At an awards luncheon on Sept. 6, the CU College of Nursing Alumni Association will recognize some of its key alumni from the past and present.

Former Dean Henrietta Adams Longhran and Nisei alumni from World War II will receive the 2013 Pathfinders Award. The Pathfinders Award honors nurses who have overcome barriers (forged pathways) or who have developed an exemplary program, theory or innovation (created pathways) to better the profession and patient care. During World War II, Dean Longhran was distressed by the suppression of Japanese-Americans and their relocation to internment camps. She worked with schools in Washington and California to transfer Nisei students to CU to complete their nursing education and welcomed all students, regardless of race, into the school’s student body.

The Nisei nursing students endured discrimination and prejudice, even in Colorado. Their tenacity and triumph during such a difficult time shows their commitment to the profession of nursing and inspires students facing challenges today. Nisei alumni being honored include: 1942 Sumie Kurachi Imatani (posthumously); 1943 Mae Kashiwaga Nishitani (posthumously); 1944 Jane Sadako Akiyama Hamada, Midori Funatake Komoto, Mary Yuko Hayashi (posthumously); 1945 Caroline Masuko Kondo Taniguchi, Hanna Sakamoto Wong (posthumously), Sumiko Kumabe Tanouye (posthumously), Eva Sakamoto; 1946 Suzu Shimizu Kunitani, Edith K. Tanita Oto; 1947 Susie Hirama Wells, Mitsue Sugano Mizukami (posthumously); 1949 Suiko Doris "Sue" Kumagai, Fumi Katagiri Karaki (posthumously); 1950 Alice Akiko Mikawa Moriguchi, Helen Nakagawa Buzynski, PhD, Yaye Sakaguchi Ohashil; 1952 Dorothy Natsuko Yanaru-Inouye, Kimie Sugano Taziri (posthumously); 1954 Mae Fukaye, June Yoshiko Hoshiko; 1955 Mary Yoshie Sumikawa Wiley (lost), Louise Kiyoko Yanagihara Ota; 156 Ruby Konishi Sakuai; 1957 Sumie Muranaka Arai, Kazue Nakasone Okuhara, Kim Constance Sasano; 1958 Maryion Keiko Arita Toyosaki, Elaenor Yoshiye Kusaka Inamine, Sauri Mayme Ouye Tagawa.

The Lifetime Achievement Award honors alumni who are recognized for their contributions to improving the quality of life and impact on the health care system as educators, clinicians or administrators. The 2013 recipient, Ginette A. Pepper, PhD ’85, was the nation’s first geriatric nurse practitioner and an expert in patient safety and drug therapy. Dr. Pepper is a professor and the Helen Lowe Bamberger Colby Presidential Endowed Chair in Gerontological Nursing at the University of Utah College of Nursing and a former faculty member at the CU College of Nursing. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

Kathy Oman, MS ’88, PhD ’99, FAEN, FAAN, will receive the 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award. This award is given for significant contributions to nursing on a local, national or international level. Dr. Oman is a research nurse scientist at the University of Colorado Hospital and has been instrumental in developing and embodying evidence-based practice as a cultural norm in the organization. She edits the Journal of Emergency Nursing and is a fellow of the Academy of Emergency Nursing. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

New starting this year is the Rising Star Alumni Award, which recognizes a graduate early in her/his career. Kelly McKenzie McIntosh, BS ’09, was nominated by two of her colleagues at University Hospital for her steady rise to leadership. She recently assumed the role of associate nurse manager of the Cardiac Progressive Care Unit and Telemetry Monitoring Unit and already has a reputation for good judgment, clinical skills, dedication to staff and calmness under pressure. She is a rising star!