16 May HU’s First Graduates from the Nursing Program

Huntington University's first graduates from the Department of Nursing.

Ten Huntington University graduating nursing students were honored May 13, 2011, in a traditional pinning ceremony.

The Class of 2011 is the first graduating class from the Department of Nursing. Earlier in the week, the nursing program was awarded full accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The history of the nursing pinning ceremony stems from the Crimean War when Florence Nightingale took 38 women to Turkey to nurse sick and wounded British soldiers. Since she cared for many patients by the light of a lamp, Florence Nightingale became known as the “lady with the lamp.” As a tribute to her dedication, the lamp icon became symbolic of nursing. Today, the nursing pin is used to welcome graduates into the nursing profession–the end of formal education and the beginning of practice.

At the ceremony, students received the Huntington University Department of Nursing pin with the department emblem.

16 May Huntington University’s 113th Commencement

2011 Huntington University graduates

Faculty at the 2011 Commencement ceremony.

Students at the Baccalaureate service.

L-r: G. Blair Dowden, president of Huntington University; Dr. Joseph M. Stowell, Commencement speaker; Rev. Bill Fisher, Baccalaureate speaker.

Huntington University honored 327 graduates and three honorary degree recipients on Saturday, May 14, during the 113th commencement ceremonies.

Huntington University awarded:

• 34 Master of Arts degrees.
• 9 Master of Education degrees.
• 85 Bachelor of Arts degrees.
• 169 Bachelor of Science degrees.
• 10 Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.
• 4 Bachelor of Social Work degrees.
• 22 Associate of Science degrees.

An honorary Doctor of Divinity degree was presented to commencement speaker Dr. Joseph M. Stowell, who is president of Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Mich. An honorary Doctor of Laws degree was presented to local attorney Theodore L. Bendall, and an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science was presented to Phillip G. Howard, president and co-owner of InterDesign.

The afternoon commencement followed the morning baccalaureate service where Rev. Bill Fisher, Huntington University dean of Christian faith and life, spoke on John 15. Fisher will conclude his 18 years at Huntington University in June.

The Huntington University website has a photo gallery from commencement.

13 May Two Students Receive Servant Leadership Award

Jan Yost presents the PACE Servant Leadership Awards to Miles Allen.

Grace McBrayer presents PACE Servant Leadership Award to Mike Megonnell.

Each year, Huntington University students donate thousands of hours to selflessly serve those in the community. Two students were given the PACE (President’s Advisory Council on Excellence) Servant Leadership Award, which recognizes students who have demonstrated leadership in community and ministry service.

Miles Allen, a junior film production major from Roscoe, Ill., was nominated because of his two-year commitment to the Huntington Kids Club.

In his nomination, it was noted, “Huntington Kids Club would struggle to conduct weekly meetings without the volunteer help of Huntington University students like Miles. When a student commits to more than one year, that gives some continuity to the children that attend. He is someone that the director can count on when help is needed.”

Mike Megonnell, a junior mathematics education major from York Springs, Pa., was nominated because of his commitment to serve and his commitment to Christ Jesus.

“Your outward involvement in service is to be commended, but more importantly, your commitment and heart for the Lord is so very evident. You certainly epitomize what it means to be a servant leader,” his nomination said.

The students were recognized at the Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service Appreciation Banquet on April 28. Only juniors with a 2.5 GPA or above are eligible. Students are awarded a $1,000 prize. They receive $750, and are asked to designate $250 to the charity of their choice. Allen chose Japan Tsunami Relief, and Megonnell chose Love Inc., a Huntington non-profit.

13 May Mike Frame is Staff Member of the Year

Mike Frame

Mike Frame, associate director of athletics and head baseball coach, has been named Huntington University’s 2011 Staff Member of the Year. Earlier this month, Dr. David Alexander, assistant professor of philosophy, was named the 2011 Professor of the Year. The award recognizes outstanding service to the university.

Frame, who has been employed by the university for 27 years, was nominated by faculty and staff for the award and was selected by the university’s senior administrators. He was recognized for the award during the annual Celebration of Service banquet on May 9.

In comments read by President G. Blair Dowden, one person wrote, “(His) example of commitment, loyalty and passion to serve students has always been one of the best, most consistent and unrelenting efforts that I have seen,” one person wrote.

During Frame’s tenure, the Forester baseball team has captured the Mid-Central Conference title or conference tournament title 13 times, including a recent win over Marian University to secure a bid to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round on May 12-16.

He has been honored as Mid Central Conference Coach of the Year five times, and has also been named the NAIA District and Area Coach of the Year. He was named NCCAA District Coach of the Year in 1988, and in 2003 he was inducted into the Huntington University Athletic Hall of Fame. Six years later, he was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame. The Foresters have finished with a 654-533 record during his tenure.

13 May HU’s Nursing Program Fully Accredited

Huntington University’s four-year-old nursing program has received full accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. The program was awarded a five-year accreditation with no compliance concerns, the most a first-time program may receive under the guidelines of the accrediting body.

The Bachelor of Science in nursing degree is built upon Christian principles and is strengthened by a broad curriculum in the liberal arts. The program provides students with extensive on-campus and off-campus clinical experiences as well as in-depth training in human anatomy and physiology, chemistry and core courses in the liberal arts. The university’s state-of-the-art, 93,000-square-foot Science Hall houses the nursing lab complete with simulated patients.