Join us for the 2026 Homecoming Celebration

The MCAA Annual Meeting and Homecoming Celebration is set for
Saturday, November 7, 2026

Brookside Golf and Country Club
2770 West Granville Road, Columbus, Ohio 43235

Noon to 1 p.m. – Cocktail hour, cash bar, class photos
1 – 4 p.m. – Luncheon and program, silent auction and raffles

Springhill Suites by Marriott offers a special room rate for Homecoming attendees. Book your hotel room by Friday, October 9, to receive the special rate.

MCAA members and guests can register for the event online, or by using the form on page 11 of the summer LAMP and mailing a check and the completed form to Pat Steele Skunda, MCCA President, 5168 Price Farms Way, Delaware, OH 43015. Registrations must be received by Monday, October 28, 2026.

Special message from Tauana McDonald, FACHE, President and CEO, Mount Carmel Health System:

Dear Alumni,

I am pleased to share that Dr. Joyce Zurmehly, PhD, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, ANEF, FAAN, has agreed to serve as Interim President of the Mount Carmel College of Nursing (MCCN).

Dr. Zurmehly is a distinguished leader with extensive experience in nursing education, academic leadership, and clinical practice. She previously spent 11 years at The Ohio State University, where she played a key role in developing and leading the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Her academic career has also included faculty positions at Ohio University, Wright State University, and Wittenberg University.

I am confident that Dr. Zurmehly will provide strong leadership and continuity as we begin the process of identifying the college's next president. During this time, our focus remains on educating and preparing the next generation of nursing and healthcare professionals while continuing to support our students, faculty and staff.

Thank you for your continued dedication to MCCN, our Mission, and our students.

Fresh Fall Flavors, Healthy Choices: Recipes from the von Zychlin Healthy Living Center

As cooler weather arrives and football season kicks into full swing, tailgate parties and autumn gatherings become a beloved tradition. They’re also great opportunities to make choices that nourish your body and bring people together in meaningful ways.

To help make your fall tailgates and get togethers both wholesome and delicious, Aimee Shea, MPH, RDN, CCMS, LD, nutrition specialist with the von Zychlin Healthy Living Center, has curated a selection of seasonal, better-for-you recipes. Each dish brings big flavor, simple preparation, and nutritious ingredients that fit right into any autumn celebration:

• Black Bean Burgers
• Chickpea Salad Wraps
• Bursting Tomato Flatbread with Spinach and Mozzarella
• Apple and Avocado Salsa

This fall, we invite you to savor the season, enjoy time with friends and family, and make choices that support lifelong health in ways that are both wholesome and fun.

Meet Mary Waterfield ’66, RN

Professional highlights: I was a labor and delivery nurse, then a labor and delivery instructor at Mount Carmel School of Nursing. Later, I worked as a bodily injury claims representative for Nationwide Insurance.

Original and Current hometown: Upper Arlington, Ohio

When did you first feel the call to be a nurse? As a teenager, I volunteered on Saturdays with the Dominican Sisters of the Sick and Poor. They served as community health nurses, providing nursing care for people in their own homes. The teenage volunteers went with the Sisters to do light household chores and bathe patients who were mostly older individuals. We were very much appreciated and I liked that feeling

What is your favorite memory of Mount Carmel? The best thing Mount Carmel ever did for me was bring me my husband. On a blind date, orchestrated by orthopedics instructor Mrs. Elaine Waterfield, I met my future husband, Ted. He proposed to me that night. After a year-long engagement, we were married for 52 years.

How has your Mount Carmel network helped you in your life, personally, professionally, or both? I have a long history with Mount Carmel. I was born there. My grandparents, my parents, and my brother died there. I went to school and worked at Mount Carmel. My babies were born there, too. One of my daughters, who is now a family practice physician, was even named after an instructor. Dr. Catherine Waterfield was named after Miss Catherine Fitzpatric, a longtime instructor at the Mount. Many of my classmates have remained lifelong friends.