Mr. Royce Freebourn Named

Clarion University–Venango Campus Distinguished Alumnus

            Royce Freebourn of Denton, Texas, has been named the 2007 Clarion University–Venango Campus Distinguished Alumnus. He will be honored on Thursday, October 4 with a full day of activities at the Venango Campus and a community-wide reception at 5 p.m. in Robert W. Rhoades Center.  Friends and fellow alumni are invited to attend the reception and may call Theresa Nestor at 676-6591, extension 1211, to make reservations.

Established in 1990, this award is presented to one Venango Campus alumnus each year by the Clarion University Alumni Association. Recipients are honored for their professional accomplishments and extraordinary service to their community and/or humanity which have brought distinction to their alma mater.

            Freebourn will also receive an award the following evening at the annual Clarion University Alumni Association banquet in Clarion, presented on behalf of the association by Dr. T. Audean Duespohl, former dean of the School of Nursing and interim executive dean of Clarion University–Venango Campus, and Dr. Christopher M. Reber, current executive dean of the campus.

            Freebourn is a 1980 graduate of the university’s nursing program and credits Dr. Duespohl for his successful beginning in the field of nursing.

“Dr. Duespohl and her staff worked very hard to make their students the best. She was always there to lend a hand to students and to offer advice. She and the nursing faculty went above and beyond to guide and mentor us so we would become professional, knowledgeable, and caring registered nurses.  My memories from Venango Campus and the friends I made there will never be forgotten.”

Freebourn is CEO of Community Management Services, LLC, which manages Community Care Centers in Fort Worth, Minneola, and Stamford, Texas. These are skilled nursing facilities with a total of 309 beds. The company also manages Provident Medical Supplies, which provides the facilities with medical supplies and Rehab Ambassadors, which provides physical, occupational, and speech therapy services.

Freebourn also owns real estate throughout Texas, including townhouses, apartment buildings, a hotel, and an office building, among others.

An Erie native, Freebourn found his calling at an early age. He was a junior fireman at age 14, an advanced first aid and CPR instructor at 15, and an Emergency Medical Technician instructor, providing emergency volunteer help out of the back of an ambulance, by the age of 16.  His strong faith led him to a career in nursing and he chose Clarion for his education.

“Clarion University’s registered nursing program was a prime way to continue helping people in the medical field,” he says, adding, “close to home and affordable!”

Freebourn was an active student while at the Venango Campus. He was elected to the Student Senate and became vice president. He also served as editor of the campus yearbook for two years, under the direction of the yearbook advisor, Dr. Duespohl.

He continued his education at Alliance College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Freebourn is a very active volunteer, serving on a number of boards, including Rotary, in which he has earned the distinction of Paul Harris Fellow. He is especially dedicated to his church, where he has served in a number of capacities.

Freebourn and his wife, Rosemarie, have four children: Justin, 20; Yvonne, 18; Anthony, 16; and Lucas, 14.

“I will never forget the Venango Campus and the friends I made there,” said Freebourn. “Many lives have been saved or improved thanks to God’s help and the wonderful education I and others received at Clarion University–Venango Campus.”

            Clarion University-Venango Campus, located in Oil City, PA, is the oldest regional campus in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.   The campus provides high-quality educational programs and personalized services to help students succeed.  Students can begin any of Clarion University’s 90+ bachelor’s degrees at the Venango Campus, earn an associate degree, a bachelor’s or master’s degree in select areas, obtain a one-year certificate or participate in a variety of professional development and personal enrichment courses.  The campus is home to Clarion University’s School of Nursing and Allied Health and its Department of Applied Technology.  Clarion University-Venango Campus is committed to serving the needs of the community.

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