Faye Gary, an indomitable nurse researcher and Case Western Reserve University faculty member, was quietly shocked when Provost Ben Vinson III announced she was the recipient of the institution鈥檚 highest faculty award, the permanent, honorific title of Distinguished University Professor.
Her first response? 鈥淟ord, have mercy. How could this be?鈥�
It wasn鈥檛 a surprise to her colleagues and friends, who have witnessed Gary鈥攁 respected thought leader and researcher at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing鈥攕hape the field of psychiatric nursing. A fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, Gary has been widely published and received numerous grants totaling more than $24 million during her career. Her work has informed health policy related to child and adolescent mental health, health disparities and domestic violence.
In 1993, Gary鈥檚 clinical textbook, Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing, was named Book of the Year by the American Journal of Nursing. A competitive honor, the award acknowledges the importance of a book to nursing and its impact on shaping the practice of millions of registered nurses in the United States.
Her journey to Case Western Reserve wasn鈥檛 without obstacles. Gary, who earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing and sociology from Florida A&M University, shared one of her most devastating experiences while she pursued a graduate degree.
鈥淚 was accepted to a very prestigious school but then I was told I needed to interview,鈥� she said. 鈥淭ook me about two days on the bus鈥攖hat was the way Black folk traveled鈥攂ut when I got there, I was told my admission would be rescinded because I had never been in the classroom with white nurses.鈥�
During his announcement, Vinson said Gary didn鈥檛 allow those hurdles to stop her.
鈥淔aye, you have excelled in all of the areas that we deem and treasure as fundamental to the university, and that is research, scholarship, teaching and service,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou are a model of the transformative citizen leader that we aspire to cultivate here at Case Western Reserve.鈥�
When nominating Gary鈥攖he Medical Mutual of Ohio and Kent W. Clapp Endowed Chair and Professor of Nursing鈥攆or the Distinguished University Professor designation, Dean Carol M. Musil cited her excellence in research, scholarship and impact on the university community.
In 2013, with the support of former Provost William 鈥淏ud鈥� Baeslack, Gary established the Provost Scholars Program, a partnership between East Cleveland City Schools and Case Western Reserve to create opportunities for the city鈥檚 students to become successful undergraduates at the university.
鈥淭his groundbreaking program reflects Dr. Gary鈥檚 vision, expertise, and commitment to dismantling systems that promote economic and health disparities,鈥� Musil wrote in her nomination. 鈥淗er ability to leverage community resources to help vulnerable youth positively shape their futures has had, and continues to have, positive effects on the university and East Cleveland Communities.鈥�
When receiving the honor, Gary thanked Vinson, Musil and her colleagues, and said her work reflects her experiences and the vision and connections she鈥檚 formed at the university.
鈥淚 thank you for bringing me peace and acknowledging me in a way that is beyond my dreams,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 awfully grateful.鈥�