xt74xg9f5w1r https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt74xg9f5w1r/data/mets.xml The Frontier Nursing Service, Inc. 2012 bulletins  English The Frontier Nursing Service, Inc. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletins Frontier Nursing University, Vol. 87, No. 3, Spring 2012 text Frontier Nursing University, Vol. 87, No. 3, Spring 2012 2012 2014 true xt74xg9f5w1r section xt74xg9f5w1r FNU

FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY
Spring 2012 n Volume 87 n Number 3

Hot off the Presses –
A Book Celebrating
Frontier’s Early Graduates
(Page 8)

* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY
US ISSN 0016-2116

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction to FNU

1

The Journey – Dr. Susan Stone

2

Endowment Campaign Update

4

Alumni Spotlight

6

Class Notes

7

Beyond the Mountains

8

Alumni Events

16

Dean’s Report – Dr. Janet Engstrom

18

Field Notes

20

Wendover Report – Michael Claussen

25

Footprints

26

In Memoriam

27

Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin (USPS 835-740,
ISSN 00162116) is published at the end of each quarter by Frontier Nursing Service, Inc., 132 FNS Dr., Wendover, KY 41775.
Periodicals Postage Paid at Hyden, KY and at additional mailing
offices. Subscriptions: $5 per year. POSTMASTER: Send address
changes to Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin, 132 FNS
Dr., Wendover, KY 41775.
On the cover: Rooted in the Mountains, Reaching to the World is a beautiful
new book that shares the story of Frontier’s early graduates. It is coauthored by
FNU faculty member Dr. Anne Cockerham and Dr. Arlene Keeling. Pictured in
the cover photo are Bertha Bloomer (on the horse) and Betty Lester (standing).
Read more about the book on Page 8.
Copyright FNS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Frontier does not share its donor mailing list.

* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Introduction
to Frontier Nursing University

Mary Breckinridge spent her early years in many parts of the world –
Russia, France, Switzerland and the British Isles. After the deaths of her
two children, she abandoned the homebound life expected of women of
her class to devote herself to the service of others, particularly mothers
and children.

Mary Breckinridge founded the Frontier Nursing Service in 1925 after
several years of studying and practicing nursing and midwifery in the
United States, England, Scotland and France. It was the first organization
in America to use nurses trained as midwives collaborating with a single
medical doctor/obstetrician, based at their small hospital in Hyden. Originally the staff was composed of nurse-midwives trained in England. They
traveled on horseback and on foot to provide quality prenatal and childbirth
care in the client’s own home. In 1939, Mrs. Breckinridge established a
school of nurse-midwifery. The school provided graduates, many of whom
stayed to offer care to families in Leslie County, Kentucky.
Today, Mrs. Breckinridge’s legacy extends far beyond Eastern Kentucky
through Frontier Nursing University (FNU), which offers a Doctor of
Nursing Practice degree and a Master of Science in Nursing degree with
tracks as a Nurse-Midwife, Family Nurse Practitioner and Women’s Health
Care Nurse Practitioner. FNU has students and graduates serving all 50
states and many countries.
Mary Breckinridge’s home, The Big House, located at Wendover, is a
licensed Bed & Breakfast Inn. For more information or reservations, call
(606) 672-2317 or e-mail michael.claussen@frontier.edu.

Mary Breckinridge said: “Our aim has always been to see ourselves surpassed, and on a larger scale.” (Wide Neighborhoods, 1952)

www.frontier.edu

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THE JOURNEY
By Dr. Susan E. Stone,
Frontier Nursing University President and Dean

T

Join Us in Celebration
Throughout 2012

his year marks a time of incredible celebration at Frontier Nursing
University, filled with exciting events, new projects and innovative
programs. The months ahead promise to be exhilerating: we look
forward to seeing our friends at Committee luncheons across the country,
welcoming our Frontier family back to Hyden for the annual Alumni
Homecoming & Courier Conclave, and honoring our founder during the
50th anniversary of the Mary Breckinridge Festival.
We’re also thrilled to announce the release of a highly anticipated
book about Frontier’s “Pioneer” graduates, and we’re looking forward to
welcoming Class 100 to campus for Frontier Bound. The energy can be
felt within the faculty, staff and student body. We hope you can join us in
celebration this year!

50th Anniversary of the Mary Breckinridge Festival – Hyden, KY

The City of Hyden and the University are busy preparing for the annual
Mary Breckinridge Festival, set for Oct. 5-7. This year marks the 50th

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anniversary, and many special events and activities are being planned to
commemorate this milestone year. As in past years, FNU is hosting our
annual Alumni Homecoming & Courier Conclave in conjunction with
the festival. FNU staff and city representatives are working together to
coordinate festival and homecoming activities to ensure a memorable time
for everyone. If you haven’t been back to Hyden recently, we hope you will
consider sharing in this special weekend with us. You can read more about
homecoming on Page 17.

Rooted in the Mountains, Reaching to the World:
Stories of Nursing and Midwifery at Kentucky’s Frontier School, 1939-1989
When we embarked on the Pioneer Project in 2006, we hoped to gather
memories and photos from our earliest graduates, those who attended
Frontier when it was a campus-based program. We wanted to reconnect
with these alumni and learn how their Frontier education influenced their
professional lives. The tales that emerged from these interviews were fantastic.
To bring these stories to a wider audience, Frontier faculty member and
alumna Anne Cockerham began work on a book to showcase the project.
You have read about the Pioneer Project frequently through the years, and it
is our pleasure to announce the release of Rooted in the Mountains, Reaching
to the World: Stories of Nursing and Midwifery at Kentucky’s Frontier School,
1939-1989. You can learn more about Dr. Cockerham’s book on Page 8.
Celebrating Class 100

On May 15, FNU will welcome Class 100 to our Hyden campus for
orientation. It’s hard to believe we will celebrate our 100th class since
the inception of the Community-based Distance Education Program in
1989. We have graduated five times more graduates since starting this
program than we did in the first 50 years! This important milestone will
be celebrated through a series of communication efforts as well as an oncampus celebration. Read more on Page 7.

FNU remains a fast-paced and thriving institution. Thanks to the support
of former Couriers, alumni and more than 5,000 faithful supporters
nationwide, we are growing and changing to remain a leader in nursing
education. We hope you enjoy reading about the wonderful events ahead
and will join us at one of our celebrations.

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FNU endowment
campaign update

Honoring our past, focusing on our future

Your investment in Frontier Nursing University
is an investment in quality healthcare for all

A

s we have announced in earlier Quarterly Bulletins, Frontier Nursing University has embarked on
a campaign to raise $10 million
TO MAKE A GIFT
to fund a supporting endowment for
Gifts to the endowment can be made
the University. This endowment will
in cash, gifts of stock, or as planned
provide annual income to support our
gifts/bequests to be realized in the
faculty, students and campus, allowing
future. Pledges of support can be
FNU to maintain an affordable tuition
made for a period of up to five years.
for our students and continue to innoPlease call Denise Barrett, Director
vate and grow as needed.
of Development, with any questions
At FNU, the mission to serve famiabout giving to the campaign at
662.846.1967.
lies is embraced wholeheartedly by our
students, alumni, faculty and staff. It
drives our work each and every day,
motivates students to push through and study hard, and inspires graduates
to provide compassionate care. We cannot say enough about the thousands
of graduates, and thousands of students who will follow them, who are

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dedicated to providing quality healthcare to families across the globe.
We are honored that you are part of this national – really global – movement to improve the health of women and families. No matter where you
live, any state, rural or urban, a Frontier nurse is not far away. And more
Frontier nurses are on the way. We are operating the largest graduate school
of nursing in the country and with outstanding results. Our graduates have
higher pass rates on the national certification exams and are serving more
rural and medically underserved families than any other institution. It truly
is remarkable, and in the words of our founder, “The glorious thing about
it is that it has worked.”
The faculty of FNU is supportive of the campaign, as indicated by their
financial support. More than 30 faculty have already signed up to support
the campaign and pledged more than $100,000 to the goal. The Leadership Council for the campaign, comprised of 23 volunteers, is also showing their support with initial gifts of nearly $100,000 in just our first year.
Together, we can meet our goal and provide financial security for our students, faculty and historic campus.
Please join with us to help meet our campaign goal and seed an endowment that will support FNU in perpetuity. Your gift to the endowment
is the gift that will keep on giving, providing financial stability, support
and funding to continue to meet the educational needs of aspiring nursemidwives and nurse practitioners to serve future generations of your family.

DONOR RECOGNITION LEVELS
Gifts to the FNU Endowment Campaign are recognized in the
Mary Breckinridge Society at the following levels:
Founding Trustee: $1 million and above
Life Trustee: $500,000 - $999,999
Trustee: $250,000 - $499,999
Ambassador: $100,000 – $249,999
Sponsor: $50,000 - $99,999
Steward: $25,000 - $49,999
Patron: $10,000 - $24,999
Friend: $5,000 - $9,999
Supporter: $1,000 - $4,999

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Recent graduate opens clinic to serve his community
As a family nurse practitioner, William Miller seeks to make a difference
one patient at a time. “I am looking for the ‘one’ – someone whom I haven’t
met, but needs me to touch their life in some way.”
That desire to make a difference has led William, a 2011 graduate of Frontier Nursing University, to open the Lighthouse Family Clinic in Ocean
Shores, Wash., to provide care to a community that is rural and underserved.
Lighthouse is a same-day appointment clinic and chronic care location for
people of the Ocean Shores and the north beach.
“My community and surrounding area of 12,000 has very limited healthcare options,” William says. “There
is a community health center that
provides care to about 40 people a
day. Many more are turned away
and forced to rely on the emergency room 40 miles away. The closest
urgent care is 75 miles away. There
are no private clinics or medical offices for 40 miles.”
William points out that while
William Miller, MSN, FNP, ARNP, NP-C
two OB-GYNs – who are 40 miles
away – serve his community, there is no midwifery care for 70 miles. So he
is partnering with Sylvia Swanson, who will graduate from Frontier’s CFNP
program in the months ahead, to offer a women’s clinic twice a month at
Lighthouse. He said Sylvia’s plans are to provide a Woman for Woman Clinic and midwifery service in Ocean Shores.
“In an era where healthcare should be available to all, here there is little,”
he says. “We will put the care back in healthcare.”
William is a Class 62 graduate of Frontier’s ADN-MSN Bridge option,
which allows associate degree nurses to complete their master of science in
nursing with some coursework to “bridge” them into the specialty track of
their graduate program.
He is grateful to Frontier for nurturing him along this path of helping others. “Thank you for helping me make my dream come alive.”
“Frontier knows how to teach the online course material,” William says.
Having recently passed his national boards, William says he knows other
FNP students from campus-based programs who were not as well-prepared
as he was. “Frontier and its faculty know what education is.”

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* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

CLASS NOTES
Angela Kreider, a Class 31 CNEP alum who graduated in 2006, has recently
opened a clinic, Women’s Circle Nurse-Midwife Services Inc. in Yuba City,
Calif. Angela will be providing holistic and compassionate care to women of all
ages and providing birth services at the local hospital. She was part of a longtime nurse-midwife service known as Great Beginnings, which closed in August, and decided to keep the torch burning to give women in her community
access to nurse-midwifery care, regardless of whether they are insured. Angela
says she looks forward to serving women in her community who have come to
value the care of midwives. At the same time, she aims to increase knowledge
and awareness of midwifery care. Women’s Circle celebrated its grand opening
March 27. For more information, visit the website at www.yubasuttermidwife.
com.
Pam Holtz, a Class 72 CFNP graduate, has been hired as a family nurse practitioner on the emergency medicine team at Essentia Health’s 32nd Avenue
campus in Fargo, ND. Before becoming a nurse practitioner, Pam was an RN
in the emergency department at Essentia. She has experience in pain management, endoscopy and critical care. She previously worked at the University of
Minnesota Hospital as a flight nurse and in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

FNU welcomes our 100th distance-learning class

This May, Frontier Nursing University is proudly celebrating the 100th
class since the inception of the Community-based Distance Education
Program in 1989. The goal of the communitybased distance education model was to enable
nurses to remain in their communities while
obtaining graduate education and ultimately increase the number of nurse-midwives and nurse
practitioners working in underserved areas. This
distance-education model has helped FNU serve
the mission that Mary Breckinridge set forth
more than 70 years ago.
With more than 2,000 graduates since this model was introduced, FNU
is proud to see our students and alumni continuing to serve women and
families in all areas with an emphasis on rural and underserved populations.
Class 100 will be welcomed to the Hyden campus for Bridge Bound,
May 15-18. This important milestone will be celebrated through a series of
communication efforts as well as an on-campus celebration.

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* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS

FNU proudly announces ‘birth’
of book about our Pioneer graduates
Rooted in the Mountains, Reaching to the World:
Stories of Nursing and Midwifery at Kentucky’s Frontier School, 1939-1989

Six years after the launch of Frontier’s Pioneer project, we are overjoyed
to announce the publication of this highly anticipated book chronicling the
graduates who attended Frontier during its first 50 years.
In Rooted in the Mountains, Reaching to the World, nurse historians Anne
Cockerham, a Frontier faculty member and graduate, and Arlene Keeling
share a fascinating glimpse into a part of nursing history that has received
little attention until now – the stories of pioneering students who attended
one of the first nurse-midwifery schools in America.

When she wrote her autobiography, Wide Neighborhoods, in 1952, Mary
Breckinridge reflected on what her beloved Frontier Nursing Service had
achieved since its founding in 1925. She compared FNS to a tree, a metaphor that aptly described the service’s steadfast and powerful roots in the
mountains of Eastern Kentucky, as well as the plentiful yield of healthy
babies delivered by the Frontier nurses. Mrs. Breckinridge was equally
proud of another of the Frontier Nursing Service’s products: the hundreds
of graduates of the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery (later called
the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing and today known as
Frontier Nursing University.)

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Through their subsequent work in the United
States and around the world, Frontier alumni
constitute a significant portion of the Frontier
legacy. Through their care of thousands of
women, babies and families, the graduates have
provided “shade and fruit” to many. The stories
and experiences of the early Frontier graduates
provide a fascinating glimpse into this part of
nurse-midwifery history.

TO ORDER
THE PIONEER BOOK
The book retails for $30
plus tax and shipping
and is available from the
following vendors:
n Butler Books,
www.butlerbooks.com
or 502.897.9393. You can
also complete the order
form on the next page to
mail or fax in your order.
n Frontier Nursing
University gift shop* –
606.672.2312

Frontier students embraced adventure. They
crossed swinging bridges high above rushing
c reeks, rode horses through snow-covered
hollows, attended births in remote cabins, vaccinated mountain children against potentially
devastating illnesses, and provided healthcare
for entire families (including the families’ pigs,
horses and dogs). The students endured extremes
* Limited copies are available
of weather, long hours, and separation from famin the gift shop; we encourage
ily and friends. Many were motivated by gaining
you to direct phone, online and
mail orders to Butler Books.
valuable experience that would prepare them for
international missionary work or care of women
and families in rural areas of the United States.
Studying in remote Eastern Kentucky launched the careers of hundreds
of nurse-midwives and family nurse practitioners, allowing them to touch
the lives of countless women and families around the world.

Using photographs and alumni memories, Rooted in the Mountains,
Reaching to the World captures the unique and exciting experiences of the
students who lived, learned and established deep and meaningful roots at
the Frontier School between its inception in 1939 and the School’s transition to a distance-learning format in 1989.
.

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* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

ROOTEd IN THE MOUNTAINS, REACHINg TO THE WORLd
Stories of Nursing and Midwifery at Kentucky’s Frontier School, 1939-1989

To purchase copies, order online at www.butlerbooks.com or complete the order form below
and mail or fax it to Butler Books, P.O. Box 7311, Louisville, KY 40257 – Fax (502) 897-9797
I would like to purchase the
following number of copies of

Quantity

Total

_________

x $30.00

$ ______________

Sales Tax
(6% KY Addresses only, if applicable)

$ _______________

Shipping and Handling (USPS Media Mail)
($6.00 for the first book; $2 per book thereafter)

$ _______________

TOTAL

Rooted in the Mountains,
Reaching to the World

Unit Price

$ _______________

by Anne Z. Cockerham and Arlene W. Keeling

NAME
COMPANY
ADDRESS
CITY _____________________________________ STATE ____________ ZIP ______________________
EMAIL ADDRESS
I wish to pay by: (Please check one)
Credit Card

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Check (Enclose check, made payable to “Butler Books”)
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Name on Credit Card

10

Discover

* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Calling all Couriers!

Please share your memories and photos
for inclusion in our Courier History Project
On the heels of the Pioneer Project, Dr. Anne Cockerham is embarking on a similarly exciting
project to document the history and impact of the Frontier Nursing Service Couriers. This oral
history project will serve to showcase the incredible service the Couriers provided to Frontier
spanning more than 80 years.
Dr. Cockerham will conduct in-depth oral histories with a number of Couriers representing
various decades. In addition to these histories, we want to gather as much additional information as possible for inclusion in the book. This is where you come in! Please take a few minutes
to complete this form and mail it to Frontier (132 FNS Drive, Wendover, KY 41775) or email it to
denise.barrett@frontier.edu. We want to be inclusive of all former Couriers whose volunteer work with Frontier undoubtedly made a positive impact on the community and our work.
COURIER HISTORY PROJECT
Name:
Street address:
City:

State:

Zip:

Phone:

Email:

Year/Time period as Courier:
Favorite Memory as a Courier:

oYes, I have photos I would like to share! Please send me instructions for sending copies of photos.
oI am interested in being interviewed for this project.
* Submission of this form grants authorization for FNU, Inc. to use information for publication and distribution.
Personal information including address, phone and email will not be printed or shared with outside parties.

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* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

Make plans to attend
the annual FNU committee luncheons

It’s time again for the annual spring committee luncheons. We enjoy these
annual events where we have the opportunity to give thanks to Frontier
supporters in-person and provide updates on the work and future of Frontier.
Please mark your calendar for an event near you!

Washington, D.C., Committee Derby Party,
hosted by Mrs. Ruth Newell
Many of our Washington, D.C., area friends and supporters remember
fondly the annual Derby Parties hosted at the home of Mrs. Marvin Breckinridge Patterson. This annual event brought together Frontier staff, friends,
alumni and others interested in our mission to hear important updates on
the work of Frontier and receive our greatest appreciation for their ongoing
support, all while celebrating the annual Kentucky Derby.
This year, we were excited to revive the Kentucky Derby theme with a wonderful gathering at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., hosted
by Mrs. Ruth Newell, former Washington, D.C., Committee chairperson
and longtime Frontier supporter. We wish to extend a special thanks to Mrs.
Newell, Molly Singerling, Marion McCartney, Linda DeVries, Sally Tom,
Anne Cockerham, and Cherry Wunderlich for helping bring this successful
luncheon together. Our guests enjoyed a Kentucky-themed buffet and silent
auction as well as a book signing by Dr. Anne Cockerham and Dr. Arlene
Keeling, who recently co-authored a book about Frontier’s early graduates.
We were pleased to be joined for the first time at this event by Arthur
Perry, son of the late Mardi Perry, a Courier and longtime Frontier supporter for whom Mardi Cottage on our Hyden campus is named. Also
celebrating with us were Kitty Ernst, FNU’s Mary Breckinridge Chair of
Midwifery, and her daughter, Kate Bauer, who is the executive director of
the American Association of Birth Centers. Many other longtime friends,
including Frontier Trustee Joan McPhee and Catherine Davis, a veteran
member of the Washington Committee, joined us.
Over a delicious lunch that included country ham biscuits, grits and other
Bluegrass specialties, Dr. Susan Stone, FNU President and Dean, delivered
a presentation about the university and the impact that our graduates are
making. Thanks to all of our friends and supporters who shared time to be
with us. We look forward to seeing you again next year!

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Mrs. Ruth Newell, front, graciously hosted our Washington Committee Luncheon at the Congressional Country
Club. She is joined in this photo by, from left to right: Catherine Davis; FNU President and Dean Susan Stone;
Priscilla Becker; and Molly Singerling, a member of the event planning committee and Mrs. Newell’s daughter.

Former Couriers Abigail Porter and Cherry
Forbes Wunderlich

Arthur Perry with Denise Barrett,
FNU’s Director of Development

Peggy Soderstrom, Linda DeVries (a member of the planning
committee) and Pat Travis

Evelyn and Fred Harris with FNU President Susan Stone

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Boston Derby Party,
hosted by Abby and Peter Breckinridge Coffin
Peter Breckinridge Coffin and his wife, Abby, hosted a Kentucky Derby
party on May 5 to benefit Frontier Nursing University. The event was hosted
at historic Gore Place in Waltham, Mass. Nearly 100 of the Coffins’ friends
and colleagues and many longtime Frontier supporters attended this festive
event. Guests enjoyed mint juleps and Kentucky-inspired dishes leading up
to the “Run for the Roses,” which was shown on a large-screen TV for the
party. President Susan Stone and Director of Development Denise Barrett
traveled to Boston to represent FNU during the event. President Stone
provided guests with an introduction to FNU and our mission.
We were overjoyed to see several FNS Couriers, including Muffin O’Brien,
Lois Cheston and Deborah Smith. Several members of the Breckinridge
family were also in attendance, including Peter Coffin, John and Anne
Grandin, and Lees Breckinridge Yunits. We were honored to have this opportunity to see old friends and introduce Frontier to many new friends. We
extend a huge thank you to our hosts Peter and Abby for a wonderful event!

FNU President Susan Stone with former
FNS Courier Muffin O’Brien

FNU Director of Development Denise Barrett and President
Stone posed with Peter Breckinridge Coffin and his wife, Abby,
who hosted a lovely Derby Party on behalf of FNU.

John and Anne Grandin, pictured with
former Courier Lois Cheston

Lees Breckinridge Yunits attended the
Boston event with her husband, Jack.

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* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

New York City Committee Luncheon,
hosted by Dr. Ruth Lubic
Noon Wednesday, June 27t Cosmopolitan Club t 122 East 66th Street tNew York, NY 10065

Frontier has been hosting this annual event at the Cosmopolitan Club for
many years. Some of our regular attendees remember when Mary Breckinridge would travel to New York and host supporters at the Cosmopolitan
Club. We are honored to continue this tradition today. Former Couriers
LouAnne Roberts and Sarah Bacon, both New York City residents, are
helping to plan this year’s event, and we look forward to sharing news from
the Frontier with you there.
We are also starting to plan fall luncheons in Lexington, Louisville,
Philadelphia and Cincinnati. We will announce those details in our next
Q uarterly Bulletin.
We cannot thank our hostesses and committee members enough for their
tireless work securing locations, planning event details, and helping us to
reach out to supporters in their region. The committee events are a great
opportunity for Frontier to thank our supporters and inform you of our
important mission and work. Formal invitations for these events are mailed
to friends in these regions. If you have any questions, please contact Denise
Barrett at 662.846.1967 or Denise.Barrett@frontier.edu.

Plea for knitted lap quilts,
baby caps and scarves

Frontier nurse-midwifery students present baby caps to the first
baby they deliver, and our nurse-practitioner students present lap
quilts or scarves to their patients. Frontier receives these items from
our knitting friends, and as Frontier Nursing University continues
to grow by leaps and bounds, we need more and more of these
items. The size needed for lap quilts is approximately 40-by-42
inches. Yarn should be worsted weight.
O ur graduates are honored to pass these handcrafted treasures
on to their patients and share the story of Frontier!

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* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

ALUMNI EVENTS

Annual Frontier alumni receptions
are just around the corner

Each year we look forward to several conferences where we gather our
alumni, faculty, students, friends and preceptors for an evening of celebration and sharing. If you are a graduate, student or FNU preceptor planning
to attend the ACNM or AANP conference, be sure to join your Frontier
family at one of our annual receptions. If you have questions, contact the
alumni office at 859.253.3637, ext. 5014 or alumniservices@frontier.edu.
June 4

American College of Nurse-Midwives Annual Meeting,
Frontier Nursing University Reception
7 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday, June 4 t Beacon B Ballroom
Hyatt Regency Long Beach t Long Beach, CA
The ACNM Frontier Reception is our most popular alumni event with
more than 100 people in attendance. Dr. Susan Stone provides updates
on Frontier, we pass the microphone to encourage alumni to share their
updates, and we always “Circle Up” in song. This year’s reception also will
be the formal kickoff to the “1,000 for $1,000” campaign, which aims to
secure commitments from 1,000 faculty, alumni, students and preceptors to
support our mission by pledging or donating $1,000 each toward the FNU
Endowment Campaign. The “1,000 for $1,000” campaign will represent 10
percent toward our full campaign goal – we hope you will join us on this
evening and pledge your support to the future of Frontier!
June 20

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners National Conference,
Frontier Nursing University Reception
7 p.m. Wednesday, June 20 t Taverna Opa Greek Restaurant in the Pointe Orlando complex
9101 International Drive #2240, near the convention center t Orlando, FL
The Frontier Reception hosted at this annual conference grows each year
as more and more students graduate from our nurse practitioner track. Join
us for a night of Frontier fellowship and celebration as Dr. Julie Marfell,
Associate Dean for Family Nursing, leads this event, sharing updates about
our university, our graduates, and the “1,000 for $1,000” campaign. Join us
for live entertainment and a festive Mediterranean atmosphere on the patio
of Taverna Opa.

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* QUARTERLY BULLETIN

Don’t miss Alumni Homecoming
& Courier Conclave!
Make your reservation!

If you haven’t been back to Hyden in a while, this fall will be a perfect
time to make the trip. The City of Hyden is gearing up for an exciting celebration to mark the 50th anniversary of the Mary Breckinridge Festival,
and Frontier will be joining in on the fun with our 2012 Alumni Homecoming & Courier Conclave, which is always held in conjunction with the
festival.
Frontier Nursing University has special plans for this year’s event, and
we encourage alumni and Couriers to return to Hyden to join us for this
wonderful celebration, set for Oct. 5-7. To honor Mrs. Breckinridge and
the wonderful legacy she has created, we invite alumni, former Couriers,
students and Frontier staff from all decades to participate with us in the
festival parade. Other plans for the weekend include excursions to historic Beech Fork Clinic; tours of the Wendover and FNU campuses; Mary
Breckinridge Festival activities; a book signing by Dr. Anne Cockerham,
who recently completed a book about our Pioneer graduates; and presentation of the 2012 Alumni Distinguished Service Awards.
D uring dinner at Wendover on Saturday evening, Dr. Holly Powell Kennedy will be presented with the Distinguished Service to Society
Award, and Tracy Ryan, owner of Mountain Midwifery Center, will be
presented with the Distinguished Service to Alma Mater Award. Dr. Kennedy, current President of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and
the Helen Varney Professor of Midwifery at Yale University, is being honored for her contributions to the nurse-midwifery profession and her long
history of helping improve care for women and families. Mrs. Ryan, who
founded and currently operates the only freestanding birth center in Colorado, is being honored for her dedication to current Frontier students. The
birth center has precepted several Frontier nurse-midwifery students over
the years.
Plans are being made for other activities and excursions that will be
offered during the weekend. We encourage you to make your reservation
early if you want to stay on campus or in one of the remaining rooms in the
Barn at Wendover. Or we can provide a list of nearby hotels. Registration
for the full weekend is $175 and includes select meals and all excursions
and activities. Please call 859.253.3637 ext. 5014 to register, or you can
register online at www.frontier.edu/homecoming.

17

* FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY

DEAN’S REPORT

By Dr. Janet Engstrom,
FNU Associate Dean for Research

FNU fostering faculty scholarship
in the tradition of Mary Breckinridge

Two years ago, Frontier Nursing University created an Office of Research
and created a position for an Associate Dean for Research. Although the
creation of this office and deanship were new to FNU, there is a long tradition of research and scholarship associated with the Frontier Nursing
Service (FNS). Mary Breckinridge was a consummate scholar – she read
broadly and solicited information from a wide array of scholars, researchers,
clinicians and other experts. Mrs. Breckinridge also published extensively
and presented the work