PBAA to honor Dr. Jean Truman, Chris Luke

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Alumni Association will honor Dr. Jean Truman, associate professor of nursing, and alumnus Chris Luke '94 during its Alumni and Family Weekend Oct. 2-4.

Truman will accept the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association's Teaching Excellence Award, while Luke will receive the Denny Lowery PBAA Distinguished Volunteer Award.

Both will be recognized at the PBAA Alumni Awards Dinner and Athletic Hall of Fame Induction at 5 p.m. Oct. 3 in the Mukaiyama University Room. The cost is $25 for adults, $12 for children 6 to 12 and free for children 5 and under. For registration, visit upbalumni.org/afw or call 814-362-5091.

Truman is the coordinator of the Associate of Science in Nursing program at Pitt-Bradford, where she has taught since 2003. Her two research interests are student success with the NCLEX RN and the use of standardized patients in nursing simulations. Prior to teaching at Pitt-Bradford, she worked as a critical care nurse, coordinator of staff education and nursing supervisor.

She continues to work as a nursing supervisor at Bradford Regional Medical Center and is an active volunteer with the American Cancer Society.

Truman was nominated by three 2015 nursing graduates, Melissa Dibble, Jenny Ratvasky and Danielle Schoonover-Wils, who cited her accessibility to students and her willingness to mentor them.

“Dr. Truman went beyond being a fabulous professor,” Dibble wrote in her nomination. “She has always been available for questions and is not afraid to step up to a challenge for a student.”

In 2009, she received the Pitt-Bradford Chairs' Faculty Teaching Award.

Luke served as PBAA president from 2010 to 2014, helping with 50 and Beyond: The Campaign for the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.

He was nominated by Anita Dolan '88.

“Chris has always been very dedicated and passionate about Pitt-Bradford and the PBAA,” she said. “While president, he could always be counted on, especially in the area of fundraising. While he is no longer president, he is still very connected to the Pitt-Bradford community.”

Luke currently serves as chairman of the PBAA advancement committee and is a member of the Pitt-Bradford Advisory Board. Professionally, he is vice president of sales distribution for Mesirow Financial Investment Strategies. He and his wife, Megan, live in Canonsburg with their son, Alex.

Also at the awards dinner, David Brown III '04, Jamie Keane '09 and Katie Moore '09 will be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Other public events during the weekend include an Executive Speaker Series and Networking Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 2 in the Mukaiyama University Room with Dr. Siobhan France '08, an Arts Gala and performance by the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre on Oct 2 in Bromeley Family Theater, and the Friends of Hanley Library Book Sale from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 3 at Hanley Library. For more information on events, visit www.upb.pitt.edu/afw/.

For disability needs related to the dinner or other Alumni and Family Weekend events, contact the Office of Disability Resources and Services at (814)362-7609 or clh71@pitt.edu.

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