Support the Senior Continuing Lecturer Young Kee Markham to retain her position at UCLA
The Issue
Young Kee Markham is a Senior Continuing Lecturer in the Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of California, Los Angeles, with 27 years of dedicated service as an educator. Throughout her distinguished career, she has embodied academic excellence, compassion, and unwavering commitment to student achievement. Her comprehensive expertise and supportive teaching style have made her a vital member of the UCLA School of Nursing.
Young Kee Markham’s influence transcends the classroom. She has enriched the School of Nursing through her role on the curriculum task force and earned numerous distinctions, including:
• 2016 Faculty Marshal for the UCLA School of Nursing Graduation Ceremony
• 2016 Daisy Faculty Award Recipient
• 2019 Faculty Marshal for the UCLA School of Nursing Graduation Ceremony
• 2019 Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing Award from the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence
As former students, we can attest to Young Kee Markham’s remarkable influence from her guidance in Adult-Gerontology practicum and clinical courses throughout our master’s program. Her deep and lasting impact on our academic and personal growth is undeniable. Her teaching approach fosters active engagement, critical thinking, and meaningful discussion. She clarifies complex concepts while challenging students to think independently. Her creation of “The Markham Outline,” a comprehensive geriatric SOAP note template, exemplifies her sustained commitment to improving clinical reasoning and documentation. Many of us use this tool daily as geriatric nurse practitioners.
Young Kee Markham’s support extends beyond formal instruction. She is approachable, patient, kind, and deeply invested in each student’s success. She was consistently available during office hours, offered insightful feedback, and even provided guidance by phone on weekends for students facing difficulties. During clinical site visits, she brought calm, clarity, and inspiration. Her discussions on geriatric assessment, differential diagnosis, and patient-centered geriatric care enhanced our understanding and confidence. She continuously encouraged self-reflection and welcomed our input to strengthen her teaching, demonstrating humility and dedication.
Young Kee Markham inspires students with her passion for geriatrics, nursing education, lifelong learning, and patient advocacy. She exemplifies intellectual integrity, compassion, and professionalism. Her influence shapes not only more capable clinicians but also more thoughtful, ethical, and geriatric-focused practitioners.
The impending loss of Young Kee Markham would irreparably impact the UCLA School of Nursing. Her mentorship, expertise, and unwavering dedication have shaped generations of nurse practitioners and enriched the program in ways that cannot be replaced. Her contributions are essential to the university’s mission and values, and her continued presence is critical to the academic experience.
We respectfully urge the chancellor Dr. Julio Frenk to reconsider any decision that might remove Young Kee Markham from her role as Senior Continuing Lecturer for Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioners. She has garnered substantial support from former students and colleagues, reflecting her exceptional commitment to advancing geriatric nursing education. Her absence would significantly diminish education and mentorship within the UCLA School of Nursing.
Let us unite in support of a lecturer who has profoundly impacted her students' lives. Please sign this petition to support Young Kee Markham and help her retain her position at UCLA. Your support is essential to ensure our voices are heard.
"Thank you note from Young Kee Markham"
What an inspirational and empowering journey it has been for me! Being paralyzed with unbelief and disappointment, my voice to seek for any help was inaudible, while my heart was agonized with indescribable pain. Knowing that I have not yet completed my own goal fully, which has been to assist one more nurse to become a nurse practitioner, who then would help one more elderly, I felt defeated.
You see, teaching one more nurse, who would be enthusiastic about sacrificing their time and effort to become an expert clinician for elderly care meant their elderly patients would not be feeling helpless and alone. They would receive timely NP intervention while ailing mentally, physically, emotionally, socially and financially in the midst of potential violence, abuse and neglect. For last 27 years, it has been such a priceless privilege to walk along with the exceptional students as their bridge while they would fulfill their dream to finish the UCLA NP program and be ready to the elderly.
My heart ached tremendously with flowing tears when I realized that I would not be able to continue teaching the nurses. As I looked for a slim chance to convince a decision maker to reconsider for the future course assignment, I was surrounded by willing former NP students who were ready to march fervently to resuscitate my dissipating hope. The 60+ former NP students named themselves as “Team Markham” and started the supporting journey which included initiating the Change.org petition. They gave me the much needed resuscitation. What a beautiful beam of light it has been for me during this unforgettable journey!
Reading the thoughtfully written statement with a plea for petition signature at change.org, my heart started feeling more alive. The eight wholeheartedly written comments by the kind hearted individual began washing down my paralyzed and broken heart pieces. Each stated words from the kind hearted authors mended my heart’s brokenness. The powerful words were like beautiful and bright light, filled with positivity and hopefulness which hurriedly shone through. It has been like that cheerful light with rainbow colors you would see, shining relentlessly through many broken parts of a clay bowl. Reaffirmed with the thoughtfully expressed words, my heart has responded with outpouring thankfulness. Remembering the encounters that I had with each author, my tears flowed. Those words gently landed on the scars and began to wash them away, one scar at a time. Thinking that I may have helped them in their precious life journey, I thought how fortunate that I had been to have met and walked with them in their life journey.
Seeing those petition numbers grow over days,I wondered how I would thank each one of them who helped me to feel energized and fight for the future opportunity to teach. What a beautiful flow of supportive energy which reignited my unrelenting motivation to teach one more NP student! As I calculate that one more NP who could help 6,000 elderly and their elderly caregivers yearly, I dream that some of the 9 million elderly in California would be fortunate to be taken care by that one more NP student, who would graduate and reach out to help with their clinical expertise and compassion. One more signature has helped shine that bright array of hope, shouting in my heart, one more NP student who would graduate and help one more set of 6,000 elderly and elderly caregivers each year.
When I set my eyes on those names that I don’t recognize, I prayed that those hearts would be blessed tremendously. Literally, the strangers, whom I have not had a privilege to get to know, have kindly spent their valuable time to put their name, email address and clicked “‘submit”. How fortunate that I got to witness such beautiful gesture of kindness, the indescribable beam of light of hopefulness. As I see those precious names going across at the Change.org panel, I quietly would say, “Thank you for your beautiful gesture of shining ‘hope’ that you have kindly rendered to this agonizing heart. You were that caring soul who gently put life’s softness. It would be like that soft cotton gauze gently covering on a bleeding wound.”
Thank you and thank you and thank you and thank you! In my heart, I could say “Thank you” forever. I am thankful that I have experienced such beauty of life through this agonizing situation through such caring hearts from that each name of 420+signatures. Thank you and thank you and thank you! I want you to know that I have felt valued and heard. What a beautiful gift that each of you have given me! The energy that was poured with such beautiful gesture will help me keep motivated to share one more knowledge with one more nursing student, who will help one more elderly who would be in their dire situation with their own pain. Thank you and thank you and thank you and thank you for sharing with me your beautiful heart and gift of your support!
With gratefulness,
Young Kee Markham
545
The Issue
Young Kee Markham is a Senior Continuing Lecturer in the Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program at the University of California, Los Angeles, with 27 years of dedicated service as an educator. Throughout her distinguished career, she has embodied academic excellence, compassion, and unwavering commitment to student achievement. Her comprehensive expertise and supportive teaching style have made her a vital member of the UCLA School of Nursing.
Young Kee Markham’s influence transcends the classroom. She has enriched the School of Nursing through her role on the curriculum task force and earned numerous distinctions, including:
• 2016 Faculty Marshal for the UCLA School of Nursing Graduation Ceremony
• 2016 Daisy Faculty Award Recipient
• 2019 Faculty Marshal for the UCLA School of Nursing Graduation Ceremony
• 2019 Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing Award from the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence
As former students, we can attest to Young Kee Markham’s remarkable influence from her guidance in Adult-Gerontology practicum and clinical courses throughout our master’s program. Her deep and lasting impact on our academic and personal growth is undeniable. Her teaching approach fosters active engagement, critical thinking, and meaningful discussion. She clarifies complex concepts while challenging students to think independently. Her creation of “The Markham Outline,” a comprehensive geriatric SOAP note template, exemplifies her sustained commitment to improving clinical reasoning and documentation. Many of us use this tool daily as geriatric nurse practitioners.
Young Kee Markham’s support extends beyond formal instruction. She is approachable, patient, kind, and deeply invested in each student’s success. She was consistently available during office hours, offered insightful feedback, and even provided guidance by phone on weekends for students facing difficulties. During clinical site visits, she brought calm, clarity, and inspiration. Her discussions on geriatric assessment, differential diagnosis, and patient-centered geriatric care enhanced our understanding and confidence. She continuously encouraged self-reflection and welcomed our input to strengthen her teaching, demonstrating humility and dedication.
Young Kee Markham inspires students with her passion for geriatrics, nursing education, lifelong learning, and patient advocacy. She exemplifies intellectual integrity, compassion, and professionalism. Her influence shapes not only more capable clinicians but also more thoughtful, ethical, and geriatric-focused practitioners.
The impending loss of Young Kee Markham would irreparably impact the UCLA School of Nursing. Her mentorship, expertise, and unwavering dedication have shaped generations of nurse practitioners and enriched the program in ways that cannot be replaced. Her contributions are essential to the university’s mission and values, and her continued presence is critical to the academic experience.
We respectfully urge the chancellor Dr. Julio Frenk to reconsider any decision that might remove Young Kee Markham from her role as Senior Continuing Lecturer for Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioners. She has garnered substantial support from former students and colleagues, reflecting her exceptional commitment to advancing geriatric nursing education. Her absence would significantly diminish education and mentorship within the UCLA School of Nursing.
Let us unite in support of a lecturer who has profoundly impacted her students' lives. Please sign this petition to support Young Kee Markham and help her retain her position at UCLA. Your support is essential to ensure our voices are heard.
"Thank you note from Young Kee Markham"
What an inspirational and empowering journey it has been for me! Being paralyzed with unbelief and disappointment, my voice to seek for any help was inaudible, while my heart was agonized with indescribable pain. Knowing that I have not yet completed my own goal fully, which has been to assist one more nurse to become a nurse practitioner, who then would help one more elderly, I felt defeated.
You see, teaching one more nurse, who would be enthusiastic about sacrificing their time and effort to become an expert clinician for elderly care meant their elderly patients would not be feeling helpless and alone. They would receive timely NP intervention while ailing mentally, physically, emotionally, socially and financially in the midst of potential violence, abuse and neglect. For last 27 years, it has been such a priceless privilege to walk along with the exceptional students as their bridge while they would fulfill their dream to finish the UCLA NP program and be ready to the elderly.
My heart ached tremendously with flowing tears when I realized that I would not be able to continue teaching the nurses. As I looked for a slim chance to convince a decision maker to reconsider for the future course assignment, I was surrounded by willing former NP students who were ready to march fervently to resuscitate my dissipating hope. The 60+ former NP students named themselves as “Team Markham” and started the supporting journey which included initiating the Change.org petition. They gave me the much needed resuscitation. What a beautiful beam of light it has been for me during this unforgettable journey!
Reading the thoughtfully written statement with a plea for petition signature at change.org, my heart started feeling more alive. The eight wholeheartedly written comments by the kind hearted individual began washing down my paralyzed and broken heart pieces. Each stated words from the kind hearted authors mended my heart’s brokenness. The powerful words were like beautiful and bright light, filled with positivity and hopefulness which hurriedly shone through. It has been like that cheerful light with rainbow colors you would see, shining relentlessly through many broken parts of a clay bowl. Reaffirmed with the thoughtfully expressed words, my heart has responded with outpouring thankfulness. Remembering the encounters that I had with each author, my tears flowed. Those words gently landed on the scars and began to wash them away, one scar at a time. Thinking that I may have helped them in their precious life journey, I thought how fortunate that I had been to have met and walked with them in their life journey.
Seeing those petition numbers grow over days,I wondered how I would thank each one of them who helped me to feel energized and fight for the future opportunity to teach. What a beautiful flow of supportive energy which reignited my unrelenting motivation to teach one more NP student! As I calculate that one more NP who could help 6,000 elderly and their elderly caregivers yearly, I dream that some of the 9 million elderly in California would be fortunate to be taken care by that one more NP student, who would graduate and reach out to help with their clinical expertise and compassion. One more signature has helped shine that bright array of hope, shouting in my heart, one more NP student who would graduate and help one more set of 6,000 elderly and elderly caregivers each year.
When I set my eyes on those names that I don’t recognize, I prayed that those hearts would be blessed tremendously. Literally, the strangers, whom I have not had a privilege to get to know, have kindly spent their valuable time to put their name, email address and clicked “‘submit”. How fortunate that I got to witness such beautiful gesture of kindness, the indescribable beam of light of hopefulness. As I see those precious names going across at the Change.org panel, I quietly would say, “Thank you for your beautiful gesture of shining ‘hope’ that you have kindly rendered to this agonizing heart. You were that caring soul who gently put life’s softness. It would be like that soft cotton gauze gently covering on a bleeding wound.”
Thank you and thank you and thank you and thank you! In my heart, I could say “Thank you” forever. I am thankful that I have experienced such beauty of life through this agonizing situation through such caring hearts from that each name of 420+signatures. Thank you and thank you and thank you! I want you to know that I have felt valued and heard. What a beautiful gift that each of you have given me! The energy that was poured with such beautiful gesture will help me keep motivated to share one more knowledge with one more nursing student, who will help one more elderly who would be in their dire situation with their own pain. Thank you and thank you and thank you and thank you for sharing with me your beautiful heart and gift of your support!
With gratefulness,
Young Kee Markham
Supporter Voices
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Petition created on April 30, 2026