TWO SCHOOL OF NURSING ADMINISTRATORS RETIRE AFTER OVER 20 YEARS OF SERVICE
Beverly Hoeffer, DNSc, RN, FAAN, professor and associate dean for academic affairs and graduate programs, and Sarah Porter, RN, PhD, associate professor and associate dean for student and international affairs, are both retiring this June after over 20 years of service at OHSU’s School of Nursing.
“These dedicated nursing leaders will be missed at the school. OHSU has benefited from their expertise, passion for nursing, and valuable leadership,” says Kathleen Potempa, DNSc, RN, FAAN, vice president and dean. “Both have greatly influenced the nursing profession and students and colleagues at OHSU.”
 Beverly Hoeffer |
Hoeffer leaves OHSU 23 years after coming to the university in 1980 as an associate professor in mental health nursing. She received her master’s degree in advanced psychiatric nursing from Rutgers University and her doctoral degree from University of California, San Francisco. Prior to coming to OHSU, she worked as a community mental health clinical nurse specialist in New Jersey and California, and held faculty positions at Rutgers University and UCSF. |
During her career at OHSU, Hoeffer has held various leadership positions at the School, including chairperson of the department of mental health nursing, been published many times over, and maintained a robust research career. Her doctoral research examined lesbian and heterosexual single mothers’ influence on children’s acquisition of sex-role traits and behaviors, among the first studies in this area. However, much of her research while at OHSU concentrated on the care of older persons and interventions for behavioral symptoms of dementia. She recently completed a NINR supported project on bathing interventions with dementia patients in nursing home settings. She also has been instrumental in securing resources to offer the PhD program in nursing through distance delivery to locations in four Western states including Oregon.
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Porter leaves OHSU 24 years after coming to the university in 1979 as an assistant professor of psychiatric mental health nursing. She received her master’s of public health and master’s of science degrees from the University of Hawaii and her doctoral degree from Portland State University. She came to OHSU after beginning her nursing education career at the University of Hawaii in 1971. Porter has held a variety of teaching positions since she joined OHSU and began leading the school in student affairs in 1987. In 1997 she began to focus on the school’s international relations, including developing sister schools in Asia. |
Although Porter has influenced many of her colleagues through her leadership and publications, perhaps she will be missed most by the many students that she has mentored. Much of Porter’s contributions to the School were done quietly behind the scenes. She made a great impact through her one on one work with international students, students with disabilities, students of color, and other individuals.
“We thank both of these leaders for their many years of service to the School, and wish them both joyous retirements,” says Potempa.
Join the School of Nursing in honoring both of these dedicated nurses at a celebration of retirement on Thursday, June 12, at 3 p.m. The celebration will be hosted in the third floor lobby of the School of Nursing, located at 3455 S.W. U.S. Veterans Hospital Road, in Portland.
Last
updated
December 9, 2004
by OHSU School of Nursing Web Managers.
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