Professors Emeritus

Hazel Jay’s dynamic career in nursing contributed to advancement in education, research and service. She was the first Director of Continuing Education for UTA School of Nursing from 1972 to 1974 and helped develop the undergraduate program curriculum. She wrote the proposal for the graduate program and served as graduate advisor from 1974 to 1978, when she was appointed the first Assistant Dean of the Graduate Program.  

On her retirement as Assistant Dean in 1981, the School of Nursing presented a community service program reflecting her commitment to education and service working together. The following year, a workshop entitled Clinical Nursing Round Tables: Strategies to Increase Retention and Recruitment was held, dedicated to the concept of nursing education-service collaboration.  

Ms. Jay was an advocate and pioneer of distance education and taught graduate courses in Amarillo, Texarkana, and El Paso. She supported other programs in developing professional nursing education, including writing the proposal for the undergraduate program at The University of Texas at Tyler. A culmination of her professional career was her appointment as the first Professor Emerita of the School of Nursing in 1988. 

In Mrs. Jay’s view, the key to meeting the challenges of providing quality health care can best be achieved when nurses from different settings and orientations work together to answer questions of relevance to nursing and health care.  

The George W. and Hazel M. Jay Professorship was established in 1992 to support collaborative research which offers practical implications for nursing education, practice, and education. It was the first in the School of Nursing and honors Mrs. Jay’s contributions to and her husband’s support of nursing education. This professorship has grown from a research fund established by the Jays in 1983. 

Hazel Jay passed away in 2006 at 89 years old in Fort Worth, Texas.

Dr. Myrna Pickard was the first female UT Arlington dean and the founding dean of the School of Nursing, now the College of Nursing and Health Innovation. She is also a charter member of the Edward E. Rankin Legacy Society, the recognition society for estate gifts. When reflecting on her early trailblazing years, Dr. Pickard recalls the journey of the School of Nursing from Fort Worth to its home at UT Arlington. What started the ball rolling was the unexpected 1976 Regents' decision to decentralize the systemwide School of Nursing, assigning the nursing schools to the nearest system medical school or university. She vividly remembers UT Arlington President Wendell Nedderman meeting with the nursing faculty prior to their move to UT Arlington. In the initial meeting, everyone quickly recognized he was their strongest supporter. He, along with Dr. Pickard, the provost and the council of deans worked to strengthen relationships between the nursing faculty and the campus while shaping a leading nursing education program. In 1977, the Master of Science in Nursing was approved. In 1982, nursing moved into a new building that, in 1995, was renamed Pickard Hall in honor of all Dr. Pickard had accomplished. Dr. Nedderman writes, "During the Pickard era, the school (of nursing) prospered. New and expanded programs, increasing stature and enrollment growth were her trademarks. She spearheaded innovative programs in distance education, a groundbreaking nurse practitioner program and a strong rural health program." Dr. Pickard celebrates the present and future of the College. "It is inspiring hearing about the growth, the Smart Hospital and all that is going on," she says. "There is a 'can-do' attitude there, and I am proud to provide support through my estate for the many possibilities ahead."

Mary Ellen Wyers taught in the John Peter Smith Hospital Diploma program beginning in 1967, later becoming Assistant Nurse Administrator. She joined the faculty of the UT System School of Nursing in Fort Worth in 1971, and additionally, served as Director of Continuing Education. When the school became part of The University of Texas at Arlington in 1976, she became Associate Dean for the Undergraduate Program. Dr. Wyers worked with Dean Pickard in providing a smooth transition and developed the school’s curriculum to address the changes in health care delivery.

She was instrumental in bringing satellite technology to provide distance education for RNs. She served as Associate Dean from 1976 until 1995, when she retired to return to teaching full-time, until her retirement in 1998. Dr. Wyers was nationally known for her expertise in curriculum development and evaluation and was a respected National League for Nursing accreditation visitor from 1980 until her death in 1999.

Dr. Wyers was recognized as a Great 100 Nurse of the metroplex, served as President of Texas Nurses Association District 3 and received the District 3 Nurse of the Year Award. She was recognized in 1989 as Exceptional Volunteer of American Red Cross, Fort Worth Chapter and served on several health advisory councils for various Texas Congressmen. Dr. Wyers received the Sigma Theta Tau Mentor Award in 1991 for her leadership and mentoring beyond the SON with professional and community organizations. She served on numerous TNA Examiners and TNA committees and workgroups and was the only nurse appointed to the Texas Department of Health Prostate Cancer Advisory Council in 1996.

Dr. Wyers was named Professor Emerita in 2000, posthumously. One of the many recommendations for this honor included the comment, “She rose about self-interest and self-concern to focus on encouraging the greatest potential for faculty and her students.”

Dr. Heusinkveld was the Myrna R. Pickard Professor in Nursing from 1999 until retirement.

She was selected as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 1998. 

Dr. Heusinkveld is a graduate of South Dakota State University (BSN), the University of Iowa (MSN) and the University of Texas School of Public Health (Dr.PH). Her doctoral studies in Urban Health Administration and Epidemiology lead to her long-term research, education, and service in cancer prevention, detection, and treatment.

Dr. Heusinkveld and Dr. Burns developed the School of Nursing Research Center in 1987. This was the beginning of the successful research programs and funding for the current College of Nursing and Health Innovation. She was the Director of RN to BSN program from 1996-2000. During this time, the program and satellite technology greatly expanded. The joint MSN/MPH program with UT School of Public Health in Dallas was initiated, developed, and directed by Dr. Heusinkveld. 

 Dr. Heusinkveld had numerous funded research grants, numerous publications in cancer and public policy journals, and wrote many book chapters in cancer books. The educational needs and challenges of registered nurses in rural areas was also a focus of her research during the Pickard Professorship. She was a reviewer for numerous cancer journals and health policy journals. In 2006 she, along with Dr. Kyba, co-edited a book on the history of the School of Nursing - The University of Texas at Arlington School of Nursing- 35 Years

Dr. Heusinkveld has received numerous Awards including induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing; induction into The University of Texas Academy of Distinguished Teachers; selected for The University of Texas Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching; elected first Chairperson of the School of Nursing Faculty Assembly; selected for the National American Cancer Society Capitol Dome Award, and was the Governor appointed member of the Texas Cancer Council.

Dr. Heusinkveld has been active and taken leadership roles in national, state, and local professional and service organizations. Dr. Heusinkveld was the first woman elected Chairperson of the Texas Division American Cancer Society. She was the co-developer of the Nurse Oncology Education Program of the Texas Nurses Foundation which provided cancer education to nurses throughout Texas. Dr Heusinkveld was the first chairperson of the American Cancer Society Committee on Nursing Professorships. The committee was charged with determining national criteria and process for the Professorship. She was also the first Chairperson of the Oncology Nursing Society Certification Committee whose charge was writing, evaluating and monitored the first national oncology nursing certification examination.

Dr. Kyba joined the Faculty in 1989, teaching in both the Undergraduate (generic and RN to BSN) and MSN programs. Her educational and clinical foci were Gerontological Nursing, Community Health Nursing, and Professional, Legal and Ethical Issues. Recognized as a master teacher, she strove to instill in students her passion for health care advocacy and involvement in professional nursing organizations. During her career, Ferne worked extensively with professional nursing, community health, and human services organizations, including service on the Boards of the Texas Nurses Association and the Texas League for Nursing and as President of the Texas Nurses Foundation. Ferne presented numerous lectures and continuing education programs related to these areas at local, regional, national and international meetings. 

Ferne provided leadership in developing courses in Gerontological Nursing and Health Care Ethics. Her leadership in educational reform influenced curriculum development in both Undergraduate Nursing programs as Co-chair of the Committee on Undergraduate Education. 

Ferne served as RN-BSN Director from 2000 until her retirement in 2003. Under her leadership, a new campus opened at the University of North Texas System Center in Dallas and initial preparation was implemented for the opening of two new hospital sites with Texas Health Resources. 

As a strong advocate for faculty rights and responsibilities, Ferne was an integral part of developing the faculty governance model in 1997, which allowed faculty to have strong involvement in all levels of decision making. 

Ferne’s passion for making a difference in the quality of long-term and end-of-life care is reflected in her integral role to develop a model for a National Magnet Nursing Home Recognition program through the American Nurses Credentialing Center. She was a founding member of the Texas Partnership to Improve End-of Life Care, which recognized her as a State Champion. Ferne dedicated much effort, through the Texas Nurses Association and collaborating organizations, to developing standards and protocols for long-term care in Texas. These protocols were later adopted by other organizations nationally. Within the local community, she supported collaborative efforts to initiate the Arlington New Beginnings program, to provide housing and improve the health of low-income elders. 

Dedication to nursing education and a strong belief in paying it forward led to creation of a legacy through the Kyba-Smith RN to BSN Undergraduate Scholarship and the Ferne and Evan Kyba Fellowship for doctoral dissertation support in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation. 

Professor Mary Lou Bond is a graduate of Texas Christian University (BS), the University of Pittsburgh (MN), the University of Texas at Austin (PhD) and the College of Nurse Midwifery at El Centro Medico in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. She practiced nurse-midwifery in central Mexico before beginning her professional career as a faculty member which spans teaching at all educational levels. As an educational administrator, she served as Assistant Dean and Associate Dean, (University of Texas at Arlington) and as Interim Dean (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences). She was the founding Associate Dean of the PhD in Nursing Program at UTA. 

Dr. Bond was the Samuel T. Hughes Professor of Nursing and Co-Director, Center for Hispanic Studies in Nursing and Health (CHSNH) at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). She also served as Assistant Director, Center for Nursing Research and Coordinator for the PhD Mentoring Program. She was founder of the Challenge to Leadership Program, a forerunner of the UTA Hispanic Student Nurses' Association, and Co-Founder of the CHSNH (1996) which has the goal of fostering increased understanding between health providers and persons of Hispanic origin. Instrumental in the organization, implementation and dissemination of proceedings from a series of International "Crossing Borders" conferences, she has organized and led numerous educational programs to Mexico for healthcare students/professionals. She has served on the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals and Organizations' Technical Advisory Panel on Culture, Language and Health and the Board of Trustees for the Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. 

Professor Bond has received numerous awards including the Lucy Harris Linn Excellence in Teaching Award and the Minority Health Nursing Research Award from the Southern Nursing Research Society. She is an elected member of the American Academy of Nursing and the Academy of Nurse Educators of the National League for Nursing.

Dr. Cason received her diploma in nursing in 1965, her baccalaureate degree in 1967, her master’s degree in nursing in 1972, and her PhD in 1972 in Educational Psychology. She has over 30 years of experience teaching in undergraduate and graduate nursing education. In 1997, Dr. Cason joined the College of Nursing, University of Texas at Arlington where she provided leadership as the Associate Dean for Research in creating the research infrastructure needed to support the College of Nursing PhD program and was instrumental in defining and implementing the program’s focus on healthcare for cultural diverse and vulnerable populations. She developed the model for the SMART HospitalTM (a virtual hospital in which high fidelity interactive manikins serve as patients) and, as co-founder, has successfully acquired funding for it from both private and governmental sources. She was an active investigator with an ongoing funded program of research.

In 2008 she received the Outstanding Research Achievement Award from the University of Texas at Arlington. In 2009, she was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Dr. Cason was named Interim Vice President for Research in 2011 and served as the Vice President for Research from 2012 to 2015. She is currently a board member for Medical City Arlington.

Jennifer Gray was a faculty member in the College of Nursing since 1989. Her teaching in the College of Nursing has included a beginning course on clinical skills, a nursing management for BSN seniors, a nursing theory course for RN-BSN students, and theory courses in the MSN and PhD programs. Along the way, she served as the Evaluation Coordinator for the school and was heavily involved in the self-study process leading to accreditation by the National League for Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. She was also Associate Dean and Chair for the Graduate Nursing program, and the Director of the PhD in the Nursing Program. As the George W. and Hazel M. Jay Professor, she was leading the Uganda Team of the North Texas Africa Health Initiative as they developed a proposal to fund a mobile clinic for a rural district in eastern Uganda. Dr. Gray's areas of research are spirituality, living with HIV/AIDS, and learning needs of health professionals related to HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Gray was raised in Oklahoma on a wheat farm, learning to love the land and work hard. She developed her teaching skills early through church and 4-H activities. Her BSN was earned as part of a collaborative process between the University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma Christian University. Following graduation, she was a missionary nurse in a mobile clinic in Cameroon for 20 months. She earned her Masters in Nursing Science from UT Arlington with a focus on adult health and teaching. Her PhD in Nursing is from Texas Woman's University in Denton. Before she was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers, she received university teaching awards for undergraduate teaching and distance education. She loves to engage students in creative teaching/learning activities and has a commitment to students and their personal/professional development.

Dr. Gray retired from UTA in May 2015. In 2020, Dr. Gray was asked to serve as the dean of the College of Professional Studies for Oklahoma Christian University.

Dr. Poster earned her undergraduate nursing degree and a master’s in child psychiatric nursing from Boston University before earning her Ph.D. from Boston College. She also is a graduate of the Harvard University Management Development Program. 

She served as director of nursing research and education at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Hospital for 11 years before joining UT Arlington. She also has served as editor of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing from 1992 to 2012. She was appointed to the Texas Board of Nursing and elected as president of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, among her many state and national service commitments. 

Among Poster’s UT Arlington achievements was the 2007 opening of the Smart Hospital, a state-of-the-science, virtual hospital and learning and research laboratory that serves as a model for simulated learning. 

In 2011, Poster worked to establish a new geriatric nursing research program made possible through a $1 million endowment gift from the Moritz family, namesakes of Arlington-based Moritz Dealerships. During her tenure, nursing faculty members also have garnered significant support for research, particularly in the areas of independent living for aging populations, the use of simulation technology in education and inter-professional collaboration for patient safety. 

Poster also established the Dream Makers initiative to support fundraising for student scholarships, a treasured annual event in CONHI. 

Ronald L. Elsenbaumer, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said Poster has positioned the College of Nursing to attract top talent among students, faculty and staff. 

“Our University, our region and our state have benefited from the strength of the UT Arlington College of Nursing and Dean Poster’s pursuit of excellence,” Elsenbaumer said. “She has been a mentor to many and the kind of colleague who inspires others to innovate and reach their full potential.”

Dr. Anderson was originally a diploma graduate from Scott and White Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. With an idea of being an educator someday, she continued her education over the next several years earning a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University, a master’s degree from the University of California at Los Angeles, and a doctorate from Texas Woman’s University. While pursuing her education she worked as a staff nurse in multiple hospitals in three states in maternal child health. Following her master’s degree, she began teaching and held teaching roles in three universities before coming to UTA. Finding a perfect fit, Dr. Anderson remained at UTA for nearly 30 years and her connection with UTA continues today despite her official retirement in 2018. 

While at UTA, Dr. Anderson taught for many years in the undergraduate program, enjoying teaching maternal child health and research to upcoming nurses. In 2014, she moved permanently to the graduate program where she taught Research and Evidence Based Practice. As an educator, Dr. Anderson was recognized by both the University and College of Nursing and Health Innovation (CONHI) as either recipient or nominee for Graduate Teaching Awards, the Piper Professor Award and Chancellor’s Council Outstanding Teacher’s Award. Dr. Anderson was also listed nationally as one of the top 75 Nursing Professors You Would be Lucky to Have Teach Your Classes. 

Within the College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Dr. Anderson was the Lead Teacher for Maternal Child Health undergraduate course, Chair of the CONHI Promotion and Tenure Committee, Chair of the Faculty Assembly, Chair of Faculty Issues and a member of numerous committees. University service included the role of Faculty Mentor, and membership in the Faculty Senate, various search committees, the University QEP program, and the Hearing committee. 

Dr. Anderson continues today to be listed as “active,” despite her retirement, and holds a title of Associate Professor of Research/Associate Professor Emeritus to continue her involvement with research and teaching/mentoring student researchers. Her current research study is exploring the mental health of mothers with infants (past and present) admitted to NICU and the evaluation of expressive writing as a promising intervention to reduce mental health symptoms. She currently is mentoring four honors students and one premed undergraduate student.

Dr. Anne Bavier was appointed the college’s dean April 2014. Before UTA, she served as dean at the University of Connecticut School of Nursing and Saint Xavier University School of Nursing in Chicago. 

She also worked as a program director at the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute and as deputy director at the Office of Research on Women’s Health. 

Dr. Bavier earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Duke University in 1970, her Master of Science in nursing from Emory University in 1973 and her doctorate from Duquesne University in 2003. 

She’s served as a member in multiple nursing societies, including the American Academy of Nursing and American Cancer Society. She retired from UTA in 2018. 

Dr. Bavier served as the president of the National League for Nursing from 2015-2017, a 40,000-member organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. She served as the League’s president-elect from 2013-2015. 

In her inaugural address during the organization’s annual Education Summit in Las Vegas, Dr. Bavier emphasized her commitment to ensuring that nursing educators have access to the best resources, the most current research, the newest techniques and the encouragement needed to create the best teaching-learning environments. 

Dr. Bavier previously served on the NLN board as a governor at-large and as board secretary. She has more than a dozen years of experience in leadership roles at federal health care agencies, including serving as deputy director of the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Research on Women’s Health. She has authored or co-authored numerous publications on nursing education, professional development and oncology. 

Dr. Bavier is a fellow of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago and was the first recipient of the Edith Moore Copeland Founders Award for Creativity from Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. The Chapel of Four Chaplains honored Dr. Bavier with its 2015 Legion of Honor Gold Medallion for exceptional leadership that has brought worldwide attention to her profession and for a life epitomizing the spirit of the sacrifice. 

In addition to her experience in higher education, Dr. Bavier served as a program director in the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute and as deputy director of the Office of Research on Women’s Health in the National Institutes of Health, where she received the agency’s highest award, the Director’s Award, for exceptional leadership. 

(Source: https://web.archive.org/web/20171008012118/http://www.uta.edu/news/releases/2015/11/bavierc-nln-president.php )

Dr. LeFlore has been named a fellow in the National League for Nursing’s Academy of Nursing Education for her innovative contributions to the field. 

In 2005, a degree seeking Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (AC PNP) major was implemented under the leadership of Dr. LeFlore with a $748,000 ACPNP grant that was federally funded by HRSA to support its development. 

Nursing Professor Judy LeFlore earned national recognition from the 2012 Computerworld Honors Laureate program for her work using 3D gaming technology to teach students about in-hospital pediatric care. Dr. LeFlore's project "Can Game Play Teach Student Nurses How to Save Lives?" explored whether a 3D video game could teach nursing students how to respond to patients in a clinical setting. She and Assistant Professor Mindi Anderson worked with Marjorie Zielke, assistant professor of arts and technology at UT Dallas, to develop a game scenario called “iNursingRN: Respiratory Distress.” The work was backed by $250,000 in funding from the UT System’s Transforming Undergraduate Education grant program. Dr. Zielke and LeFlore received the award in June in Washington, D.C. 

Dr. Leflore taught courses in her areas of expertise, pediatric and neonatal care. Dr. Leflore is an international expert on medical simulation. Her work has been presented in Florence, Italy, Madrid Spain, and Shanghai China. Dr. LeFlore has received National and International awards. She is a respected author and funded researcher and the results of her research have been published in nursing, medical and technology peer review journals.

Barbara M. Raudonis began her professional nursing career in 1978 as an Officer in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service at Fort Defiance Indian Hospital on the Navajo Indian Reservation. Her passion for gerontological nursing and care of the dying grew from “seeds planted” during that time of service. 

Dr. Raudonis graduated from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland (B.A. biology), University of Maryland at Baltimore (M.S. pathology), Catholic University of America (BSN), University of Colorado Health Sciences (M.S. nursing) and University of Texas at Austin (PhD nursing). Her post-doctoral fellowship was an Institutional National Research Service Award: Research Training in Nursing Care of Older Persons, Oregon Health Sciences University. She completed the Summer Genetics Institute on the NIH Campus in 2006. As a core faculty member of the College of Nursing’s Genomic Translational Research Laboratory she integrated genomics into her program of research and co-taught genetics/genomics related elective courses in the college. Dr. Raudonis was selected as a member of the first cohort of the Palliative Nursing Leadership Institute in 2012. 

Dr. Raudonis joined the faculty of the College of Nursing in 1997. She taught gerontological nursing courses in both the BSN and RN-BSN programs. Her primary teaching responsibilities were in the MSN and PhD programs. Dr. Raudonis held the Myrna R. Pickard Professorship. She also held fellowship status in the National Gerontological Nurses Association and the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association. Dr. Raudonis was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Teachers in 2012.

Dr. Mancini was Professor, Senior Associate Dean for Education Innovation at The University of Texas at Arlington College of Nursing and Health Innovation. She held the Baylor Health Care System Professorship for Healthcare Research. Prior to moving to an academic role in 2004, Dr. Mancini held progressive management positions in the service sector including 18 years as Senior Vice President for Nursing Administration and Chief Nursing Officer at Parkland Health and Hospital Systems in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Mancini received a BSN from Rhode Island College, a Masters in Nursing Administration from The University of Rhode Island and a PhD in Public and Urban Affairs from The University of Texas at Arlington. In 1994, Dr. Mancini was inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. I 

In 2009, she was inducted as a Fellow of the American Heart Association. In 2011, she was inducted as a Fellow in the National League for Nursing’s Academy of Nurse Educators. During the 2012-2013 academic year Dr. Mancini was appointed a Visiting Scholar in Innovation and Simulation at The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. In 2013, Dr. Mancini was recognized with a Regent’s Outstanding Teaching Award from the University of Texas System. Dr. Mancini’s research interests include innovative educational strategies, interprofessional collaborative practice and the development of high performing healthcare teams through the use of simulation. Her simulation related activities include serving as President of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare; member of the Institute of Medicine’s Global Forum on Innovations in Health Professions Education and the Texas Team Advancing Health Through Nursing; past member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada’s Simulation Task Force, Sigma Theta Tau International’s Simulation and Emerging Technologies Content Advisory Group, and the World Health Organization’s Initiative on Training and Simulation and Patient Safety.

Dr. Mancini has more than 90 publications to her credit and is a sought-after speaker at local, national and international conferences on such topics as innovations in health professions education; simulation in healthcare; patient safety; teaching, retention and outcomes related to basic and advanced life support education; emergency and critical care nursing; and the transformative redesign of education. 

Eugene W. Anderson dedicated 43 years of his life to devoted and effective service to our profession. During his first 16 years at the University (1978-1994), Dr. Anderson skillfully, diplomatically, and loyally guided what was then called the Department of Exercise, Sport, and Health Studies as its chair. New curricula were thoughtfully and sagaciously established with a calm and deliberate efficiency aptly describing his professional and personal demeanor. Considerable time, forethought, and expertise were devoted to the planning of a professional educational facility comparable to the quality academic program that was crafted during his tenure. Continual consideration, thought, and effort were devoted to the development of a professional faculty to increase the academic credentials of the unit.

Anderson led by example and contributed to the academic quality of the program by regularly carrying heavy teaching loads. The universal respect held by students, faculty, and staff is exhibited in the endowed Eugene W. Anderson Memorial Scholarship and the Anderson Sport Performance Lecture Series established in his honor. A caring and nurturing scholar who had great regard for students, he continued to contribute to our professional academic unit by teaching, advising, and serving for an additional three years as a professor after resigning his departmental chair duties.

A highly skilled pedagogist, he initially served as a high school teacher and coach for a period of four years, transitioned to the position of college professor (eight years), then department chair (nine years), and finally the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs prior to his arrival at The University of Texas at Arlington. A compassionate man, he served his profession at numerous levels with committee contributions and his community and church by actively participating in organizations and offices.

The personal influence of Eugene W. Anderson will continue to be felt in the Department of Kinesiology in the curriculum evolution, in the facility development, and in the lives of faculty, staff, and students as they pursue their varied careers. Our educational environment and world as a whole would be at higher levels if all people possessed the attitude and understanding of our friend and former colleague.

In recognition of 43 years of service, the Department of Kinesiology, the general faculty, and the administration of The University of Texas at Arlington expressed their gratitude to Elba G. Stafford by conferring upon him the title of Professor Emeritus.

Dr. Stafford applied academic knowledge, professional skill, and managerial acumen to make significant impact within his arena of influence in each of several positions of responsibility in university administrative, professional endeavor and public and community service during his 15 years of service to the University. In fulfilling the foregoing roles, he demonstrated dynamic leadership in providing guidance and motivation to his colleagues and to students alike. He was a caring, thoughtful and dedicated individual who was our departmental leader and the heart and sole of our department and the teacher education certification program during his time of service. He diligently and thoughtfully crafted the curricula, which is currently in place for the training of our pedagogy students thus allowing them the opportunity for success in their chosen profession.

A scholarly man who was current with his profession, Stafford actively participated in the research arena with international, national, regional, and state publications and presentations, as well as participation in several successful grant projects. He contributed and supported his chosen profession with service on numerous pedagogical committees at all of the immediately mentioned levels. He was the consummate professor, as exhibited by his participation in the scholarly, pedagogical, and service arenas along with the continually exhibited attitude of serving students and others before himself. 

The professional career of Elba G. Stafford of seven years as a public school instructor, Director of a Campus Laboratory School Physical Education Curriculum, and Coordinator of the Undergraduate Professional Physical Education Program at four different universities typifies his resourcefulness and selfless devotion to our profession and the students who he served and loved. His students and colleagues are all better for his time among us.

Dr. McKeown joined the faculty at UT Arlington in 1983 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology (at that time, the Department of Physical Education), serving 37 years as a faculty and administrator at the university.

As a teacher, Dr. McKeown is the exemplar by which all faculty in the department can be measured. At one point in time, Dr. McKeown literally taught every course offered by the department. The passion he brought to his students in the classroom was unsurpassed. He approached every lecture with the same enthusiasm, excitement, and engaging teaching style and has done so over decades of instruction. His classes were often looked at by students & graduates as, not only the most challenging, but the most rewarding and, otherwise “fun” classes within the department. In addition to the more common “content delivery” that Dr. McKeown expertly provided, he always emphasized and facilitated students’ “scholarly journey.”  

As a scholar, Dr. McKeown brought a research focus to the department that undoubtedly elevated all areas of the department. While he established his own research accomplishments, as evidenced by his numerous published articles and abstracts over the years, it was his commitment to a philosophy of the importance of scholarship and research that shaped the culture of the department. Some examples include: the embedding of research experiences and requirements within the departmental undergraduate and graduate curriculum, establishing the departmental “research day,” and establishing the biannual Department of Kinesiology & Texas Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine Lecture series (experts from the field of sports medicine and exercise science provide guest lectures which regularly draw over 300 in attendance per presentation). This lecture has since been renamed the Barry McKeown Lecture.  

In the area of service, Barry played a particularly unique role. He has an extensive record of university service work, as well as a deep history of professional service through local, state, regional and national bodies. Among the many at UTA were Faculty Senate, Undergraduate Assembly, “Human Research Review” Committee (chair) and the Provost Advisory Council, as well as many others. In addition, for over 10 years, Barry served as the UT Arlington National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Faculty Athletic Representative. This service spanned 3 conferences (i.e., the Southland Conference, the Western Athletic Conference and the Sun Belt Conference). In this role, Barry represented the faculty as liaison between UT Arlington, the faculty, administrators and student athletes on and off campus with numerous other institutions within our host conferences and NCAA, as a whole. I Dr. McKeown took great pride in this important role and his contribution in this area were greatly appreciated by Athletics at UT Arlington, as well as the Office of the President.  

As an administrator, Barry truly changed the path of the department to a direction that has ultimately led to where we are today. His leadership and guidance of the historical, “physical education” emphasis (which still thrives, today) was unwavering. Through his professional involvement within this area of kinesiology, including his longstanding active engagement in the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), he helped lead this programming along with the professional field. In addition, it was Barry’s commitment to exercise science and sports medicine that helped establish both the academic and research footprint here at UT Arlington, from which there was (at one point) nothing. His longstanding engagement with the American College of Sports Medicine, as well as the regional Texas Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine he fostered and created the first Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science (producing the first graduate in this degree in the Texas in 1995)

Barry’s contributions and commitment will continue to be hallmark by which all future departmental faculty and administrators will be measured.