The Nita Swenson Wallace Endowment in Dental Hygiene was established by philanthropic gifts received from friends and colleagues in honor of Dr. Nita Wallace and in recognition of her extraordinary work in teaching, service and research. These generous gifts provide for the greatest needs of the faculty, students, and clinicians in the Dental Hygiene Program in the School of Dentistry.
Dr. Wallace joined the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio faculty in 1979, served as Chair of the Department of Dental Hygiene from 1980-2007, became Assistant Dean for Faculty and Staff Development from 2007-2011, and was selected as Interim Dean for the School of Health Professions from 2011 until retiring in 2013. As a dental hygiene educator for many years, she strived to improve the academic environment for both faculty and students through effective teamwork, mentoring, and communication.
Dr. Wallace’s major interests were student-centered learning, competency-based clinical education, organizational communication, educational leadership, and faculty development. She was a nationally recognized consultant in the areas of competency-based clinical teaching and evaluation, student-centered learning, curriculum design, and organizational communication.
She received the University’s Presidential Teaching Excellence Award in 2004 and was awarded membership into its Academy of Master Teachers in 2008. Dr. Wallace received the title of Distinguished Teaching Professor in 2010 from The University of Texas System.
In 2014, Dr. Wallace was nominated by her peers and selected to receive the Esther Wilkins Lifetime Achievement Award. This prestigious award, which is sponsored by Colgate Oral Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is presented each year to recognize the distinguished career of a worthy individual who has consistently and effectively contributed to the enrichment of the dental hygiene profession.
Dr. Wallace credits her beloved parents, Glenn and Dorothy Swenson, for guiding her toward higher education. They instilled a love for reading and learning, provided support and encouragement, and blessed her with spiritual strength, unconditional love, patience, and friendship.
Please email or phone Alex Castañeda, Director of Development in the School of Dentistry, at 210.567-6536 for additional information.