Mega Doctor News
By Amanda Sotelo
Annette Wingard, DNP, made it her life’s mission to serve others through health care and teaching, most recently serving as the South Texas College Registered Nursing to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-BSN) program chair.
Although cancer cut her distinguished decades-long career short, her legacy lives on at STC through a scholarship created by Wingard and her husband Michael to continue helping students in her name.
“Dr. Wingard was a positive force for our students and our team. Her loss is felt greatly,” said STC Dean of Nursing and Allied Health Margo Vargas-Ayala, DNP. “As colleagues and friends, we’ve shared major milestones. She was the calm in our group, teaching us how to be a voice of reason. We bonded over our shared purpose – our students. Students always came above everything else for Annette. She was always working to ensure everything we did helped our students make their dreams come true.”
Bianca Guzman is one of those students whose dreams will become a reality thanks to Wingard and the scholarship established in her name.
As the first recipient of the Dr. Annette Wingard Memorial Scholarship, Guzman received $6,000 to help her complete her bachelor’s degree in Nursing at STC.
“I’m very grateful to be the first recipient of this scholarship, and in true Dr. Wingard fashion, she thought about us and made sure her students were taken care of,” said Guzman. “I only had Dr. Wingard for one class and I was really hoping we could meet again because she was always full of compassion and had a desire to change the world through nursing…and she did that through us. She encouraged us constantly, shared her wisdom and lifted us up. She wanted us to always strive to meet our full potential and I promise I will continue my work in her honor.”
The 27-year-old, who will be giving birth to her first child in November, currently works at Driscoll Children’s Hospital in Edinburg as a registered nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and plans to graduate with her bachelor’s degree in December.
She added that the money is going to help her, and many students after her, pay for tuition, books and other expenses that incur from pursuing a degree in nursing.
“Getting a degree in nursing is not easy and this will alleviate financial burdens for many. Dr. Wingard is removing barriers,” she said. “Though she is not with us, her spirit, her love for the profession and her impact lives on. This scholarship will help many for generations to come.”
To be eligible for the scholarship, a student must have completed two semesters as a full-time student in the BSN program, hold a 3.5 GPA and be working full time.
One registered nursing student like Guzman, will be hand-selected annually by a scholarship committee which includes Wingard’s husband, to ensure that her legacy lives on for years to come.
Wingard’s colleagues said it was a privilege and honor working with her over the years and that it is her warmth, generosity and unwavering dedication that has left a lasting impression on everyone she met.
Daniel Suarez, a secretary at STC’s Nursing and Allied Health campus, said he remembers her from junior high school and even then, he remembers she had a positive outlook on life and a genuine love for helping others.
“Her passing saddens me deeply. She was a wonderful leader,” he said. “She was a great inspiration to all of us in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. She truly cared for her students and colleagues. She will be greatly missed. My thoughts are with her family and our nursing and allied health family as we navigate this difficult time together.”
Not only was Wingard a beloved department chair, but she was also an STC alumna and in a keynote address nearly two years ago, she said when she was a little girl, she wanted to grow up to be like her aunt Becky.
“My aunt Becky was the smartest person I knew. She was so caring and loving…everyone admired her, she was so smart and always had all the answers…she was a registered nurse,” Wingard told students during her address. “I wanted to be smart, loving, caring and admired by everyone, just like my aunt Becky.”
Despite some roadblocks becoming a nurse and a stint as a high school English teacher, STC helped turn Wingard’s dream into reality. She was able to finally become a registered nurse, and many can agree, she did follow in her Aunt Becky’s footsteps…smart, loving, caring and admired by everyone.
“Annette was more than a colleague. She was a true friend to many of us who had the privilege of knowing and working with her. She inspired many, and she will be deeply missed and fondly remembered,” said Vargas-Ayala.
Anyone wishing to honor Dr. Wingard’s memory, can make a donation to the Dr. Annette Wingard Memorial Scholarship by visiting the Annette Wingard Memorial Scholarship donation site.
Information source: STC
