Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 21, 1991                   TAG: 9102210407
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

VA NURSING DIRECTOR OUTLINES CHALLENGES

Vernice Ferguson, the department's director of nursing service, addressed VA employees and students at the Salem VA Medical Center.

"The black experience in America needs to be reckoned with," said Ferguson, who heads the nation's largest nursing service, which has more than 63,000 personnel.

Ferguson, who began her career when hospital facilities were segregated, has received several nursing honors and six honorary doctorates.

She is a faculty associate at the University of Maryland and an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.

She encourages people to make a difference in their careers. "Go forth and do good on behalf of people who need to be served," Ferguson said.

The 1991 theme for Black History Month is "Educating America." The Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee kicked off a fund drive to award $1,000 scholarships to children of Salem VA employees.

Committee members said they hope Ferguson's success inspires more minority youth to attend college.

"She is unlimited," said Barbara Brody, chairwoman of the committee. "I hope they recognize that they are, too."