The distinguished career of Ada Lindsey, Ph.D., dean of the University
of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing, began in 1955 when she enrolled
at The Ohio State University School of Nursing. Little did she know that
47 years later, she would receive a second prestigious award from her alma
mater.
In late April, Dr. Lindsey received The Ohio State University College
of Nursing Alumni Societys Mildred E. Newton Distinguished Educator Award
in Columbus, Ohio, during Annual Alumni Day. The award is granted to an
alumna and current or former educator or dean of a national college/school
of nursing whose personal integrity and commitment to nursing education,
advancement of nursing science through research and publications, or exemplary
practice of nursing contributes significantly to the recruitment and preparation
of the next generation of nurses.
In 1989, Dr. Lindsey received the societys Distinguished Alumni Award.
The Newton award is named in honor of the late Mildred Newton who was
professor and director of the School of Nursing at The Ohio State University
from 1951 to 1968.
Dr. Lindsey, the first to receive the newly created award, was a student
working on her bachelors and masters degrees while Newton was director.
This award was a total surprise, Dr. Lindsey said. I certainly am
honored. I was surprised and especially pleased to be nominated as the
first recipient in honor of a director I knew.
In a nomination letter, Dr. Lindsey is recognized for her integrity,
calmness in the face of adversity, willingness to listen, promotion of
the interests of others, fairness and unwaivering focus on quality.
Elizabeth R. Lenz, Ph.D., dean and professor, The Ohio State University
College of Nursing, said Dr. Lindsey is one of the nursing professions
most outstanding researchers and scholars who has made major contributions
to the field of oncology nursing.
She has set high standards for nursing education nationally and internationally,
Dr. Lenz said. Ada is a visionary and an innovator, and also has been
successful in seeing her visions through to reality. She is held in enormously
high regard by the profession for her insistence on excellence, strong
commitment to scholarship, and unfailing ability to inspire and enable
others to excel.
Dr. Ada Lindsey is one of the most highly regarded leaders of our profession.
This July, though Dr. Lindsey will retire, her influence will continue
to have an effect in the lives of colleagues, faculty, students and the
patients they have helped.
Dr. Lindsey has served in leadership roles in several of the nations
most highly regarded schools of nursing as assistant dean at the University
of Maryland, chair of the department of physiological nursing at the University
of California San Francisco School of Nursing, dean of the school of nursing
at UCLA.
It was after completing her masters degree, while realizing she enjoyed
teaching in the clinical setting, that she decided to pursue a career in
nursing education.
The impact shes had on the lives of students and faculty since then
is immeasurable.
You never know how broad your influence really is as an educator. You
rarely truly know the breadth or depth of your impact on development of
someone.
Despite all her personal successes and accolades over the years, Dr.
Lindsey credits the work of others.
You wouldnt be in this position if there werent a lot of people doing
a lot of work, Dr. Lindsey said. Its been a long and very happy career.
Ive been really privileged. Ive certainly gained as much as Ive given.