College President Recognized for Years of Service

Dr. Aubray Orduña, Interim President and Dean of Nursing at Clarkson College, was named the 2020 President’s Award for Accomplishment recipient by the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (IMA) of Metropolitan Omaha in recognition of her years of service in the Omaha community.

Dr. Orduña received the prestigious award during the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Service and Luncheon on Jan. 20, an event that honors the work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as well as community members. Her recognition is a testament to her lifelong commitment to serving others in need, both as a dedicated nursing professional at Nebraska Medicine and a passionate educator at Clarkson College.

Dr. Orduña has been a member of the Omaha community since the 1950s when her family moved to Nebraska from Arkansas to escape the segregation of the south. She attended Omaha Central High School before enrolling in Murray State University in Kentucky and earning her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.

She returned to Omaha in 1975 and began her career at Nebraska Medicine when she accepted a position as a nurse in the float pool at Clarkson Hospital and later became an assistant head nurse. It was in 1978 that she recognized her passion for teaching and began her career at Clarkson College as a part-time faculty member.

After she earned her Master’s degree from Creighton University, Dr. Orduña continued her work at the hospital as she transitioned to become a clinical nurse specialist. She helped the hospital develop their patient-focused care model and critical pathways to supplement patients’ care plans and reduce their length of stay. She further led these developments as the Director of Outcomes. In 1999, Dr. Orduna moved full-time to Clarkson College as the Director of Diversity Services where she was instrumental in implementing the Gateway to Success Minority Nursing Scholarship to help minority students pursue their nursing education.

Committed to caring for others and helping nurses succeed, Dr. Orduña has served as the president of the Omaha Black Nurses Association since 2005 and earned the Nebraska Nurses Association Positive Image in Nursing Award. She is the recipient of the Clarkson College Caring Kind Award and the Kidney Foundation of Nebraska Volunteer of the Year Award and in 2016 was inducted into the Central High School Hall of Fame.

IMA chose to honor Dr. Orduña because her work embodies the spirit and goals of the organization. Created in 1957, IMA began as a group of Baptist, African Methodist Episcopal and United Methodist preachers who came together to address the spiritual, cultural, health, educational and economic goals of the Omaha community. The group’s membership now represents a wide range of evangelical Christian churches who engage in utility assistance, education, health services and scholarship opportunities for Omaha community members.

College President Recognized for Years of Service

Categories