Scholars, Fellows & Alumni in the News

At the core of the BAGNC program are the Scholars and Fellows. These women and men choose to apply and are selected because of their outstanding commitment to geriatric nursing and recognized potential for future leadership. Below are some examples of the important achievements of scholars, fellows, and alumni.

Scholars, Fellows, and Alumni in the News

Elizabeth Galik (2003–2005 Scholar) received a three-year, $350,000 Nurse Faculty Scholar Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The program is designed to honor junior faculty who show promise as leaders in academic nursing. The grant will help Galik research a social, ecological model to test individuals' functionality and their relationships with assisted living facility staff.

Ashley Leak (2009–2011 Scholar) was first author on a poster (Drug Store Accessibility and Usability Project for Older Adults: Interdisciplinary Certificate in Aging, Fall 2008 ) which received the 2009 Interdisciplinary Center for Aging Research: Uniting Scientists (ICARUS) Award from University of North Carolina's Institute on Aging.

G. Adriana Perez (2009–2011 Fellow and 2007-2009 Scholar) received the Nursing Forces of Change Award from the Global Caring Nurses Foundation, Inc. for her research in promoting the health of older Hispanic women.

Leanne Lefler (2008-2010 Fellow and 2004-2006 Scholar) was recently awarded the College of Nursing Research Excellence Award for 2009 from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. This award is given to a faculty member who has demonstrated commitment to the College of Nursing organizational work and leadership, and is recognized as having achieved excellence in clinical research. Dr. Lefler was applauded for her four currently funded grants.

Melissa Aselage (2009-2010 Scholar) was profiled as a "Soaring Seahawk" by the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Soaring Seahawks must be exceptional in the areas in which they excel, and must exemplify the university's seven strategic goals. Melissa was also profiled in her local newspaper, the StarNewsOnline.

Karen Rose (2007-2009 Fellow and 2003-2005 Scholar) received funding from the Alzheimer's and Related Disorders Research Award Fund to conduct a 1-year pilot study regarding family quality of life in dementia. Click here for the press release.

Therese DeVries Narzikul (2003-2005 MBA Scholar) has been appointed by Dr. Patrick Gallagher, Deputy Director of the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to the 2009 Board of Examiners for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.  The Award, created by public law in 1987, is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence that a U.S. organization can receive.

Suzanne Prevost (2006-2008 Fellow) was selected as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Executive Nurse Fellow. The three-year fellowship program provides extensive leadership development for nurses in executive roles in public or community health, science and research, corporate health, academia, government or military health service.

Kristine M.C. Talley (2008-2010 Fellow) received a Dissertation Award from the Gerontological Nursing Research section of MNRS (Midwest Nursing Research Society) during their annual research meeting. She was also appointed to the AGS (American Geriatric Society) Evaluations & Materials Development subcommittee this summer.

Fang Yu (2004-2006 Fellow) received funding from the American Health Assistance Foundation (AHAF) in the amount of $150,000 for her proposal ("Feasibility of Aerobic Exercise in Alzheimer’s Disease”). Fang is currently an Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing.

Rita A. Jablonski (2001-2003 Scholar) has been chosen to be a Brookdale Leadership in Aging Fellow for the 2009-2011 period ("Empowering Nurses and Nursing Assistants to Provide Optimal Mouth Care to Persons with Dementia who Resist Care”). Rita is currently an Assistant Professor at The Pennsylvania State University School of Nursing.  For more information on the Brookdale Leadership in Aging Fellowship please click here.

Adriana Perez (2007-2009 Scholar) was featured on NBC Nightly News for her exercise program for Latinas. To view the interview, please click HERE.

Kristine Williams (2001-2003 Fellow) and colleagues at the University of Kansas School of Nursing explored the relationship between how nursing home staff communicates with those with dementia and subsequent behaviors that disrupt care, or resistiveness to care (RTC). Specifically, the study found that "elderspeak" affected RTC behaviors. Findings from her research were reported at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Care (press release), and Kristine was interviewed on Good Morning America (video clip).

Is The Program Working?
A recent independent evaluation of this program is available on-line at http://www.geriatricnursing.info/