COM Outlook . Winter 2015
11
Although her innumerable
professional and community accom-
plishments made her a beloved and
revered colleague, perhaps the trait
that best exemplified Dr. Foster was
her steadfast devotion to her family
as well as those in need of her help.
According to those who knew her
best, Dr. Foster left an indelible im-
pression of fortitude and generosity
on many, even serving as a surrogate
mother to those requiring a loving
dose of maternal attention.
“Dr. Rosebud Foster was one
of the most competent leaders I’ve
ever known,” said Dr. Anthony J.
Silvagni, NSU-COM dean. “She
played a major role in so many
aspects of our college and in the
Health Professions Division that it is
impossible to present them all. Her
ability to bring people together and
her ability to take an idea and turn it
into a reality was extraordinary. Dr.
Foster was so respected and trusted
by legislators at the state and federal
level that she was frequently called
upon to help them understand and
guide them in many health care and
academic matters.
“To me, she was much more than
an inspiration,” he added. “With-
out her, we would have had a more
difficult task in the pursuit of many
of our quality programs. She always
made herself available to give coun-
sel on challenging academic, accredi-
tation, or interprofessional plans or
programs. Her absence has created a
void that can never be filled, but her
contributions have made a path that
we may use for many years to con-
tinue our growth. I say goodbye to a
special lady who was here at the time
we needed her most, but who will
never leave any of us that knew her.”
Colleagues Bid Fond Farewell
“Dr. Rosebud Foster was a woman of integrity, dignity, and action. It has
been a personal privilege, honor, and sincere blessing to have known her and
to have shared many precious moments with her. I have the utmost respect
for Dr. Foster, who was my mentor. She was motherly to me, and I cherished
her love and kindness. She had a deep compassion and concern for people
in despair, and her work ethic was incredible. Her principles were strong,
and her faith was unshakeable. Among her many remarkable achievements,
we owe the success of our public health program to her leadership,
determination, and sacrifice. Her wisdom and counsel have yielded great and
enduring outcomes for so many students. My fond memories of Dr. Foster
will endure. May God grant her everlasting peace, and may all her loved
ones be comforted. To God be the glory.” –
Cyril Blavo, D.O., M.S., M.P.H.
and T.M., FACOP, director of the Master of Public Health Program
“I met Dr. Foster for the first time at FIU while working on my Master of
Health Services Administration degree 18 years ago. During that initial
encounter, it was evident she was not just another professor, but someone
of importance and influence in health care in South Florida. Years later,
I began working for NSU-COM’s AHEC Program, where she was an
administrator. I was able to work closely with her on many projects over
the years; however, some of my fondest memories of her were on our trips
to Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. I learned quite a bit from her as we
met with many of the movers and shakers. Dr. Foster was in her prime just
sitting in front of Andrews Capital Grill & Bar in Tallahassee, sipping on a
merlot under an oak tree meeting with colleagues and dignitaries. –
Steve
Bronsburg, Ph.D., M.H.S.A., assistant professor of biomedical informatics
