At the inception of her career in 1960, Dr. Mary Roades de Meneses served numerous hospitals as an emergency room nurse, intensive care nurse, evening nurse supervisor, head nurse and medical surgical nurse until 1969. During this time, she attended to undergraduate studies at DePaul University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing in 1970, a Master of Arts in nursing in 1973 and a Master of Science in nursing in 1975. During her academic studies, Dr. de Meneses served as an instructor of medical surgical nursing at the Michael Reese Medical Center in Chicago, and shortly thereafter, joined the faculty at her alma mater as an instructor and associate professor of nursing between 1974 and 1981.
Desiring to further her career in the field of academia, Dr. de Meneses joined Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville in 1982 as an associate professor. The same year, she obtained a Doctor of Education from Northern Illinois University. Becoming a full professor at Southern Illinois University in 1989, she remained in her role until attaining emerita status in 2002. During her tenure, she also served the university as the coordinator of graduate programs, assistant project director of Project GAIN, assistant project director of nurse anesthesia, acting associate dean of academy affairs and associate dean for educational services.
Throughout her career, Dr. de Meneses excelled as a consultant for both local and regional law firms for two decades from 1982 to 2002, as well as at various Veterans Affairs hospitals and the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Washington University in St. Louis. Lending her expertise to the written word, she has flourished as an item writer for the C.V. Mosby Company since 1986, having previously been a reviewer for the Midwest Nursing Research Society and Sigma Theta Tau International. She sat on the editorial board of “Focus on Critical Care” from 1990 to 1994, and notably co-authored a book, “Nursing Process: Theory, Application, and Related Processes,” in 1986.
To remain abreast of developments in the fields of nursing and education, Dr. de Meneses has maintained affiliation with the obstetrical task force for the Southern Illinois University Medical Association. She also contributed to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses as a chapter treasurer, board director and member of several relevant committees. Demonstrating her versatility and expertise in her profession, she further served as chair of the research committee of the Mid-American Regional Nursing Diagnosis Special Interest Group.
To attest to her success, Dr. de Meneses has received grants from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Higher Education Collegiate Association and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Although her career has been filled with highlights, she is especially proud of teaching students the ins-and-outs of the nursing profession. She has two children and seven grandchildren.
