Julian Banton and his daughters, Courtney Banton Alford and Stephanie Banton Troutman, have chosen an especially thoughtful and meaningful way to honor the memory of Donna Banton and also provide academic excellence and visionary guidance for nursing students by establishing the Donna Brown Banton Endowed Professorship in the School of Nursing.
This endowment will continue Donna's legacy through the continued training and education of nurses at the UAB School of Nursing. Specifically, this professorship will allow a qualified faculty member to serve as the facilitator of the school's new Post-Baccalaureate Residency Program, an initiative launched in May to provide a series of learning and work experiences focusing on patient care in UAB Hospital's acute-care areas.
Donna earned widespread respect for her faithful willingness to serve the communities where the family lived, first Richmond, Virginia, and later Birmingham. Before her untimely death in February 2004, she enjoyed a successful career in education and also played very active leadership roles in several women's clubs as well as Canterbury United Methodist Church.
"Courtney, Stephanie, and I consider this gift to the nursing school to be a fitting tribute to Donna," says Julian Banton. "Any family facing a life-ending illness has a special need for effective and compassionate nursing care, and we feel that the School of Nursing at UAB is in a unique position to develop greater numbers of nurses who can provide the demanding skill needed to care for acutely ill patients.
I encourage people to consider endowing a professorship. What greater gift honors a loved one? It is an incredible strategic investment, one that will have profound impact on the delivery of health care. This talented faculty will be teaching and guiding our future nurses and inspiring other faculty to even greater advancements."