Kay Walters
Second Chances for Single Mothers
Who is Kay Walters?
Kay Walters learned the importance of nursing from the ground up becoming a registered nurse. She worked in the labor and delivery unit at a community hospital, was promoted to Nursing Supervisor, then Nurse Administrator. Ultimately, Kay became Executive Deputy Director of an entire hospital.
As a Deputy Executive director for a large Health Care System, Kay had a record of leading complex organizations, and collaborative teams in health care delivery, education, and research.
Kay taught nursing at the community college where she received her degree, and today, supports nurses of tomorrow through The Second Chance Scholarship Fund.
Professional Career and Education
- Director of Student Health Services at St. John’s University, New York.
- Former Deputy Executive Directive at NYS Office of Mental Health
- Earned a Professional Nursing/Registered Nursing Degree from the College of Staten Island of the City University of New York
- Earned a B.S. in Psychology/Women’s Studies Degree from Richmond College
- Earned a Master of Science Degree from St. John’s University
Boards
Kay sits on the Board of Orlando Lutheran Towers. Kay sat on the Board of Directors of Valencia College for more than a decade and was largely responsible for the financial growth of the college due to her expertise in financial investments.
Kay sat on the board of Lakeside Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. She is a past member of the International Society for Quality Assurance in Health Care and The Netherlands European Union Organization for Quality, Brussels Belgium.
Kay is a national and internationally recognized executive and nurse leader. She appears in the Who’s Who in American Nursing, and the Who’s Who International, and Who’s Who Worldwide.
Kay put her words into incredible acts of kindness by giving single mothers and battered women a second chance to pursue a college education in nursing. The Second Chance foundation was established to provide nursing scholarships, and support for single mothers and battered women.
The Second Chance Scholarship Foundation gives women and their children the path towards financial independence, stable lives with development that will lift them from poverty.
Kay Walters: Mother, Nurse, Director, Mentor
Kay and her husband Jim were young parents of two girls, Mary and Melissa in New York. Like most women of the times, Kay stayed home while Jim worked.
Kay always had a hunger for education and knowledge, but because of challenging family circumstances, had to leave high school and help care for her brothers and sister, and psychiatrically ill mother.
Kay used to take her two small children to the public library and would take out books on Greek mythology, psychology, and a wide range of subjects that stimulated her interests.
One day the librarian asked her what courses she was taking in college. She explained she was not attending college and never graduated from high school. The librarian told her about a GED program and that she could take a course to prepare for the exam at the local high school in the evenings.
Kay went in the evenings to study for the GED, passed the exam, and was awarded a GED diploma. Kay received a high score and the principal of the high school met with her and asked if she was interested in earning a college degree.
“I always wanted to be a nurse,” she said. “He said I should go to the community college which offered a nursing degree. I made an appointment to speak with the Dean of Nursing.
“I remembered being so nervous I could hardly speak and thinking ‘who did I think I was trying to get into a nursing degree program?’ There were many prerequisites: math, science, foreign languages, none of which I had taken in the past.”
Open enrollment did not exist in colleges at that time. The Director of the Nursing Department was very kind and spoke with Kay for some time. Finally, she said “I don’t want you to lower your standards; I only ask that you give me a chance.”
Kay was given that chance and was accepted into the nursing program. The rest, as they say is history, or “herstory.”
Kay was awarded a $200 scholarship. It may seem small according to today’s standards, but it was all she needed to get started. One step at a time and one degree at a time.
When Kay entered college, she said she felt as if it was the beginning or dance with her true destiny. Once she started college, she could not stop.
Kay earned an Associate’s Degree in Nursing, then become a Registered Nurse. She continued with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and then earned a Masters of Science in Education from St. John’s University.
Professional Career
Kay’s professional nursing career started in the Labor and Delivery Unit in a community hospital. She was promoted into Nursing Supervisor and then Nurse Administrator. She taught Nursing at the Community College where she received a Nursing Degree. She taught every aspect of Nursing Science.
For 15 years before she retired, Kay was the Director of Nursing and was promoted to Executive Deputy Director, and was part of the leadership cabinet of a large New York State facility.
Kay was offered the position of Executive Director of a hospital with a fabulous, interesting, and fulfilling career in Nursing, Hospital Administration, and Academia.
Kay reached the height of the salary pay scale and traveled all over the country and the world, presenting state of the Art in Nursing Practice and Research papers.