an impact in perioperative nursing where she launched and grew her career. She isresponsible for many innovative perioperative practices that are now nationally accepted standards,has ensured those nurses are facile in the most challenging procedures, and has advocated for thespecialty, including through her leadership positions with the national Association of periOperativeRegistered Nurses.

EXCELLENCE IN NURSING EDUCATION:Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima ’13 PhD (posthumous)

Dr. Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima was Dean, School of Nursing and Health Sciences, University ofGuam, a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, and a transformative leader for her studentsand the wider community. Her expertise and tireless advocacy for underserved populations havetheir roots in her public health nursing career. For over 15 years, homelessness on Guam drove her toengage in research, volunteer through the Guam Homeless Coalition, which she chaired, involve herstudents and advocate on behalf of the homeless population to the Guam Territorial Government.As a doctoral student, she developed particular expertise about the health-related issues amonghomeless Chuukese migrant women on Guam. She expanded her influence in health disparitiesamong Pacific Islanders through U.S. federally funded grants to examine adult cardiovascular riskand childhood obesity in multiple island nations throughout the Pacific. In parallel, Dr. Hattori-Uchimaprepared health professionals to meet the health labor force needs of Guam and the Philippines, andby initiating a student exchange program, Japan. Through her engagement with the American PacificNurse Leaders Council, she secured funding from U.S. federal agencies for projects targeting capacitybuilding in elder care, with emphasis on the needs of families coping with Alzheimer’s Disease, andcancer care, as well as the biomedical training of underrepresented students in Pacific Rim U.S. states,Micronesia, Samoa, the Marshall Islands and Guam.

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Senior student awardees with Dean Donna Havens (center) included Elizabeth Thompson, Martina Morrell, Daniel Wala and Natalia Matar.

STUDENT AWARD RECIPIENTS

THE REVEREND FRANCIS X.N. MCGUIRE, OSA AWARDOF THE VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION:Elizabeth Thompson

Elizabeth Thompson has volunteered with the Fitzpatrick College of Nursing’s student group NursingWithout Borders (NWB) throughout her time at ֱ. In recent years, she has served on theExecutive Board planning activities and coordinating the group’s numerous service projects with theClinic Chair. Her tireless efforts in NWB consistently reflect the mission and vision of the College andֱ in serving the needs of the underserved communities of Philadelphia. She continued todemonstrate her strong and steady leadership skills during her term as the organization’s president.Liz is a true ֱn with great promise for the future.

ROSE WOYTOWICH O’DRISCOLL STUDENT SERVICE AWARD:Martina Morrell

An active and engaged member of the Undergraduate Nursing Senate (UNS) across her four yearsat ֱ, Martina Morrell served as UNS treasurer in her junior year and was elected presidentfor her senior year. Her ongoing leadership in that position has been described as “by far the mostimpressive.” Martina embodies organization, responsibility and accountability. She coordinates herleadership team and has accomplished fundraisers and a clinical guide for students, with severalmore large accomplishments to come before her graduation. Her endeavors on behalf of her fellownursing students are of the finest caliber and skill.

THE HAZEL JOHNSON LEADERSHIP AWARD:Natalia Matar

Natalia Matar is described as one of the most effective presidents of the College’s chapter of theStudent Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP-ֱ). A superb student, she is an outstandingrole model with a gracious and transformative leadership style. Under Natalia’s tenure, the chapteragain won the state SNAP’s highest award. She encourages involvement, inspiring a student to serve onthe state SNAP board, others to write resolutions and to run as a candidate at the national level.Her award-winning poster for her independent study examined the concept of professional identitydevelopment in nursing students. Natalia exemplifies the leadership, achievement, and overallcommitment to professional nursing that Hazel Johnson lived and so valued.

H. ELAINE MCCAULLY AWARD FOR CLINICAL EXCELLENCE:Daniel Wala

Being an exceptional clinical colleague will serve Daniel Wala well in his career as a cardiac criticalcare nurse. He is noted for how he interacts with his classmates, the clinical stories and cases heshares for group learning, and his availability to connect and work with others. He has consistentlymade an impact on his classmates and clinical faculty with his approach in the patient care setting.Daniel shines with an understanding that, as he has noted, “good care and communication are atthe forefront of nursing.” A bright future awaits with his commitment to clinical performance andacademic achievement, and the leadership that he exhibits.