Thank You, Bella

Abstract

Dear Editors,Our profession has lost another great leader and educator. Although Dr Bella May passed away last March, her influence lives on through the numerous contributions she made to our profession over the past 50 years. Bella devoted her entire academic career to the program she founded at the Medical College of Georgia (now Augusta University). The mere fact that she had the vision and courage to develop a nontraditional physical therapy program without the benefit of prior academic experience was a feat in itself, and one that could not be replicated in today's academic environment. Throughout her career, Bella received numerous awards and accolades, published oft-cited articles and books, and inspired hundreds of PTs and PTAs whom she helped educate. Bella wore her passion (and opinions) on her sleeve and never missed an opportunity to share her point of view, particularly when it might influence the future of physical therapy education. Yet beneath that determined, stalwart exterior was the Bella May I was fortunate to know on a personal level-a kind, intelligent woman, and trusted mentor who shared her heart and wisdom with those she cared about. Thank you, Bella, for caring about us and our profession.My fondest memories of Bella are not related to her noteworthy achievements, but rather to the daily interactions I had as a PT student. She was the teacher who showed us the real meaning of excellence. When I enrolled in MCG's physical therapy program in 1974, I was assigned to Bella as my academic advisor. Little did I know what a lasting and meaningful relationship would result from that random assignment. Bella immediately commanded the attention and respect of her new students as she explained the merits and expectations of a competency-based curriculum with its 80% level. Because most of us would fail to meet that level at some point along the way, our class cleverly decided to form the Mu Society as a mark of distinction for those of us who had fallen below mastery but managed to survive academically. We even had t-shirts made and wore them to class. Although it took Bella a while to realize the significance of the Beta Mu Society, once she did, she made sure we knew that this was not an honor we should be too proud of! So, we stopped wearing the shirts. Nevertheless, Bella also knew how much learning could result from failure and recognized the value of second chances. Thanks for seeing that potential in us, Bella.I also recall how extremely frugal Bella was, particularly with departmental resources. The one exception was the air conditioning system which maintained our classrooms in a constantly frigid state. Bella kept the thermostat to the building's AC under lock and key so she alone could control it, or so she thought. Being the good problem-solvers she had taught us to be, we eventually figured out how to access the thermostat without a key, a secret we never revealed to her. …