U-T Professor Wins Volunteer Award

TYLER — An assistant professor of nursing at The University of Texas at Tyler, is a recipient of the 2012 President’s Volunteer Service Award. Dr. Melinda Hermanns, a previous recipient, was recognized this year for 172 voluntary service hours on behalf of Parkinson’s disease advocacy, research and education.

Serving UT Tyler since 1998, Hermanns is the vice president for the East Texas Chapter of the American Parkinson’s Disease Association and has been since its inception in 2006. She assists with fundraising activities to raise money for taxi vouchers as well as medication and dental assistance for East Texans with Parkinson’s disease. Hermanns, a UT Tyler alumna, also founded the Early Onset Parkinson’s Disease Care Partner support group in Tyler.