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Three Faculty Members from

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Receive Awards from UT Alumni Association

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Memphis, Tenn. (June 2, 2009) – Three faculty members from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) recently received special recognition from the University of Tennessee Alumni Association (UTAA).  Elizabeth Bowman, MPA, RHIA, a professor of Health Informatics and Information Management in the College of Allied Health Sciences, and Andrew S. Pierce, MD, an assistant professor who specializes in emergency medicine in the College of Medicine, were each presented with a UTAA Outstanding Teacher Award.  Carolyn Graff, PhD, RN, FAAIDD, associate professor and director of the Primary/Public Health Department in the College of Nursing received a UTAA Public Service Award.

On June 19, the 78-member UTAA Board of Governors will hold its annual banquet in Knoxville.  During the event, the board will honor all three UTHSC faculty members, along with this year’s UTAA award winners from other campuses, for their exceptional efforts during the 2008-2009 academic year.  Students described Bowman as a “person you can go to for anything” and someone who is “great at communication.”  Dr. Pierce was praised for his “excellent work with students and residents” and for his “ability to share his real-world experience” to help train young physicians.  Dr.  Graff was introduced as someone who is “known locally, regionally and nationally for her substantive personal and professional contributions to the community.”  She works largely to address the needs of families of those with mental and physical disabilities, and has “increased awareness of the needs of siblings in these families.”

With more than 300,000 members residing in all 50 states and in more than 130 countries, the UTAA is dedicated to serving former students from the four major UT campuses and three institutes that comprise the University of Tennessee.  This year UTAA presented 11 teaching and public service awards to exemplary faculty members throughout the UT system.  Along with a commemorative plaque, each award recipient was also presented with a monetary award.

            As the flagship statewide academic health system, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is focused on a four-tier mission of education, research, clinical care, and public service, all in support of a single goal: to improve the health of Tennesseans.  Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main campus is located in Memphis and includes six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy.  UTHSC has additional College of Medicine and College of Pharmacy campuses in Knoxville, and a College of Medicine campus in Chattanooga.  For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.

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