In recognition of the 2006-2007 10th Anniversary year, the College of Education and Health Professions established two Awards. The Community Partner Award was created to recognize an individual or corporation that has demonstrated exceptional collaboration to further the educational goals and mission of the college. The Alumni Leadership Award was created to give recognition to alumni of a department within the college who has shown one or more of the following: service to the University, distinction within a profession, or contribution to the fulfillment of the mission of the college.   

This year the Community Partner Awards were presented to:

Left to Right: Jane Ferreira, Michele Meade, Dr.  Patricia Walker, Kevin Klemme, Dr. Anthony Cernera

Bridgeport Department of Health:  For more than 15 years the Department of Public Health has been a consistent and constant partner in providing internship opportunities for undergraduate nursing students. For both RN-BSN students and first professional degree students the Bridgeport Department of Health has provided students with the opportunity to learn about the structure, process and outcomes associating with protecting health, preventing communicable disease outbreaks and promoting health through various educational initiatives of the residents and school age children of Bridgeport. Accepting the award for Bridgeport Department of Health was Michele Meade, supervisor of Communicable Division since 2005 and supervisor of our students.

Cooperative Educational Services (CES):  Kevin C. Klemme, Ph.D., grant writer for CES has partnered with Sacred Heart University Professors in a grant writing process in science education to offer the Teacher Quality Partnership program, now in its fourth year. As a result of his efforts the Isabelle Farrington School of Education, CES and a consortium of public and parochial schools have received almost $500,000 in funding from the Department of Higher Education to further science education in the area. 

Mercy Learning Center (MLC):  MLC has partnered with the Physical Therapy, Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Exercise Science programs of our College. Many of our students have entered MLC for various class projects and purposes as an extension of our classrooms. MLC offers unique experience and learning opportunities and the students left with a greater understanding of the particular needs of families that are served by MLC.  Accepting the award for Mercy Learning Center is Dr. Jane E. Ferreira,  President and  CEO since 2002 and alumna emerita of Sacred Heart University. 

The College of Education and Health Professions faculty and alumni submitted nominations for the Alumni Leadership Award. This year, the following individuals were presented with the award:

Beth Gillin, MAT '98, served as a SHU intern and student teacher at Stamford High School during the 1997/98 school year and has been there ever since. Beth was appointed Head of the English Department in 2007. She has returned to SHU to participate as a panelist in Educational seminars and has been a member of the Beginning Educator Support and Training (BEST) program supervising SHU student teachers and mentoring a number of others. She has encouraged placement of interns and student teachers in her building and has sought to employ SHU graduates who are qualified. Ms. Gillin is also a Stamford public Schools Teacher of the Year nominee and two-time Stamford Spotlight on Teachers award winner.



Dr. Denise Walsh, MSN '93, is the President of the PRN Relief International Charity which has partnered with our Nursing Department to take graduate and undergraduate nursing students with them on their annual health care mission to Kingston, Jamaica to provide free medical-surgical care.  Through Denise’s extensive travels and her work in developing strong leaders in health care, she has always been committed to enriching student experiences.  Dr. Walsh's entire nursing career has been in alignment with the University’s Mission as she is committed to excellence, recognizes the dignity of every human being and is truly responsive to her civil duties.  She is a role model for all of our nursing students. Dr. Walsh was unable to attend the awards ceremony as she was with our nursing students on a mission trip to Jamaica.

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