Associate provost dies of cancer

Associate Provost and Nursing Professor Barbara Lowery died of cancer early Thursday morning. She was 64 and had been battling the disease since November of 1998.

Lowery, who became associate provost in 1995, first joined Penn's faculty in 1970 and had held an extensive array of administrative positions both within the Nursing School and on a University-wide level.

"She was what I would consider the ultimate University citizen," Provost Robert Barchi said. "In addition to being the epitome of what a good faculty member should be in terms of an educator, an accomplished academician and researcher... she was also willing to give of herself and of her time to anything the University needed to have done."

Lowery was born in Danville, Pa. and graduated magna cum laude from Villanova University. She also received a Master's of Science in Nursing from Penn and a Ph.D. in educational psychiatry from Temple University.

She is survived by Donald Lowery, her husband of 43 years, two sisters and a brother.

Lowery served as chairwoman of the Psychiatric Health Nursing Department from 1978 to 1984, director of the Center for Nursing Research from 1986 to 1994, director of the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Nurse Scholars Program from 1986 to 1991 and associate dean for research in the Nursing School from 1990 to 1993. She also served as the University's interim secretary, ombudsman and Faculty Senate chairwoman on separate occasions.

An expert in her field, Lowery was also a devoted professor and won the University's Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1979. In 1991, she was named the Independence Foundation Professor of Nursing.

"She continued to teach throughout the time that she was associate provost because she felt that it was something that she really enjoyed doing... and felt was important to do," Barchi said.

Lowery was also actively involved in research throughout her career. According to Nursing Dean Afaf Meleis, her work surrounding the stress-illness syndrome in breast cancer and heart disease patients made a significant impact on the field and "really helped develop models for intervention that are being used across the country."

Lowery's colleagues said that she will be remembered not only for her success as an outstanding scholar, but also for her sense of compassion and personal warmth.

"The loss of Barbara Lowery is both a personal and a professional one for me and for so many other people," University President Judith Rodin said in an e-mail statement. "To me, and to countless faculty, students, and staff, Barbara was a trusted advisor, friend and wonderful Penn colleague, and I will miss her dearly."

"She was sort of the wise counsel that people would seek whenever they had a dilemma, they had a crisis," said Psychosocial Nursing Professor Arlene Houldin, a close friend and former student of Lowery. "She really was, in my view and I think in many's view, sort of a cornerstone of the school, a real gem."

"I think she touched so many people not only with the depth of her knowledge and wisdom, but also her kindness," Houldin added. "She had such a generosity of spirit that I think anybody who came in contact with her just felt that she was a very special woman beyond her intellectual gifts and achievements."

Meleis agreed, noting that Lowery has had a tremendous impact on her students.

"As I go around talking with alumnae of the school who are in teaching positions... I hear about Barbara's mentorship and how much she was instrumental in their becoming well-equipped scholars," Meleis said. She added that Lowery put a special emphasis on mentoring minority students and recently co-chaired a committee to look into the status of women and gender equity on Penn's campus.

Barchi said that as the associate provost, Lowery was his "right-hand" person and "the repository of knowledge" in any situations involving faculty affairs and the student judicial system, as well as a "warm friend and a truly unique person."

"She was one of the warmest and most positive people that I've ever had the pleasure of working with," Barchi said. "She was a true friend to me, someone who I relied on very, very heavily... as a colleague who I would seek out for personal advice."

Barchi also noted that Lowery was "absolutely rigorously ethical, [with] strong convictions, but able to stick to those and act in accordance with those... in a way that was never confrontational."

"She was a person who had a real presence on campus, and her contributions are leaving their mark on every single school in this campus," Meleis said. She was a "distinguished, outstanding scholar, administrator and person who loved the University of Pennsylvania with such passion that it was demonstrated in all her actions."

According to friends, Lowery was also someone whose work and personality helped attract others to Penn.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Professor Freida Outlaw first sought out Lowery's aid while she was working on her dissertation, even though she was not a Penn student. After mentoring her through the dissertation and post-doctoral process, Lowery encouraged Outlaw to seek a job on the Penn faculty.

"All through my career Barbara has always been there to give me advice," Outlaw said. "I don't think I know anybody who could solve a problem quickly like Barbara... that was really a gift."

Outlaw, who is the faculty master of DuBois College House and a fellow at the DuBois Collective Research Institute, said Lowery also worked to expand opportunities for African-American students, especially increasing the number of African-American post-doctoral nursing students.

Meleis, who came to Penn as nursing school dean just last January, also said Lowery's scholarship and encouragement were important factors in her decision.

"It wasn't an easy decision for me... and Barbara was able to also help me see why such a move would be so advantageous to the school and she then proceeded... to facilitate my transition with her wisdom and council," Meleis said. "Everywhere in the University, once I came and I would ask a question of a dean or a vice president, they would always refer me and say, 'Talk with Barbara.'"

She was the "intelligent, strong, rational voice surrounding times of tranquility and times of turmoil," Meleis added.

Houldin said that although Lowery was diagnosed with cancer almost four years ago, she continued to work "tirelessly" in and outside the classroom, "never seeking the glory for herself, but just really taking delight in others' accomplishments and achievements."

"I don't think she missed a beat the entire four years," she said.

Barchi echoed Houldin's sentiments and stressed Lowery's resilience during her illness.

"Throughout this long battle that she has waged with cancer and throughout many courses of treatment, I think the majority of the University community did not even know that it was going on because she was right back in her office and right back at her desk... literally the next day, acting as if nothing had happened," Barchi said. He added that because of this, the University community "never really appreciated the extent to which she was forced to deal with this problem and the kinds of stresses that she was going through."

Barchi said the Nursing School plans to organize a memorial service for Lowery on behalf of the University, but details have not yet been determined. An anonymous donor has also established a Barbara J. Lowery Scholarship Fund in her honor.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.