OUR VALUES

Tasha Allen

Tasha Allen, Public Service Officer for the Police Department, works in Lot 19 south of the MET. Working alone, it would be easy for her to do the minimum required for her position. Yet she consistently demonstrates integrity and serving others first in her isolated post even when “no one” is looking.

Allen’s nominator has a view of Lot 19 from her EAD sixth-floor window, and she sees Allen diligently walking her lot regularly, helping guests and answering questions. Allen is attentive to all who enter the lot, and is unfailingly friendly when asked questions.

“Because she works alone, no one is there to see her working hard,” her nominator wrote. “That’s why I want to attest to the fact that she works with integrity every single day.”

Nominated by Elizabeth Heyerdahl

Toni Kilpatrick and Michael Jann

Toni Kilpatrick, Director of Admissions for the UNT System College of Pharmacy, learned that a student recently accepted to our pharmacy school had been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Kilpatrick decided to visit the student in the hospital, and Michael Jann, Chairman and Professor of Pharmacotherapy, accompanied her.

The two performed an informal White Coat ceremony for the student, Joseph Lee, presenting him with his white coat that symbolizes the start of his pharmacy career and his commitment to the profession’s principles. According to a Medical City Plano (MCP) newsletter, all who attended the impromptu ceremony “were warmed by Joseph’s big smile and excitement at having achieved such an important professional milestone.”

Unfortunately, Joseph Lee passed away a few days later. He was buried with his white coat.

Chad Friece, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy Services for MCP, sent a letter expressing his condolences and stating that Kilpatrick and Jann “are class acts for going above and beyond to provide our patient with dignity and respect.”

Friece continued, “It’s easy to get caught up in the numbers, metrics and goals of our profession, but what you did reminded me of why we are in the business of taking care of people and what it means to truly treat the person and not the condition.” He noted that he looks forward to future collaborations with our System College of Pharmacy.

Kilpatrick and Jann are known as exemplary members of the College of Pharmacy who demonstrate heartfelt care for faculty as well as students, and this is just one more example of their compassion.
Nominated by Annesha White and Jennifer Fix

David Mason

Since he arrived six years ago as Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Chair, Dr. Mason has never hesitated to serve others first by assuming additional roles when needed. Among those roles at various times and despite the workload, Mason maintains an open-door policy, makes sure to communicate proactively with his team about significant changes to allay fears, combat rumors and build trust, and, is the first to jump in when there is a charity event, a fitness program or fun contest

He shows continual respect to everyone around him, even “people who seem to have no respect for themselves or others,” his nominator wrote. And he is known for recruiting talented people of similar outstanding character to join UNTHSC.
Nominated by Toni Allen

Christina Robinson

After a long morning vaccinating children through our Pediatric Mobile Clinic program, Dr. Christina Robinson, Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, returned to the PCC at 1:30 p.m. to find a senior patient who had been waiting since 12:25 p.m. for transportation back to her assisted living home. The woman was deaf and desperately trying to communicate with someone who could help.

Without hesitation, Dr. Robinson stepped in, determined the problem and called the transportation service for an immediate pickup. Although the transportation did not arrive until 3:30 p.m., Dr. Robinson didn’t leave the woman’s side and missed her own lunch. Dr. Robinson has a reputation for living all our values and is an outstanding role model for all health care providers.

Her nominator wrote that Dr. Robinson “is a great example of the health care provider I want to be in the near future.”
Nominated by Cesar Astudillo

Rosalba Ruiz

Student Rosalba “Rosi” Ruiz was about to start her second semester at our Physical Therapy school when she learned that her parents and a brother had been killed in a car accident. Ruiz and her remaining brother were suddenly orphans.

Despite her grief from this tragedy, Ruiz only missed one week of school. She fought bravely to maintain her grades and actively volunteered while grieving and sorting out legal issues related to the deaths.

Just this semester, she participated in a Trinity Habitat for Humanity project, volunteered for a special prom conducted for individuals with physical and mental disabilities, agreed at the last minute to speak on “What PT Is” for the Young Men’s Leadership Academy and helped assist injured runners to the medical tent at the Cowtown Marathon.

She is considered a hero to her classmates, setting the bar high for her peers and exemplifying what it means to be a UNTHSC student.

Nominated by Erin Bolinger and Drue Baker