College of Nursing and Health Professions to honor distinguished alumni Saturday

Sept. 17, 2008 -- Twenty-one distinguished alumni—including 18 faculty members--from Arkansas State University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) will be honored Saturday, Sept. 20 as part of ASU’s 2008 Homecoming celebration. The group is being recognized at an open house at 2:30 p.m. in the Green Room of the CNHP building.

Shanon Brantley represents the Department of Communication Disorders, Ashley Johnson is from the Department of Social Work, and Micheal Martin is the distinguished alumnus from the Department of Physical Therapy.

The faculty members, all from the Department of Nursing, include Brenda Anderson, Diana Fuller, Libby Nix, Darlene Baker, Cathy Hall, Linda Latting, Angela Schmidt, Nonie Wiggins, Lori Clay, Linda Crumpton, Renee Miller, Debbie Shelton, Susi Sifford, Paige Wimberley, Karen Blue, Lisa Drake, Judy Pfriemer and Stacy Troxel.

Drake, Fuller and Latting teach at ASU-Mountain Home. The remaining distinguished alumni teach at the main ASU campus in Jonesboro.

Brantley earned her master’s degree in communication disorders (MCD) from ASU in 1999.  She began her career as a public school speech-language pathologist for the Nettleton School District for three years.  She has been employed by RehabCare and has provided professional services to Arkansas Methodist Medical Center in Paragould for the last six years.

Brantley offers a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic services, including voice therapy, deep pharyngeal neuromuscular stimulation, VitalStim therapy, and swallow studies using fiberendoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and videofluoroscopy, provided by Dr. William Bulkley, a local otolaryngologist.  Brantley’s work with patients receiving VitalStim therapy was recently highlighted in the fall 2008 issue of The Beacon, a publication of the Arkansas Methodist Medical Center. She holds the certificate of clinical competency in speech-language pathology (CCC-SLP).

Brantley, an avid sports fan, is married to Larry Brantley. They have two children, Jaqulyn and Jarron, and the family resides in Jonesboro.

Johnson received a bachelor of social work degree in 2003. As a stipend student, she was placed in the Division of Children and Family Services in Sharp County. While employed as a family service worker, Johnson worked with children who were in foster care.  In July 2003, Johnson began working as a family service worker trainee in Sharp County before being promoted to supervisor in Fulton County.

A true advocate for families in crisis, Johnson has also served as a field instructor for the Department of Social Work and is a strong role model to new social workers as well as to other workers in her county. A student of her professional code of ethics, she frequently discusses ethical dilemmas and values with her students and staff.

Martin graduated from ASU in 2002.  At that time, he was chosen by the faculty as the outstanding student in his graduating class and as the most professional by his classmates.  He has remained involved in his community and in the growth of physical therapy.

Martin has served as a physical therapist, an athletic trainer, a director of physical therapy, and a director of rehabilitation.  In 2006, he volunteered for the United States Olympic weightlifting team, providing evaluation and care for the men’s and women’s teams.

Martin has been a presenter at the Arkansas Athletic Trainers Association annual meeting and the National Athletic Trainers Association annual symposium.  His professional involvement includes Southwest Athletic Trainers Association, Arkansas Athletic Trainers Association, Arkansas Physical Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association-Orthopedic/Sports PT Sections, National Strength and Conditioning Association, National Academy of Sports Medicine, and the U.S. Olympic Committee Sports Medicine Society.

He has continued his education and dedication to the profession by becoming strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.  Martin is also a certified kinesio taping practitioner and a performance enhancement specialist through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

He is currently completing requirements to become a specialist in sports physical therapy as recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association.  He serves as a clinical instructor for physical therapy students as well as participating in job shadowing for pre-PT and pre-Athletic Training students.  Martin demonstrates dedication to the profession of physical therapy and continues to work toward the vision of the future of physical therapy.  He oversees the rehabilitation for football at Baylor University and currently resides in McGregor, Texas, with his family.

With the shortage of nursing faculty nationwide, ASU’s Department of Nursing depends on its alumni who have chosen to practice nursing as faculty members. Anderson, Fuller and Nix earned associate, bachelors and master’s degrees in nursing at Arkansas State. Baker also received an associate of science in nursing.

Hall, Latting, Schmidt and Wiggins earned bachelor of science in nursing degrees while attending ASU. Bachelor of science in nursing and master of science in nursing degrees were earned by Clay, Crumpton, Latting, Miller, Shelton, Sifford and Wimberley. The four faculty members who earned the master’s degree in nursing from the Department of Nursing are Blue, Drake, Pfriemer and Troxel.

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