Nearly a half-century ago, Kathryn Beasley (B.S. ’78) graduated from The University of Tulsa with a degree in nursing, which today is the university’s largest academic program. In the intervening years, Beasley’s conviction that her UTulsa education laid the firm foundation for her fascinating and meaningful career with the U.S. Navy has grown ever stronger.
“My professors and the School of Nursing gave me everything,” said Beasley, who retired from the Navy in 2009 after serving 30 years and having risen to the rank of captain. “As a person, as a healthcare professional, as a naval officer, the roots of my success can be traced back to UTulsa.”
Anchors aweigh!
Growing up in St. Louis, Beasley assumed she would attend the University of Missouri. “But after meeting with UTulsa representatives and visiting the beautiful campus, I didn’t hesitate to change my plans,” she recalled. In fact, Beasley’s decision rippled through her family, with two sisters and a brother eventually becoming Golden Hurricane alumni.
“From clinical skills and knowledge to the confidence to pursue new initiatives, I acquired all the essential ingredients during my studies at UTulsa,” said Beasley. By her junior year, she had gravitated toward critical care nursing, a field that remained central to her career. She also highlights Juanita Wilson’s classes on psychological health: “Professor Wilson’s lessons served me particularly well. Beyond key principles, I absorbed the vital importance of always being present with a patient in their time of need.” An added bonus was “all the wonderful women I met as a member of Delta Gamma! Everyone in all the sororities knew and supported each other. We all banded together, and I’m still connected to several of my Delta Gamma sisters.”
Following graduation, Beasley worked for a few months in the coronary care unit at St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa. Given that Delta Gamma’s symbol is an anchor, perhaps it was somewhat inevitable that, in early 1979, she was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy.
“Joining the Navy enabled me to unite my nursing expertise with a deep sense that serving in our country’s military is a unique calling to which I felt compelled to respond,” said Beasley. “If not me, then who?” The decision, she laughs, also gave her an opportunity to engage in a little light-hearted rivalry with her father, a U.S. Army veteran.
Beasley was stationed at the naval hospital in San Diego. There, her early mentors were Vietnam War veterans. “I owe a profound debt of gratitude to that generation of fearless medical professionals,” she noted. “Under their mentorship, I was in a constant state of learning. In particular, I came to understand that an effective medical system, much like the military, is one that’s always ready to act without delay.”
Supported by the Navy, formal learning was a mainstay of her career. For two years in the 1990s, her official duty was to be a student at Boston College, where she completed a master’s of science in nursing and master’s of business administration.
Leading together
Beasley held an array of staff and senior leadership positions at military treatment facilities in the United States and overseas. Her clinical specialties were in surgical intensive care, surgical services and ambulatory care. A partial list of Beasley’s leadership assignments includes chief of staff of Naval Healthcare New England, director of planning and operational support for the Navy Surgeon General and deputy commander and director of healthcare operations at the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) in Bethesda (now the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center).
Beasley’s time at the NNMC coincided with the invasion of Iraq by U.S. and coalition forces in 2003. “With 1,300 of our colleagues deployed overseas on the USNS Comfort, this was an intense time – truly ‘all hands on deck!’” Beasley recounted. As director of healthcare operations, she was responsible for ensuring the NNMC could treat the wounded personnel transported stateside. “Success depended on sticking to our objectives and mission, which meant holding everyone accountable, including myself,” said Beasley. “As a nurse, I had been trained at UTulsa and throughout my career to take a systems approach to healthcare management. That orientation proved essential as we weathered the storm.”
Stitching together all Beasley’s experiences with the Navy is a strong thread of servant leadership. “I never aimed to do anything alone,” she remarked. “My philosophy has always been to do my best to help others succeed while working as part of a team. If I can promote others and encourage them to excel, then I’ve been an effective leader.”
After retiring, Beasley took advantage of the post-9/11 GI Bill to earn a doctorate from the International School of Management, where her dissertation focused on behavioral economics. She has remained active in promoting healthcare access for veterans and their families. From 2009 to 2019, she worked as a lobbyist with the Military Officers Association of America, advancing policies and ensuring Congress passes budgets that reflect veterans’ needs. Today, she continues those efforts at the head of her own consulting firm. Beasley is also a member of several boards, including Friends of USU, which supports and promotes the Uniformed Services University, where she serves as an adjunct nursing instructor.
The high seas are calling
After returning from an extended posting in the Philippines in the 1980s, Beasley worked as a recruiter in Ohio. There, she focused on encouraging Ohio State nursing students to consider a career with the Navy.
Since then, her passion for urging others to build a meaningful career in the Navy has never waned, and she hopes all UTulsa nursing students and alumni will consider the possibility: “Go ahead and do it!” she said. “You’ll grow in ways you never thought possible and gain the satisfaction – and pride – of doing something valuable for your country. Being a Navy nurse is one of the most remarkable journeys you could ever imagine.”
Welcome aboard!
“My colleagues and I are immensely proud of Kathryn Beasley’s many decades of service to her patients and our country as a nurse, healthcare leader and naval officer,” said Ron Walker, dean of Oxley College of Health & Natural Sciences. “It fills me with genuine awe when I consider the profound impact our graduates, like Captain Beasley, have on the world each and every day.”
Beasley’s story is a powerful witness to the versatility and impact of the programs offered at Oxley College of Health & Natural Sciences. As you consider where your compass points, we’d love to speak with you about how to chart your ideal personal and professional journey.