Alumni Awards

Alumni Award Honoree 2010

Distinguished Alumna: Virginia Rice, PhD, RN, CNS, FAAN
Dr. Virginia Hill Rice is a Professor in the Wayne State University College of Nursing with a joint appointment at the Karmanos Cancer Institute. She is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Medical-Surgical Nursing and a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. Dr. Rice's research expertise and sustained contribution to nursing scholarship is evident in her teaching of students at both the graduate and undergraduate level and an almost continuous pattern of research funding and refereed publications for 20 or more years. She has presented papers regionally, nationally, and internationally and conducted national and international research consultations. Dr. Rice co-founded and directed early Detroit Medical Center and Henry Ford Health System centers for clinical nursing research. She has mentored more than 150 graduate student research projects (including those of students from Canada, China, Jordan, & Thailand).

The focus of her personal research has been stress, coping, and health; patient teaching; and behavioral change (including 'not smoking'). She has directed numerous research projects funded for more than 5 million dollars. Her research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, Michigan Department of Community Health, American Heart Association, Michigan Office of Minority Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, community hospitals and local and international foundations. Dr. Rice has contributed much to stress and coping theory testing and model development. She is the editor of the text, Handbook of Stress, Coping, Sr Health and has authored, co-authored, or edited numerous chapters and refereed publications. She has been the recipient of a number of outstanding awards including the Governor's Recognition for Contribution to Tobacco-Free Michigan Action Coalition and the Leadership Award for Community Research Collaboration presented by the Arab American Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS).

Alumni Award Honoree 2009

Distinguished Alumna: Esther C. Gallegos-Cabriales, Ph.D.
Dr. Esther C. Gallegos-Cabriales is a distinguished alumna of the Wayne State University College of Nursing Ph.D. program and the 2009 College of Nursing Alumni Association Alumna of the Year. She is a professor of nursing and Doctoral Program Secretary in the College of Nursing at Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico and is being honored for her work to establishing nurse-centered healthcare practices in underdeveloped countries.

Ever since receiving her first nursing degree from the Latin American Hospital School of Nursing in Puebla, Mexico, Dr. Gallegos-Cabriales has spent her career conducting research in the fields of diabetes, obesity, HIV/AIDS, nursing education and sexual education. She has been recognized by the State Government of Nuevo Leon and by a number of institutions across the United States and Latin America for her contributions to healthcare.

Along with her teaching and directing the doctoral program at the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Dr. Gallegos-Cabriales is a member of the School of Nursing Research Commission and the School of Nursing Technical Consulting Council. She is currently working on research that focuses on reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS in adolescents of the marginalized communities in Monterrey, Mexico. This fall, Dr. Gallegos-Cabriales will have the honor of being inducted as a Fellow of the illustrious American Academy of Nursing.