|
 Academic
excellence, exceptional motivation, tenacity and a commitment to
community service are the attributes of Rose P. Le of Clovis, who was
named the Class of 2009 University Graduate Medal winner at California
State University, Fresno.
Her selection was revealed during the Graduate Degree Hooding Ceremony
for master’s and doctoral candidates in the Save Mart Center today, May
22.
Le, representing the College of Health and Human Services, was presented
the silver University Graduate Medal by Fresno State President Dr. John
D. Welty. She also received a plaque presented by Dr. Dennis Nef,
interim provost and vice president for academic affairs.
The University Graduate Medal is the top honor awarded to a graduate
student selected from among graduate Dean’s Medalists chosen as the
outstanding students in each of the university’s eight schools and
colleges of academic discipline and the Division of Student Affairs. The
dean of each selects a graduate medalist based on academic
accomplishment, service to the school, community involvement and other
notable achievements.
Le is among more than 900 students eligible to receive master’s or
doctoral degree hoods. After receiving their hoods on Friday night, the
post-baccalaureate students will have their degrees formally conferred
Saturday morning, May 23, during the 98th Commencement.
Le completed her Master of Science in Nursing (Primary Care
Option/Family Nurse Practitioner) with a 4.0 GPA. Her graduate project
focused on promoting the use of evidence-based medicine to enhance
nursing education.
Born in a refugee camp when her parents fled Vietnam, Le has faced
numerous struggles, including being a single mother of three who has had
to work two jobs to provide for her family while attending college part
time. She earned an A.A. degree from Fresno City College and a B.S.
degree in nursing from Fresno State in 2004.
For the past two years, she has worked as a nurse in the Community
Regional Medical Center burn unit, where she helps train new nurses.
While working full time on night shifts, she also completed the clinical
hours required for the family nurse practitioner at Sierra Clinica
Community Health, which provides care mainly to indigent and poor
patients in the San Joaquin Valley.
She was selected for the Alice Peters Nursing Scholarship as an
undergraduate and also for a Tylenol Scholarship in 2008.
Le volunteers at the nonprofit Tzu Chi Free Clinic, for the Vietnamese
Catholic Church in Fresno, at her children’s school events and with
other community groups.
She plans to practice in an underserved clinical site. Le said she hopes
to “serve as a role model for single mothers, the ethnic minority and
the poor underserved population.”
Three other top students were honored at the Graduate Degree Hooding
Ceremony.
Christopher Smart, M.S. Geology and James Tyner, M.F.A. Creative Writing
both received the Outstanding Thesis Award.
Fumiko Yamamoto received the Phyllis Watts Eudy Memorial Award for the
outstanding international graduate student. Yamamoto, who is from Japan
and completed a Master of Science in Biology and Certificate of Advanced
Study-Biotechnology with a cumulative GPA of 3.84.
All Dean’s Medalists, both graduate and undergraduate, will be
recognized at Saturday’s University Commencement, which begins at 9:30
a.m. in the Save Mart Center.
|
