Loma Linda University School of Nursing News
May 4, 2000
- School of Nursing names two alumni of the year during Homecoming Weekend
- School of Nursing recognizes honor classes during Homecoming
- School of Nursing Alumni Homecoming -- a time to celebrate and remember
- More homecoming weekend pictures
School of Nursing names two alumni of the year during Homecoming Weekend
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Mildred Akamine, MS, RN, (left) who recently retired from the School of Nursing, receives the Alumna of the Year Award from Katty Joy French, PhD, RN, associate professor, School of Nursing. |
Mildred Akamine, MS, RN, and Ruth S. Weber, EdD, RN, have been named School of Nursing Alumni of the Year for 2000.
Ms. Akamine earned her bachelor of science degree from the School of Nursing in 1954. After graduation she held a variety of staff and charge nurse positions in California and Hawaii. In 1968, she became a school nurse in the Los Angeles city school system.
In 1974, Ms. Akamine began her teaching career in the School of Nursing. In 1975, she earned a master of science degree in community health nursing with an emphasis in teaching, while continuing to teach community health nursing courses.
In 1982, she earned a graduate certificate in gerontology from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Shortly thereafter, she began to teach gerontological nursing. She also worked part-time in home-care nursing.
During a special award presentation made during the School of Nursing Alumni Homecoming banquet, Helen E. King, PhD, RN, dean, School of Nursing, related the following:
"Perhaps there was no greater expression of Ms. Akamine's loving care than that shown to literally hundreds of students in the School of Nursing. In faculty meetings when student problems were being discussed, she could be counted on to speak up in her quiet but firm voice, 'Let's give her a chance-- I think she is improving.'"
Ms. Akamine would then take the student aside and express her concern and faith that the student would do the right thing and become a successful nurse.
Dr. King went on to say that such positive statements often made a difference in students' progress in school.
In recognition of such faithfulness in her call to teaching, she was voted by students and faculty as Teacher of the Year for 1988. At that time, she also received the Zapara Award for undergraduate teaching excellence.
Another way Ms. Akamine demonstrated her concern for nursing students throughout her career was to provide encouragement to international students. She served as their advisor and friend as they faced the challenges of being far away from home and family.
During the School of Nursing Alumni Homecoming banquet, Ms. Akamine was presented with a plaque that reads:
"Loma Linda University School of Nursing Alumni Association honors Mildred Akamine, MS, RN, educator, community volunteer, friend for pioneering gerontological education for nurses; dedication to the teaching of community health; and service as a mentor and advisor for international students with the Alumna of the Year Award."
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Ruth S. Weber, EdD, RN, associate professor, School of Nursing, receives the School of Nursing Alumna of the Year Award from Cindra Rowell, RN, immediate past president, School of Nursing Alumni Association (right). |
The second Alumna of the Year, Dr. Weber, the daughter of a minister, spent the first several years of her life in Argentina. When groups of ministers would gather in her parents' home, she remembers one guest, an Pastor Halliwell, who worked with people along the Amazon, would tell tall tales about crocodiles he had seen in the river that were so big "you could sit on their teeth and eat breakfast." But he would always end the storytelling by giving the child a serious talk, "Ruthie, you must grow up to be a nurse. The little children along the river are so sick. I need you to come and help me make them well."
So when she was just a youngster, the seed was planted. However, as she grew and continued her education, there was no school of nursing nearby. She completed courses in elementary education and in piano performance.
Dr. Weber entered the working world as a music teacher. Later, she married, moved to the United States, and had children of her own. Through all of her life experiences, she could hear Pastor Halliwell's voice in the back of her mind, saying "Ruthie, you must become a nurse."
While living in Northern California near Sacramento, Dr. Weber attended nursing classes at a local community college. She also began to work as a nurse's aide. She enjoyed her work, and received an associate degree in nursing.
Soon after this, she heard of the opening of a "new" Medical Center in Loma Linda. When she discovered they were hiring nurses, she was ready and moved to Loma Linda one week after LLUMC opened.
Dr. Weber served as staff nurse on several units. When she learned of plans to open a cardiac intensive care unit she wanted to be prepared, and attended courses on interpreting EKG strips.
In 1973 she was appointed assistant director of nursing, and in 1975, she completed her master's degree in nursing administration.
She continued to serve in administrative roles in LLUMC, and received a master of arts in executive management from Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, in 1981.
In 1978 she was asked to develop a master's degree course in nursing administration for the School of Nursing. She soon discovered that she enjoyed teaching nursing as much as she had always enjoyed clinical and administrative duties.
She began to take advanced courses in education at La Sierra University, Riverside, and completed a doctor of education degree in 1991.
During her years in leadership roles in the School of Nursing Dr. Weber facilitated development of the specialty of spiritual care nursing. Active in research in this area, articles she has produced have been published, and she has given presentations at professional meetings aimed at guiding nurses in providing whole-person care.
Aided by her multilingual abilities, Dr. Weber served as a mentor for numerous Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking students. She has also frequently been called to provide international consultation on improving nursing practice and administration around the world.
The desire to improve health-care delivery motivated her leadership role in developing a conference for international Seventh-day Adventist nursing educators held on the Loma Linda campus in 1998.
Although Dr. Weber's students have completed their courses and many have left LLU to serve in leadership rolls around the world, they still call her for guidance when faced with challenging administrative decisions.
During the Alumni Home coming banquet, Dr. Weber was presented with a plaque with this inscription:
Loma Linda University School of Nursing Alumni Association honors Ruth S. Weber, EdD, RN, innovator, administrator, educator, consultant, and researcher, for innovative leadership in nursing service; inspirational education of undergraduate and graduate students of nursing; consultation for the advancement of international nursing; and research in spiritual care nursing; with the Alumna of the Year Award."
School of Nursing recognizes honor classes during Homecoming
One of the annual events that takes place during Alumni Homecoming is the Alumni Institute. This year's theme was "Nursing in the 21st Century: Visions for the Future." Presenters included Marilyn Christian Smith, EdD, RN; Gwen Knotts, BSN, NP, PHN, of the San Bernardino County Health Department; Claudia Spencer, MPH, RN, acting director of nursing, San Bernardino County Health Department; Dolores Wright, DNSc, RN, assistant professor of nursing; Donna Smith-Herrick, MDiv, BS, coordinator of clinical pastoral education, LLUMC; and Bernadine Irwin, PhD, RN, associate professor of nursing.
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The School of Nursing 50th anniversary class, posing for a formal photo during the Homecoming Weekend, include (front row, from left) Wilma Allen Richardson, Lorna Mae Waters James, Jackie Bylsma, Mary Smith Munce, Jaunita Blaylock, Jane Sorenson Spear, Alphaeus Lightfoot Pruit, (second row) Harriet Wall Eckren, Dorothy Davenport, Mary Lou Ekvall Graves, Eleanor King Grimstad, Delores Anholm Schilling, Ara Rowland, Doris Scott Bronsert, Ruth Stickle Pestes, Llewella Roberts Deroo, Sheila Paulson Gibons, Joyce Penner Perry, Dorothy Tollensdorf Brown, (back row) Madella Gimbel Toop, Carol Tippett Harris, Edna Johnson Abrams, Eunice Bentz Harris, Barbara McDonald, and Elaine Morey Robertson. |
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Members of the honored class of 1955-A include (back row, from left) Ann McInturff Montgomery, Marie Yeager Dougan, Rhoda Gardner Happel, Mary Elder Elssmann, Ruby Gilbert Vidato, Carolyn Boynton Stanton, (front row, from left) Anna Fae McConnehey, Olivia Koovit Bergeron, Berryl Bull Longway, and Evangeline Phillips Leonetti. | |
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Members of the class of 1960 (BS) include (from left) Joan Komarniski Hagerty, Donna Haste Ernest, Harriett Crockett Pitt, Juanita Hartwig Plummer, Lottie Krivoshein Tait, Jan Zempel Malo, Carole Osgood Mihulka, Kathy Fessler Lynch, Mildred Farrior Copeland, Eunice Requenez Detton, Mary Lou Merickel Wiswell, and Earline Westphal Miller. | |
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Members of the honored class of 1960 (40-year class) include (from left) Eunice Requenez Detton, Carol Osgood Mihulka, Earline Westphal Miller, and Juanita Hartwig Plummer. | |
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Members of the class of 1970 (BS, 30-year class) include (back row, from left) Nancy Rosenquist Wernick, Lorna Vixie Beeson, Jane Manire Richardson, Anita Bartholomew Manning, and Robin Marchal Nelson, (front row, from left) Linda Carroll Barton, Lana Munce Jutzy*, Catherine Butterley Boersing*, and Susan Jones Krider. *Received AS degree | |
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The 25th anniversary class includes (front row, from left) Mirtha Herrera Jones, Judy Gamboa Hiscox, Susan Ciccarelia-Vana, Marcie Waggoner Hassen, Marilynn Cathcart, (back row) Liz Bowes Dickinson, Cynthia Merchat Cady, Nadine Moore Knight, Cheryl Warner Kablanow, Michael Rettig, Paullette Laprise, Diane Kovach, Jackie Chaffee Williamson, and Cheryl Magnussen Mautz. | |
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The 10th anniversary class includes (from left) Dorothy Weiss and Sheila Corpuz. |
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School of Nursing Alumni Homecoming -- a time to celebrate and remember
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Deborah Saknit, RN, BS (left), receives a Meritorious Scholarship Award from Ms. Rowell. |
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Eva Miller, RN, MS, associate professor, School of Nursing (center), greets Mildred Akamine, MS, RN (right), and Naomi Yamashiro, RN. During the Banquet, Ms. Akamine was named Alumnae of the Year. |
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