As we welcome the Spring season, we look forward to upcoming recognition ceremonies and commencement activities honoring our students. During this time it's also important to commend those faculty members who have ensured our students' success. One example of a faculty member who has continually shown her dedication to providing her students tools for success as health professionals is Dr. Ruth Kershner.

We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Kershner as a faculty member here at WVU. Dr. Kershner plays a major part in educating communities throughout the state and around the nation - and in doing so she serves as an exemplary role model for our students. Much of what Dr. Kershner teaches our students cannot be found in a textbook. Dr. Kershner teaches her students the value of service learning. Some of the activities her students have been involved in include supplying personal care items for domestic violence shelters and donating health supplies and education materials to the Milan Puskar Health Right - just to name a few.

Dr. Kershner herself is involved in many different special interests - including substance abuse education, women's health, nursing care of the elderly, and hospice. She has presented at state, national and international conferences about rape prevention. In addition, Kershner works in the community as a volunteer nurse, with community social justice groups, and with the Planned Approach to Community Health (PATCH) program. She is a visiting assistant professor in the School of Physical Education and also serves as a faculty associate in the Center for Women's Studies.

Dr. Kershner's teaching efforts are recognized far beyond the HSC campus. The Faculty Merit Foundation of West Virginia named her a semi-finalist for the 2005 Professor of the Year honor. In 2003, Dr. Kershner received the June Harless Award for Exceptional Teaching , one of WVU's premier teaching honors.

As I mentioned before, Dr. Kershner is just one example of the exemplary educators we have here at HSC. Our entire faculty at HSC continually works to fulfill our commitment to providing our students with the quality educations they deserve.