Chad Hollis-Chan, RN, MSN, CNP, a 2006 at Ashtabula Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (ADN) graduate, is the 2021 Roger T. Beitler Distinguished Former Student Award recipient. Hollis-Chan is currently a nurse practitioner in the internal medicine department at Cleveland Clinic.
Hollis-Chan, a Jefferson native, was presented his award recently by Ashtabula Dean and Chief Administrative Officer Susan J. Stocker, Ph.D., and Julie Senita, Ph.D., Senior Program Director for Nursing and Allied Health.
““I’m so proud of Chad. He’s really grown as a person and a nurse,” said Stocker. “It was very clear when we presented the award to him on the unit he works on at Cleveland Clinic, that he is respected by the physicians for his knowledge and skills and also admired by his co-workers as a caring nurse and colleague.”
After admittedly struggling with his studies at first, Hollis-Chan became a dedicated student who ultimately went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Cleveland State University in 2009 before returning to the system to earn his master’s degree in 2012.
“I had a rocky start, but I knew if I was going to make something of myself, I needed to make some changes,” he said. “It took a lot of work, but once I was on that path to becoming a nurse, the rest was easy.”
“Even though, throughout my college experiences, the nursing classes at Ashtabula were by far the toughest,” he joked. “They provided a great foundation to build my career upon.”
Hollis-Chan began his professional career as a staff nurse right after graduating from Ashtabula and has been at Cleveland Clinic since 2006. He first started in vascular surgery before moving to internal medicine in 2016. When he went to graduate school after graduating with honors from CSU, Hollis-Chan began working as a clinical instructor for the Ashtabula ADN program, calling it “an amazing experience to be able to work with students back where it all started for me.” He also served as a part-time instructor for the CSU School of Nursing.
In 2012, Hollis-Chan received the Clinical Excellence in Vascular Nursing Award from the Society of Vascular Nursing for his exceptional clinical skills and direct patient care delivery.
Hollis-Chan lives in Cleveland with his husband and daughter.
The Award
The Roger T. Beitler Distinguished Former Student Award is named for Roger T. Beitler, the first director of the Ashtabula Academic Center from 1958-1963, who laid the firm foundation upon which the at Ashtabula Campus has continued to build. To honor his memory and dedication to faculty and students, the Ashtabula Campus Faculty Council established the Roger T. Beitler Distinguished Former Student Award. It has been given annually since 1980 to former students who have made notable contributions in their respective vocations.
All-Time Roger T. Beitler Award Recipients:
1980 John J. Cogan, Ph.D.
1981 Charles E. Pirtle, Ph.D.
1982 Timothy A. Lockwood
1983 Cynthia J. Weiss, Ph.D.
1984 Richard G. Orlando, M.D.
1985 Barbara A. West
1986 Susan M. Doll
1987 Ross Boggs, Jr.
1988 Joseph Moroski
1989 Karen Dean, Ph.D.
1990 Charlea Jackson Harbert
1991 Joseph P. Vincenzo, Ph.D.
1992 Dick Houston
1993 Susan D. Gilster
1994 Robert T. White, Ph.D.
1995 Thomas V. Petros, Ph.D.
1996 Susan L. Taft-Englehart
1997 Estella M. Hyde
1998 Pamela A. Boss, Ph.D.
1999 Susan J. Stocker, Ph.D.
2000 John R. Patterson, Jr. Ph.D.
2001 Ernest M. DeZolt, Ph.D.
2002 Emily R. Fisher
2003 Brian D. Tucker
2004 C. Rick Ellis, Ed.D.
2005 Martin R. Cole
2006 Diana L. Randolph
2007 Bret J. Cimorell
2008 Richard L. Garcia
2009 Patricia (Pat) Inman
2010 Christopher C. Avery, Ph.D.
2011 Joseph D. Puthoff
2012 Deborah A. Newcomb
2013 Marlene Monroe Sartini, R.N.
2014 Roger A. Corlett, CPA
2015 Stephen E. Varckette
2016 Patrick E. Colucci, Sr.
2017 Pamela Hetrick, MSN, CNM
2018 Matthew Butler, BA, MSSA
2019 Camille A. Zalar, MHA, BSN, RN, CARN
2020 Not presented (COVID-19 pandemic)
2021 Chad Hollis-Chan, RN, MSN, CNP
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