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DCHS Honors Faculty and Staff at Spring Celebration Event

The Saint Louis University Doisy College of Health Sciences honored three faculty members, one staff member and one clinical preceptor with various awards at its annual Spring Celebration event on May 9 in the Allied Health Professions Building on SLU’s South Campus. Award recipients received a certificate of achievement and a cash prize to be used toward a future professional development opportunity.

DCHS Faculty and Staff Award Recipients

DCHS Faculty and Staff Award Winners (left to right): Marlene Barron, Kristin Hrasky, Lori Jones, Rita Heuertz, Elaina Osterbur

The awards presented at the DCHS Spring Celebration included:

·         Distinguished Service Award: Lori Jones, PhD, MS, MPH, RD, LD

·         Distinguished Teaching Award: Elaina Osterbur, PhD

·         Excellence in Clinical Education: Marlene Barron, OTR/L

·         Excellence in Scholarship: Rita Heuertz, PhD, MT(ASCP)

·         Outstanding Staff Award: Kristin Hrasky

Dr. Osterbur was not expecting her name to be announced when the recipients of the awards were revealed in the spring.

“I was extremely surprised to win the Distinguished Teaching Award,” Dr. Osterbur said. There are a lot of wonderful instructors in our college, which makes for some tough competition for these awards.”

Hrasky was also surprised to find out she was a 2019 award recipient. Recipients of the DCHS Awards receive, among other things, a financial prize to be used on professional development opportunities. Hrasky was very grateful that the college is eager to make this investment in its faculty and staff.

“I appreciate how much my colleagues and supervisors are devoted to personal and professional development. It helps me feel empowered in my role and I feel my contributions and those of my peers are valued,” Hrasky said. “Additionally, it is very rewarding to work in a place where I feel my coworkers genuinely care about me and others in our community.”

DCHS Dean Mardell Wilson, Ed.D., RDN, LDN, was delighted to be able to honor the award recipients and celebrate all of the hardworking faculty and staff at the college.  It was also a highlight to be able to recognize the preceptors who are essential in the important clinical education component of many of the programs in the college.

“We are proud of all of our extraordinarily dedicated and talented faculty and staff in DCHS, but these five award recipients have truly earned this additional recognition through their outstanding efforts,” Dr. Wilson said. “We are also very happy to be able to add the Excellence in Clinical Education award this year; allowing us to recognize one of our many talented clinical preceptors who play such an important role in the education of our students.”

While taking a night to honor those individuals who had gone above and beyond, the rest of the DCHS faculty and staff enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by faculty chefs and the student staff of Fresh Gatherings Cafe a night of celebration and fellowship as another successful academic year comes to a close.

Saint Louis University is a Catholic, Jesuit institution that values academic excellence, life-changing research, compassionate health care, and a strong commitment to faith and service. Founded in 1818, the University fosters the intellectual and character development of nearly 13,000 students on two campuses in St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Building on a legacy of more than 200 years, Saint Louis University continues to move forward with an unwavering commitment to a higher purpose, a greater good.