Name: Thomas J. Bubar
Grad Year: 1975
Program: AAS Nursing

Veteran of the Month and Outstanding Alumnus, year after year!

In July  2021, Congressman Chris Jacobs named Thomas Bubar Veteran of the Month.

“Tom served our nation honorably in the Vietnam War and provided preventative medical care to his fellow service members, for which he earned numerous medals,” Jacobs said.

In November, Tom was also presented with the Vietnam War Veteran Pin by Congressman Brian Higgins.  Following his military service, Tom came back to Western New York to serve our community, and would later go on to teach Nursing and Medical Assisting to the next generation.

After completing a degree in Sociology at Millard Fillmore College (now SUNY Buffalo), Tom came to Trocaire for his Nursing degree, and a few years later, received his Master’s Degree in Nursing from UB.

Thanks to his dedication as a revered Nursing and Medical Assisting Instructor, hundreds of students have followed in his path.

“Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher. I enlisted in the Army in 1970. After basic training and medical training, and after serving stateside for nine months, I was sent to Vietnam. While in the Army, I was introduced to the medical field. I served as a preventative medicine technician where I sprayed for mosquitos in Vietnam, tested water quality, and inspected the sanitary conditions of our care center. I also helped my fellow servicemen by performing preventative medical procedures.”

Bubar is grateful that Trocaire opened up doors for him.  In a recent interview, Tom shared his heartfelt gratitude:  “ Trocaire opened doors for me; it represents hope and faith to me. They were very helpful with Veterans’ benefits and I remember having really great instructors. Back in 1975 there was even a basketball team! I played guard and we came in 4^th place in the Medaille Centennial.”

But Tom’s devotion to his alma mater did not stop on the basketball court.  A former member of the Alumni Council and loyal donor for over 40 years, Tom is also a member of the Sr. Barbara Ciarico Legacy Society.  He has generously arranged to support scholarship funds for male Nursing and Medical Assisting students through his estate plans.

“After Vietnam, I decided to pursue the medical field because I knew I would always have a job and I enjoyed helping people.If it hadn’t been for Trocaire, I wouldn’t be where I am today.  I’ve put three children through college and they are all contributing to society as a teacher, a product manager and a CPA because I was able to provide them with an education. 

Tom may have been recognized as Veteran of the Month, but at Trocaire, we consider him an outstanding alumnus, year after year!  Congratulations, Tom!

The post February Alumni Spotlight: Thomas J. Bubar ’75 appeared first on About.

Maria Bohorquez, MPH, BSN, RN was named director of the Practical Nursing and Bachelor of Nursing programs. Jacob Fisher ‘14, MS, RN was named director of the AAS Nursing (RN) program. In these roles, the pair will oversee the day-to-day operations of their respective programs and develop strategic initiatives to help students achieve end-of-program outcomes such as graduation rates, licensure pass rates and job placement rates.

Maria Bohorquez

Bohorquez has more than 15 years in the healthcare field, including eight in the Canadian Armed Forces as a platoon commander, medical liaison nurse and nursing training officer. She has also been the director of care at two long-term care facilities in London, Ontario and the director of clinical health services for the Halton Region Health Department, where she oversaw public health initiatives. Most recently, she held a public health consulting role for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bohorquez, who is Spanish/English bilingual, also has five years of experience instructing an RN-NCLEX prep course. She has a Masters of Public Health from Western University.

Jacob Fisher

Fisher has been a presence at Trocaire for years, first as an AAS student himself, graduating in 2014, then as a mentor, tutor, lab instructor and full-time assistant professor. He also worked for several years as a hospital aide and then registered nurse within the Wyoming County Community Health System.

Fisher obtained his Masters of Science of Nursing Education from Daemen College in 2017 and is currently pursuing a doctorate in the same field.

“We are delighted that our new Nursing program director positions have brought us great talent from both within and beyond Trocaire,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Allyson M. Lowe. “Jacob brings deep institutional knowledge as a faculty member and Trocaire pride as an alumnus of the program, while Maria offers both Trocaire and the greater Western New York nursing community her experience with military service, nursing leadership and expertise in public health. Both directors will benefit our students as models of lifelong learning in the profession.”

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“Forget about the stigma. The pay is great, the opportunities are endless and you end up going home every day knowing that you did something very positive for someone else.” — Jorge Gitler, 50, oncology nurse manager; former business owner ()

Trocaire offers a number of healthcare pathways for men including LPN, RN, and BS, Nursing program offerings. The college is also focused on supporting students and helping them understand the challenges of the industry. That’s why Trocaire recently hosted a “Men in Nursing Mentoring” event to discuss men in the nursing field. Leading the event were two guest speakers, Steve Marks, MS, RN, Vice President of Clinical Education & Professional Development for Catholic Health System, and Jon Delay, BSN, RN, a Nurse Manager of a Medical Surgical Unit at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo.

The two shared insight and their personal experiences in the field, helping Trocaire students get a glimpse into what their career paths can look like.

Speaker Bios

Steve Marks, MS, RN, is the Vice President of Clinical Education & Professional Development for Catholic Health System. With 30 years of clinical and administrative experience, Steve’s career path has included roles in critical care nursing, nursing and clinical recruitment, emergency medical services, and staff training/education. At Catholic Health, he is responsible for all aspects of clinical training and professional development to help clinicians maintain and enhance their skill set.

Steve is completing a Doctorate of Philosophy in Education, specializing in Educational Technology from Walden University in Minneapolis. He received his Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Science degrees in Psychology from California State University, San Bernardino. He also holds additional undergraduate degrees in Nursing from Loma Linda University and Emergency Medical Services from Crafton Hills College.

Steve came to Catholic Health from Mount Carmel Health System, a multi-hospital system located in Columbus, Ohio. He served as Regional Director of the System’s Center for Innovative Learning, a clinical skills and simulation center he developed in 2012. His responsibilities included simulation-based learning, education and training development, and continuing medical education.

Steve has published and presented nationally on different topics related to simulation-based learning, career progression, and interview preparation.

Jon Delay, BSN, RN, is a Nurse Manager of a Medical Surgical Unit at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo. Jon graduated with his Associates Degree in nursing from Ģ����ý in 2009. After graduation he accepted his first nursing job on a Surgical Oncology unit at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester N.Y. where he performed the role of a bedside RN for 5 years. In 2014 Jon then stepped into the role of an Assistant Nurse Manager and one year later accepted the position of Nurse Manager on that same unit. In 2016 Jon achieved his BSN from the University of Rochester and then returned home to Buffalo to be closer to family. Currently Jon is considering returning to school to achieve his Master’s Degree in Nursing Leadership.

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