Dr. Freida Pemberton, Professor in the Barbara H. Hagan School of Nursing and Health Sciences, was recently honored by the Women’s Industrial Service League (WISL) at their annual Scholarship and Awards Luncheon on June 1. Dr. Pemberton was presented with the Eleanor Beatrice Hull Award for her commitment to community service and her dedication to shaping future nursing professionals.
Dr. Pemberton’s contributions to Molloy during her 31-year tenure are immeasurable. She served as Associate Dean for Graduate Nursing, developed the Nursing Informatics component of the Nursing Administration program and is currently working on a new informatics program. As a board-certified informatics nurse for 21 years, her expertise led to a forthcoming book she has authored on informatics.
Dr. Pemberton’s dedication to her academic discipline transcends academia. She actively contributes to the nursing community, advancing healthcare and education driven by personal experiences with discrimination and healthcare disparities. She has organized educational visits to diverse healthcare settings such as correctional facilities and military bases, coordinated global courses in West Africa and even established a chapter of the American Cancer Society to address disparities in cancer care, inspired by a patient encounter during a home care visit.
The WISL was set up in 1937 for newly arrived African American women migrating to the New York region from the southern United States. Its mission was to advocate for fair employment while also providing a sense of community and a support network. Today, their mission has expanded and is devoted to serving Far Rockaway and the Five Towns communities by participating in various community initiatives, providing scholarships and a place to understand and evaluate all the options that life offers young women.
The values of the WISL certainly align with Dr. Pemberton’s fervent belief that there is transformative potential in knowledge and compassion in shaping a better world.
