Dr. Mary Neiheisel, a longtime nursing professor at the 小蝌蚪APP, is the winner of this year小蝌蚪APP檚 Lafayette Civic Cup.
The Civic Cup recognizes an honoree小蝌蚪APP檚 humanitarianism. The Young Men小蝌蚪APP檚 Business Club of Lafayette first presented the award in 1933. Today, it小蝌蚪APP檚 given by the Community Foundation of Acadiana.
Neiheisel is the award小蝌蚪APP檚 85th recipient. Her service to the community will be celebrated during ceremonies Thursday, Nov. 9, at the Lafayette Petroleum Club.
She joined the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 nursing faculty in 1966, shortly after she married Richard Neiheisel. He taught European, American and Russian histories at the 小蝌蚪APP from 1962 until his death in 1987.
小蝌蚪APP淗e is really on my mind with the Civic Cup award. He would be so delighted, so happy and proud,小蝌蚪APP Mary Neiheisel said.
Civic Cup recipients are chosen by a committee of past honorees. Neiheisel小蝌蚪APP檚 extensive r茅sum茅 of community engagement, which began shortly after her arrival in Lafayette in 1966, gave the panel a lot to consider.
The late Dr. Ben Kaplan, a sociology professor at the 小蝌蚪APP, and his wife Blondie 小蝌蚪APP渉ad engaged my husband in Community Concerts, and we continued the engagement after we were married,小蝌蚪APP Neiheisel remembered. 小蝌蚪APP淵ou join one group, you meet people from other groups. Soon we were members of the Fine Arts Foundation.小蝌蚪APP
In the ensuing 50 years, Neiheisel joined a host of local and regional organizations dedicated to community service, children and women小蝌蚪APP檚 health, the arts, and literacy.
A selection of her affiliations include United Way of Acadiana, Lafayette Rotary Club, Performing Arts Society of Acadiana, Acadiana Center for the Arts, Leadership Lafayette, Chorale Acadienne, Friends of the Humanities, Zonta International and Lafayette Public Library Foundation.
She小蝌蚪APP檚 particularly proud of her work with Faith House, which named her its 2015 Employee of the Year. A certified family nurse practitioner, Neiheisel is the domestic violence crisis center小蝌蚪APP檚 nurse advocate.
She小蝌蚪APP檚 also lent her medical expertise to organizations such as Shots for Tots, March of Dimes, Women小蝌蚪APP檚 Foundation, and the Family Violence Intervention Program.
小蝌蚪APP淭he city means the world to me. It is definitely home, a place in which I found friends, employment, volunteer activities, arts and culture and ways to help grow our community. It is truly a city of opportunity and strong caring people.小蝌蚪APP
Neiheisel began her nursing education at Baptist Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in San Antonio. She then earned a bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in nursing from Incarnate Word College, also in San Antonio. She received a master小蝌蚪APP檚 degree in nursing education from the 小蝌蚪APP of Colorado in 1965, and joined the 小蝌蚪APP of Southwestern Louisiana小蝌蚪APP檚 nursing faculty the following year.
She eventually earned a doctorate in education from LSU. She also holds adult and gerontology nurse practitioner certifications.
She was one of the state小蝌蚪APP檚 first advanced nurse practitioners.
At UL Lafayette, Neiheisel piloted the core courses for its nurse practitioner program and served as its director. She was the program小蝌蚪APP檚 first graduate nursing program coordinator.
She was the first College of Nursing faculty member to be awarded the UL Lafayette Foundation小蝌蚪APP檚 Distinguished Professor Award. She won the honor in 1976.
Neiheisel is a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow of the National Academies of Practice. In 2006, she was recognized as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the first individual from the state to receive the designation.
Neiheisel joins a number of 小蝌蚪APP administrators and faculty who小蝌蚪APP檝e received the Civic Cup. Past honorees included:
- 1938 小蝌蚪APP Dr. Joel L. Fletcher, the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 third president, who received the award when he was dean of the College of Agriculture;
- 1941 小蝌蚪APP Edith Garland Dupr茅, an English professor who was among the first faculty members at the new Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute;
- 1984 小蝌蚪APP Marie 小蝌蚪APP淢ario小蝌蚪APP Mamalakis, a library science professor and the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 public relations director;
- 1989 小蝌蚪APP E. Glynn Abel, longtime dean of men;
- 1991 小蝌蚪APP Dr. Ray P. Authement, the 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 fifth president; and
- 2000 小蝌蚪APP Dr. Jean T. Kreamer, then-director of Media and Printing Services.
小蝌蚪APP淭his honor takes my breath away,小蝌蚪APP Neiheisel said. 小蝌蚪APP淣ever in a million years did I see myself receiving this award. I knew and know several recipients and have a very special admiration for them. It is truly humbling to be on a list with these extraordinary people.小蝌蚪APP