The University of Louisiana Monroe School of Allied Health under the College of Health Science held its annual Professional Business Luncheon Networking event and Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, April 12 at Bayou Pointe, where 250 health science students, healthcare community leaders, and faculty members attended.
The School of Allied Health presented Recognition of Excellence Awards during the luncheon.
"I am so proud of the faculty and staff in the School of Allied Health. They are dedicated to preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals and scientists to change lives in the world,” Dr. Donald Simpson, dean of the College of Health Sciences.
The School of Allied Health presented the Outstanding Faculty Award to Dr. Andy Allen, an associate professor and the clinical coordinator in the radiologic technology program. The award honors a full-time faculty who demonstrates exceptional teaching effectiveness, mentorship to students and other faculty, involvement in research, and service to the community outside of campus.
He began his tenure at ULM in 2007 where he has maintained a strong commitment to his students and the RT program. He is described by his peers as an outstanding teacher who upholds extremely high standards in his courses and the classroom. Recently, Allen led an extensive curriculum revision, which required the development of 13 new courses that will better support students’ progression through the program. The RT curriculum revisions were a major undertaking requiring extensive hours and time to ensure the courses aligned with the RT national standards for best practice. In addition, Allen created a comprehensive workbook with 31 medical imaging experiments that support hands-on learning for his RT students.
“It is an honor to see my former students’ life achievements—graduate education, specialty schools, professional advancement. Knowing that at one point in their education I contributed to helping them become successful is extremely satisfying,” said Allen.
Alexa Garlington, a medical laboratory science senior, received the Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award. This award honors an undergraduate student who demonstrates exceptional scholarship, character, and service.
Garlington will graduate in spring 2022. The MLS faculty describe her as a highly motivated and bright young woman with budding leadership skills. She is a self-driven, thoughtful individual and enthusiastically seeks ways to advocate for the MLS profession. Garlington is active in the Louisiana Society for Clinical Laboratory Science as the student forum chair for developing professionals. She also completed a prestigious 2021 summer internship at Mayo Clinic.
Other Outstanding Undergraduate Student nominees included Molly Easley, a health studies management/marketing student, and Jordan Jones, a dental hygiene student.
Madelyn Hudnall, a speech-language pathology graduate student, received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award. This award goes to a graduate student who demonstrates exceptional scholarship, character, and service.
She has maintained a 4.0 GPA and is at the top of her class in the SLP program at ULM. The SLP faculty describe her as an exceptional student who goes above and beyond to support the program. She holds executive positions in her student organizations and engages in many extracurricular events at ULM and in the community. Her faculty note her impressive civic duties while successfully juggling her rigorous academic responsibilities.
Also nominated for the Outstanding Graduate Student Award was Morgan Burks, a speech-language pathology graduate student.
Danielle Barton, an administrative coordinator for dental hygiene, received the Shining Star Award. This award is given to a staff member in the College of Health Sciences who demonstrates outstanding customer service, initiative, dependability, teamwork, and a positive attitude.
Barton’s co-workers describe her as a dedicated staff member who seeks to provide the best experience for the department and for dental hygiene patients. She greets everyone with a smile and embraces a positive tone for the clinic
Brice Bruno, the vice president for WellStar Ancillary and Support Services, received the Outstanding Alumni Award. This award recognizes an outstanding alumnus demonstrating exceptional academic achievements since graduation and prominence in their professional career.
Bruno is described as a model leader in his profession who demonstrates sincerity, devotion, and a mature leadership style. He received his MBA at Jacksonville University and his Bachelor of Science in Clinical Lab Sciences at ULM. Currently, he is the Vice President of Lab Services at one of the largest health systems in Georgia, WellStar Health System. During his career, he has demonstrated a track record of significant accomplishments that resulted in cultural transformations and the implementation of new operational processes and facilities construction. Throughout the pandemic, he has rallied and inspired his employees, developed new contracts, and initiated internal processes that supported his patients and healthcare staff.