The Central San Joaquin Valley Nursing Hall of Fame inducted Dr. Glen Doyle, Fresno State professor emerita of gerontology, and alumna Laurel Friesen, former director of Kaiser Permanente education services, at its 12th annual awards luncheon at the Smittcamp Alumni House.
Doyle and Friesen join a prestigious list of nursing leaders from throughout the region who have promoted the profession through a lifetime of dedicated work and achievements.
A posthumous honor was given to Doyle, who led a distinguished career as a geriatric nurse practitioner and educator before retiring in 2005 at age 80. A few years before she died in 2009, a bench on campus was dedicated in honor of her career at the University. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing at Fresno State, and would later teach at the University, as well as at Sacramento State.
Upon receiving her doctoral degree from the University of California, San Francisco, Doyle began her 18-year teaching career at Fresno State, where she was instrumental in the development of the Interdisciplinary Gerontology Program as a director and professor. Her passion for the field led to the creation of online courses for those seeking a minor in gerontology or the Gerontological Specialist Certificate. She was also credited with the expansion of local community programs that served the elderly and aging population.
“Dr. Doyle placed the spotlight on the need for nurses to learn more about the care of the elderly and their special needs,” said Pilar De La Cruz-Reyes, director of the Central California Center for Excellence in Nursing. “It is appropriate that we honor her legacy with this recognition.”
Friesen’s 40-year nursing career began at then-Fresno Community Hospital, where she was a critical care nurse and supervisor until 1974. A year later, she began her career with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where she would receive her master’s degree and later join the faculty.
Friesen is credited for co-developing critical care classes at UCSF, as well as teaching in the nurse internship program. Her passion for nursing education carried over into her role at Kaiser. From 2001 to 2012, Friesen managed patient care education and new hire orientation for thousands of nurses, and worked closely with nursing students to provide clinical sites around the Central Valley.
“Laurel has been a dynamic nurse leader in the Valley, as well as the state, through her profound contributions to nursing education and nursing leadership,” said De La Cruz-Reyes.
Originating in 2004, the Nursing Hall of Fame is a collaborative project that honors the distinctive careers of nurse leaders. It is sponsored by the School of Nursing at Fresno State, the Nursing Leadership Coalition of the Central San Joaquin Valley and the Mu Nu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
For more information on the Nursing Hall of Fame, contact Pilar De La Cruz-Reyes at 559.228.2155.
