Thursday, November 18, 2010

Six inducted into Sigma Phi Omega Gerontology National Honor Society

The Sigma Phi Omega Gerontology National Honor Society ETA chapter at the University of Illinois Springfield recently inducted six new members. Inductees included five UIS graduate students and one community member.

Sigma Phi Omega is affiliated with the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE), of which UIS is a member. UIS has had a Sigma Phi Omega chapter for over 20 years, which has formed a strong connection to gerontology programs on campus.

Master’s students inducted:

Donna Cruce: Donna is enrolled in the joint degree program of HMS/MPH with a specialization in gerontology. She is the recipient of a Whitney Young Fellowship, and is currently an Ombudsman Volunteer with the I-Care Program. She has a strong interest in the Pioneer Movement and improving the environment in long term care settings.

Elizabeth Delheimer: Elizabeth works for the Illinois Department on Aging, as Bureau Chief for the Helpline. She has extensive work experience with the Department on Aging with the Helpline and the Circuit Breaker Pharmaceutical Program. Prior to her work with IDOA she was with the Illinois Department of Revenue. Elizabeth comes to the gerontology concentration with extensive experience in the field.

Marita Karrick: Marita is an Elder Abuse Investigator Caseworker with Locust Grove Resource Center in Carlinville. She has served in this capacity since 2000. She is currently writing her proposal for her master’s project that involves conducting a workshop on elder abuse and neglect.

Mary McGuire: Mary relocated from Carbondale to Springfield to become a student in the Human Services Gerontology concentration option. Since beginning her studies at UIS, she has added an additional concentration of Social Service Administration. Mary is a GPSI intern with the Illinois Bureau of Long Term Care. She holds advanced degrees, with a Ph.D. in American Culture from the University of Michigan. Mary’s interests include gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender aging issues. Her master’s project will focus on this topic.

Tiffany Whitaker: Tiffany is currently an RN, and is employed at SIU School of Medicine as a Research Nurse. She has worked in a variety of other clinical settings utilizing her skills as an RN. Following the completion of her Human Services degree, she will continue her studies in the Nurse Practitioner Program at UIC Peoria with a specialty in Adult/Gerontology.

Community member inducted:

Dorothy Lorene Osborn: Lorene Osborn completed her degree in nursing from Jacksonville in 1937. She worked as a nurse in a variety of different settings including long term care. In 1993 at the age of 83, she completed her Bachelor’s degree from Sangamon State University in Child, Family, and Community. While at Sangamon State, Lorene wrote a paper on Alzheimer Disease, her professor at the time, Dr. Roz Robbert, indicated it was as good as any master level thesis work.

On November 22, Lorene will celebrate her 100th birthday. She was inducted for her lifelong work with older adults and for exhibiting an extraordinary model of successful aging.

For more information contact Carolyn Peck, associate professor of Human Services at cpeck2@uisu.edu or 217/206-7577.

No comments: