Perspectives Inaugural Issue (Winter 2013)

PERSPECTIVES • WINTER/SPRING 2013 14 NEW BABY The department is delighted to announce that Mara Sanchez, M.M.S., assistant professor of physician assistant studies, has given birth to her second child, Emma, who was born on July 18, 2012, and weighed in at seven pounds, nine ounces. HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTEES The NSU chapter of the Alpha Eta Honor Society for the Allied Health Professions inducted 10 alumni from the class of 2012 and three full-time faculty members—Morton Diamond, M.D., Harvey Feldman, M.D., and C. Richard Finley, Ed.D. Kylie Fontoura, M.M.S., and Sonia Otte, M.M.S., from the class of 2012 were also recipients of this distinguished award as well the Dean’s Award. It was the first time two people in the same class were awarded the Dean’s Award for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.9. The Chan- cellor’s Award was presented to Lauren Fellion, M.M.S., PA-C, for demonstrating the characteristics of scholarship, leadership, integrity, humanity, and loyalty to the physician assistant profession. Robin Schugar, M.S., assistant professor of the physician assistant department, received an award from the U.S. Army in recognition of her PAComfort in Combat initiative. Schugar currently serves as the south region director for the Florida Academy of PhysicianAssistants and as a member on its Military Affairs Committee. PhysicianAssistant Student Government Association leaders recently volunteered their time to assist deployed servicemen and women by hosting an event called Forgotten Soldiers that involved creating care packages to send to the brave men and women currently serving in the military. B ABY E MMA CHCS PA FAMILY Updates... Class of 2012 summer semester honors went to 23 students who made the Dean’s List. They are Lindsey Anderson, M.M.S., Teresa Arthur, M.M.S., Kimberly Bacharach, M.M.S., Elizabeth Bennett, M.M.S., Samantha Bennett, M.M.S., Adam Chappelear, M.M.S., Amanda Hoerr, M.M.S., Danielle Horgen, M.M.S., Brandie Howell, M.M.S., Sarah Kennedy, M.M.S., April Kimmel, M.M.S., Shelby Lane, M.M.S., Laura Londono, M.M.S., Tzafra Martin, M.M.S., Jor- dan Mayer, M.M.S., JoAnn Mordenti, M.M.S., Kendra Nehrenz, M.M.S., Ashley Reinhardt, M.M.S., Katelyn Reismiller, M.M.S., Hope Roberts, M.M.S., Whitney Ronan, M.M.S., Rebecca Tam, M.M.S., and Jaclyn Wolok, M.M.S. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT • FORT LAUDERDALE DEAN’S LIST CHCS Campus Life R OBIN S CHUGAR Points of Pride Physician assistant graduates Mara Sanchez, M.M.S., Jason Leader, M.M.S., Jerald Minor, M.M.S., and Shawn Lieba, M.M.S., received this year’s Pi Alpha Honors. Pi Alpha is the na- tional PA honor society organized for the promotion and recog- nition of both PA students and graduates. Membership signifies the inductees’ significant academic achievement and honors them for their longstanding leadership, research, community/profes- sional service, and other related activities. Senior physician assistant student Maren Piefer traveled to Sierra Leone in West Africa to participate in a volunteer mission as part of African Youth Movement’s Health Initiatives (AYMHI). The organization, which was founded by a group of forward-thinking philanthropic individuals that wanted to change the world, is dedicated to improving the standard of health care in underdeveloped countries worldwide. One of Piefer’s first projects was to build a functioning outdoor toilet facility for the Mattru Jong Hospital in Sierra Leone to replace the old outhouses that collapsed many months ago. Piefer and her fellow volunteers are also building a garbage collection area, a fenced-in area to throw trash for burning garbage, and fixing the handle to the well water pump. AYM laborers get paid $2.50 a day, which is 75 cents more than the going daily rate, for these improvement projects. Alumni Spotlight M AREN P IEFER P.A. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR RECIEVES AWARD STUDENT VOLUNTEERS IN WEST AFRICA