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Recipients of the Bernice Harris Nursing Scholarships are, back row from left — Jennifer Kaup, Sean Schinstock, Kelli Bartels, Melissa Carder, Dawn Bailey, Ashley Washburn, Smita Anchan and College of Nursing Dean Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc. (not a recipient), front row from left — Margaret Latka, Cassandra Lyons, Makayla Hile, Norman Harris (not a recipient) and Beverly Brezenski |
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Recipients of the Bernice and Norman Harris Graduate Student Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body Research Fellowships are, from left to right — Daniel Flaherty, Ashley Reynolds, Howard E. Gendelman, M.D., chairman of the UNMC Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience (not a recipient); Norman Harris (not a recipient), Vivek Gautam, Stephanie Kraft-Terry, Nicholas Whitney |
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Recipients of the Norman and Bernice Harris Graduate Student Cancer Research Fellowships are, back row from left — Mahak Sharma, Jennifer Bailey, Nicholas George, Professor Michael Brattain, Ph.D. (not a recipient), Heidi Johnson; front row, from left — Yuri Fukumoto, Shalini Mitra, Huimin Geng, Norman Harris (not a recipient), Amit Mittal, Alamelu Bharadwaj and Shonali Deb. |
At last year’s Bernice Harris Nursing Scholarship and Graduate Student Cancer Research luncheon, Harris expanded his support of nursing students to include that of graduate students studying cancer.
And he said he would do more.
This year Harris is extending his support even further to include an Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body Research Fellowship for graduate students who study the diseases.
In all, 35 UNMC students will receive cash awards from Harris, who established the three funds in memory of his late wife Bernice Harris, who passed away last year.
“It’s my pleasure to do this,” Harris said at an April 18 luncheon held at UNMC in his honor, in which he passed out the awards personally to each of the students.
Harris’ philanthropy started in 1999 with the graduate student cancer research award fund established with the University of Nebraska Foundation.
Both Norman and his late wife battled cancer. Bernice Harris also was afflicted with Lewy Body, a rare form of dementia. Through it all, Harris said they received excellent nursing care.
“A good nurse is worth her weight in gold,” Harris said.
Originally from Omaha, the Harrises moved to San Diego in 1965. Norman Harris earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from UNL in 1941. Until his retirement in 1973, he was a manager for a chain of retail discount stores. He then embarked on entrepreneurial adventures in real estate, franchising, accounting, tax preparation, banking and finance. His wife was an artist and decorative consultant.
“Norm Harris is a very special mentor, who is able to look to the future and see what is not there and create it,” said Howard Gendelman, M.D., chairman of the UNMC Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience. “Thank-you Norm for your recognition of UNMC as an interdisciplinary research center, your mentorship and your vision.”
The following is a listing of award recipients and their area of study.
Recipients of the Bernice Harris Nursing Scholarship
- Lisa Avery, Omaha
- Megan Huizenga, Sioux Falls, S.D.
- Amanda Ott, Colombus
- Sheila Driver, Minden
- Margaret Latka, Omaha
- Tyler Steffensmeier, Kearney
- Cassidy Anderson, Stella
- Melissa Carder, Pleasant Dale
- Jason McClaren,Alliance
- Melissa Glatter, Kearney
- Amanda Lerum, Papillion
- Sean Schinstock, Lincoln
- Kelli Bartels, South Sioux City
- Ashley Washburn,Grand Island
- Dawn Bailey, Lincoln
- MaKayla Hile, Lincoln
- Smita Anchan, Omaha
- Jennifer Kaup, Schuyler
- Cassandra Lyons, Plattsmouth
- Beverly Brezenski, North Platte
Recipients of the Norman and Bernice Harris Graduate Student Cancer Research Fellowships
- Huimin Geng
- Amit K. Mittal
- Mahak Sharma
- Yuri Fukumoto
- Nicholas George, San Diego, Calif.
- Shalini Mitra
- Shonali Deb
- Heidi Johnson, New Town, N.D.
- Alamelu Bharadwaj
- Jennifer Bailey, Omaha
Recipients of the new Bernice and Norman Harris Graduate Student Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body Research Fellowships
- Daniel Flaherty, Holdrege
- Ashley Reynolds, Spring Hope, N.C.
- Vivek Gautam, New Delhi
- Nicholas Whitney, Columbus
- Stephanie Kraft-Terry, Fest Grove, Ore.