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Described as kind, generous and compassionate, Dr. Freddie Caldwell left his family, friends, colleagues, and classmates too soon, passi
ng away in 2021.
To honor his legacy, the Freddie Caldwell, DNP, APRN, CRNA Endowed Scholarship has been established to provide scholarships to graduate students pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
About Dr. Freddie Caldwell
Dr. Caldwell earned his Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from Monroe Community College In Rochester New York in 1993. He then earned his Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Brockport in June of 1996.
In August 1996, Dr. Caldwell began his pursuit of a Master of Science Degree in Anesthesia Nursing at the University of Pittsburgh and successfully completed the program in December of 1998. He successfully passed the board certification exam from The Council on Certification of Nurse Anesthetists in 1999.
He was a member of Sigma Theta Tau Honors Society and proudly and honorably served as an officer in the US Army. He was also an active member of Diversity in Nurse Anesthesia Mentorship Program.
In August 2016, he joined the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at The University of Texas at El Paso. Dr. Caldwell chose to stay in El Paso and to use his doctorate degree to pursue new projects concerning nurse anesthesia to improve the practice of anesthesia and patient care in the border community. He also planned, to actively recruit exceptional nurses for the UTEP DNP program. In 2019, he was selected for the Paso del Norte Health Foundation Graduate Fellows Program award for Academic Excellence and Leadership.
Memories of Dr. Freddie Caldwell
To leave the world a better place, to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded. —Ralph Waldo Emerson
"This person is one who never lacks appreciation for life’s beauty, always looks for the good in others, and gives the best he has, unconditionally. That successful man was our friend, colleague, and classmate, Fredrick (Freddie) Caldwell, who passed away in 2021.
People often speak about nurses having attributes of kindness, gratitude, and beneficence. Freddie lived these qualities in all aspects of his life, at work as a nurse anesthetist and in his personal being. His personality and heart were as big as Texas! He did indeed make the world a better and happier place. One memory of Freddie was, while having lunch with our group of classmates, there was a homeless man sitting outside the restaurant entrance. Many people walked by, not noticing, or acknowledging the man. Freddie walked up and asked if he was hungry. What’s memorable about that moment was the way he treated the man with such kindness and respect…it didn’t matter if he was homeless. Freddie went in, and immediately ordered him food, placing the homeless man’s needs before his own. It was effortless…like he had done it a million times before. This is how Freddie lived. He would also offer to drive the female classmates back to their hotel after all-day courses so they would not have to walk or wait for the bus in the dark. There was no task too big for him to take on.
Freddie left us way too soon, but he did make a difference in the world, and his legacy will live on." —Mary Ostowski
"Freddie, I still remember that day 5 years ago when I met you on the first day of school for our Doctorate of Nursing program. I think all of us were a little scared, intimidated, and nervous about what we'd gotten into! But you were Mr. Cool, Calm, and Collected. You went around introducing yourself to everyone and that broke the ice and we all quickly bonded and became good friends." —Lily Ramirez
