Janice Thompson Granger, BSN, RN
BSN ‘80 - Faith and a commitment to give back to the community earned Janice a legacy of giving. Her philanthropic generosity is motivated by a desire to help others. In 2001, her charitable leadership was honored with the MSUAA Outstanding Philanthropist Award.

In 1991, Janice and Alton Granger started an endowed nursing scholarship to provide financial assistance to graduate students. In 2001, the Janice Thompson Granger Nursing Learning Center was established providing nursing students with a simulation lab. In 2007, the Granger’s were among the first Spartans to address the nursing shortage in Michigan by making a leadership gift in support of the new building addition. At the time, this was the largest gift ever given to the College.

Janice’s dedication to MSU is reinforced through her time and talents. Serving on the College’s Alumni Association Board, she contributed to nearly a decade of alumni engagement. Janice is currently a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council, the Board of Visitors.

Bernadette Bott Marquez, BSN, RN
BSN ‘80 - An operating room nurse for more than 25 years, Bernadette witnessed first-hand the severity of the nursing shortage. Passionately wanting to help to end the nursing crisis, she co-founded The Timothy and Bernadette Marquez Foundation. Charitable contributions of the Foundation are focused on improving educational opportunities, increasing healthcare access and facilitating change in human services.

In 2008, the Foundation made a $7 million commitment to the College for a new nursing building, THE BOTT BUILDING for Nursing Education and Research. Bernadette wanted to leave a legacy at MSU that would enable continued growth and excellence in the nursing program and ensure quality nursing care is available for all in our time of need. The Building was named in honor of her parents, John and Anna Bott.

Today, Bernadette manages a corporate giving program that she established in 2000 for the prominent oil and gas company, Venoco, Inc. Bernadette’s community activism earned her the College’s 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Mary Jane Pionk, MD
BSN ‘80 - Mary Jane works with the University of California in San Diego in the Developmental-Behavioral Clinic and Regional Center as well as running the Multidisciplinary Down Syndrome Clinic. Her distinguished career in general pediatrics includes patient care, teaching residents and working with a large multi-specialty group.

Mary Jane has been involved with Interplast, a volunteer group that provides reconstructive surgery to infants, children, and adults in developing countries. She has traveled to remote locations in Nepal, Burma, Tibet, Mongolia and Honduras providing care to vulnerable populations.

Mary Jane completed a Cardiovascular Nurse Specialist program at Methodist Hospital in Houston and worked in the "Debakey ICU.” The experience stimulated her interest in medicine and brought her back to MSU and the College of Human Medicine and then to Stanford University where she completed her pediatric residency. Most recently, Mary Jane made a financial commitment to fund a research workstation in the new building.

Anne Ingalls Gillespie, BSN, RN
BSN ‘84 - Anne specializes in pediatric oncology at the Children’s Hospital of Denver. To assist her young patients with the health challenges associated with cancer she founded Youth And Pet Survivors (YAPS).

Children with cancer have restricted environments because of their heightened risk of infection. To overcome the stern hospital restrictions with this patient population the pen pal concept was born. Through the program Anne pairs a child and a pet with a similar diagnosis or treatment plan. With the help of the pet owner they communicate via mail and email about the emotional aspects of the illness.

The human-animal bond experience helps the children find comfort knowing they are not alone in their battle against cancer. Writing back and forth provides a shared experience during their personal and challenging journey.

Colonel Sharon Sterling Brown, MSN, MA, FNP
BSN ‘85 - Sharon is the Deputy Commander for Nursing at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital in Fort Campbell, KY. Sharon delivers quality healthcare for the military community while supporting medical readiness to US soldiers and their families. She runs the Department of Nursing with 521 nurses and cares for a beneficiary population of over 102,000. She also sees patients in the clinic once a month.

In the Army Nurse Corps Sharon’s military assignments vary from Staff Nurse, Head Nurse, Nursing Instructor, Family Nurse Practitioner, Head Nurse of the Medical/Surgical Ward, Nursing Methods Analysis to Deputy Commander for Nursing Patient Care Services.

Her awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Overseas Medal.

Stephanie May, MSN, RN, CRNA
BSN ‘88 - As a Nurse Anesthetist, Stephanie works to impart to all healthcare professionals the value to the patient in working as a team. For over 14 years, she has delivered anesthesia care at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Stephanie provides clinical instruction to EMTs, medical and dental students as well as nurse anesthesia and surgery residents. As a staff anesthetist for the hospital she provides care for interventional radiology and cardiology, GI suite and surgical services.

Currently, Stephanie has an academic appointment at the University of Colorado School of Medicine where she is a 2010 Teaching Scholars Program Graduate. She is a Clinical Coordinator for Texas Wesleyan University where she was named the 2010 Clinical Coordinator of the year. She was also a didactic instructor at the UCLA Program of Nurse Anesthesia.

Stephanie joined the Nursing Alumni Board as the Colorado State Champion in 2009. She has provided financial support to fund a research workstation in the new building along with her fellow alumni board members.