THETA ALPHA REMEMBERS...


Arlyne (Saperstein) Barnett, RN, MN, CSPI
December 5, 1942---November 13, 2003

As our Theta Alpha Chapter turns 21, coincidentally the magic age when individuals in our society are considered adults without reservation, nothing could be more fitting for our organization than to honor Arlyne (Saperstein) Barnett, one of the founding members of our chapter. In fact, she was the faculty advisor back in 1981-84, the driving force that inspired a small group of Boston State/UMASS Nursing students to seek membership into Sigma Theta Tau International. It was a lot of work that fell on a handful of focused and driven students, but with Arlyne as their leader, these students knew it was a just matter of time before they would achieve their goal of chapter status into one of Nursing's most prestigious organizations in 1984. Arlyne also served as President Elect of Theta Alpha in 1984-86 and President in 1986-87. She followed Ernest Griffiths III, the first President of our chapter, and she was succeeded by Barbara Blakeney, who is currently serving her second term as President of the American Nurses Association in Washington, D.C.

Arlyne graduated from the University of Florida, Gainesville, Fl. with her BSN in 1964. In 1965, she obtained her Master's in Nursing from the same university. Arlyne worked in Florida hospitals and nursing schools until 1970. From 1970-73, she taught at the Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing, Charleston, S.C. From 1973-76, she was an Assistant Professor and Director of the Learning Resources Laboratory at Boston University. In 1977, she became an Assistant Professor at Curry College, Division of Nursing Studies, Milton, Ma. The year was 1980 when Arlyne came to us, first at Boston State College School of Nursing, which became the College of Nursing at UMASS Boston in 1982. Arlyne stayed at UMASS Boston until 1994. In 1998, Arlyne's nursing career took on a new direction when she became a Senior Information Poison Specialist at the Regional Center for Poison Information and Control, Boston, Ma.

Arlyne was active in professional nursing organizations and certainly an indispensable and inspiring leader in the establishment of our chapter. Her many publications also attest to her commitment to professional excellence. On April 23, 2005, a Theta Alpha annual scholarship given to a deserving undergraduate student will be named after Arlyne S. Barnett and presented in her name for the first time. Henceforth, this scholarship will be known as the Arlyne Barnett Scholarship.

We are indebted to Phyllis Moore, D.N., SC., RN and to Alyne's son Richard (Rick) for information for this article.



Celebrating a Life of Teaching and Giving

Dr. Sylvia Gendrop, who served as an associate professor of nursing and director of research and faculty development in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS), inspired countless students and fellow faculty during nearly thirty years at Boston State College and UMass Boston. Prof. Gendrop passed away in July 2000 after a lengthy battle with cancer. In her memory, Prof. Jacqueline Fawcett has established the Sylvia Gendrop Faculty Research Fund in her honor. More recently, Dr. Fawcett informed the Theta Alpha Board that she has also established The Sylvia Gendrop Lecture which will be offered for the first time (and by a UMASS CNHS faculty) at the 2005 Research Day scheduled for May 20.

Sylvia, as she liked to be called by her colleagues, was described as "a saint, a wonderful person and an excellent teacher" by Dorothy Blyth, a long time colleague at The College of Nursing and Health Sciences. Ms. Blyth recalled that she "never saw anyone put in as much work as she did". Among Sylvia's many contributions to the University, her signature contribution had to be the way she encouraged and inspired students and faculty in the College of Nursing to do research and publish their results. "We had an undergraduate program and a graduate program but without a research base, students couldn't receive their doctorate. She made the College of Nursing an everything college," according to Dr. Marion Winfrey, currently the Associate Dean at CNHS and a long time colleague of Sylvia. Ms. Blyth, a receptionist and secretary at CNHS, said that Sylvia inspired her to take a writing course: "One day, when Sylvia dropped in following chemotherapy, she asked me if I could write her an occasional letter to keep her informed. I began writing letters to her on a regular basis, and she really appreciated it and enjoyed reading them. She told me how much she treasured my letters and that I had a gift for writing and should take a course. Naturally, coming from Sylvia, I took her seriously and took a course in writing."

Sylvia attended St. Anselm College and Boston College, where she completed her doctorate. She served as chairperson of the UMASS Institutional Review Board (IRB), as a board member of the Center for the Improvement of Teaching (CIT), and as a committee member of the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged. She also served as a board member for the La Alianza Hispana. It should be noted that Sylvia spoke fluent Spanish and lived for several years in Mexico, where two of her children were born.

Sylvia, who was the founder of our annual research day at CNHS, loved research and addressed a number of healthcare issues in her own research, including substance abuse among inner city childbearing women. Several faculty, staff and students recall how nothing, including cancer and the severe side effects of her treatments, could keep Sylvia away from her work at UMASS. Marion Winfrey shared her recollections of Sylvia with The Mass Media in a 2001 interview: "I don't know how she did it. She would come to UMASS Boston after chemotherapy. She would teach until she couldn't teach anymore and would continue to be the Associate Professor of Nursing and Director of Research. It was the fuel that kept her going". Sylvia passed away at age 64 in a rehab facility following a hip fracture. A memorial service was held for her at UMASS on March 7, 2001. It was appropriately called "Celebrating a Life of Teaching and Giving".



Theta Alpha Chapter was sad to announce the sudden and tragic passing of Dr. Mary O'Brien PhD, RN on January 28, 2003.

Dr. O'Brien graduated from Saint Francis Hospital School of Nursing in Hartford, CT. She held baccalaureate and master's degrees in nursing from Boston College and a PhD in Nursing from New York University. Her nursing career was long and distinguished. She was a clinical specialist in neurological nursing at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where she earned certification as an adult nurse practitioner. Later, she worked at the Rusk Rehabilitation Institute in New York and at New York Hospital, Cornell University Medical Center.

She began her academic career as an instructor at the College of Staten Island/CUNY. Subsequently, she served as Assistant Professor at Trenton State University and as Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Medical Surgical graduate program at Yale University School of Nursing. She joined the University of Massachusetts Boston in l988 as an Assistant Professor of Nursing and as the lead faculty member of the Medical Surgical Nursing course, earning tenure in 1994. Dr. O'Brien assumed leadership roles early in her UMass Boston career, chairing the Curriculum Committee during a major curriculum revision and chairing the Personnel Committee. In 1998 she was appointed Associate Dean, serving in that role until 2002, when she returned to her faculty responsibilities, teaching nursing research to baccalaureate and master's students. She was admired and respected for her high standards, fine teaching and fairness.

Dr. O'Brien won professional recognition as the author of two seminal works: Total Care of the Stroke Patient and The Textbook of Neurological Nursing, both published by Little Brown. Her research and publications focused on caregiver burden, chronic illness and multiple sclerosis. Dr. O' Brien was looking forward to a fall 2003 sabbatical when she planned to resume her program of research. She was not only a scholar and a consummate professional, but also a devoted family member and friend, who enjoyed entertaining in her Milton home and spending time with family. Dr. O'Brien will be remembered for her humor, her intelligence and her kindness to others. She will be deeply missed by students, Sigma members, faculty and staff. Her legacy of informed caring will benefit all of the patients served by her former students in the years ahead.

A Memorial Service was held on April 15, 2003 at the University in the Interfaith Chapel, McCormack Building, Third Floor Ryan Lounge at 1:30- 3PM PM.





 

Barbara McInnis

 

 

In the spring of 2002, Theta Alpha Chapter honored Barbara McInnis, RN, with the Heart of Nursing Award for her arduous work caring for homeless people in the city of Boston. The Barbara McInnis House (founded in her honor) is a shelter in Jamaica Plain for homeless individuals. Theta Alpha was pleased to recognize such an outstanding nurse leader. Having cared for a population largely ignored and shunned by society, Ms. McInnis certainly exemplified how nursing must be a client and a community advocate.