EILEEN PATRICE (PATTI) GALLAGHER VINING, M.D.

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In her first year of high school, Eileen (Gallagher) Vining was happy to come to a friendly and warm school like Fort Hamilton after spending one semester at a high school in Queens. Eileen was bright from the start, taking sophomore French as a freshman and being in the thick of activities — Arista, Literary Editor of Tower, Co-Captain of Boosters ("too clumsy" for Cheerleaders, says Eileen), President of Newman Club and numerous other clubs and committees. Although advancing through medical school and still pursuing her education, Eileen can say that the best of all her educational experiences was the warm and caring staff at the Fort. She still recalls them fondly today: Miss Simon, Miss Duhig, Mr. Carlin and Miss Gerlach, Mrs. Hart, Mr. Eisner, Mr. Zakon, Mrs. Deerson, Mr. Greenberg, Mr. Feinberg and Betsy Shack, who helped steer Eileen to Vassar College. Today, Dr. Vining credits the Fort Hamilton faculty with not only teaching her the basics, but also instilling in her a confidence that has enabled her to practice medicine.

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That confidence Dr. Vining built at Fort Hamilton has served her well. After receiving her medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1972, Dr. Vining studied pediatrics and was certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in 1977. Dr. Vining was appointed Fellow in Pediatrics at The Johns Hopkins and University of Pittsburgh medical schools and since 1988 has been Associate Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Vining also serves as the Associate Director of the Pediatric Epilepsy Center at The Johns Hopkin's Hospital.

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Dr. Vining has published extensively in the area of pediatric development and pediatric neurology and has authored and co-authored numerous books in this area. Indeed, Dr. Vining is well recognized and widely respected as an authority in her field.

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Despite Dr. Vining's many achievements in pediatrics and pediatric neurology, she still counts her years at Fort Hamilton High School as special and can vividly remember her senior year at Fort Hamilton in 1964 during which the JFK assassination and the World's Fair took place. Dr. Vining still looks forward to reuniting with classmates and friends she made at the Fort. Dr. Vining's love and nostalgia for Fort Hamilton is evident and heartwarming, and so it is with great pride that the Alumni Association inducts Dr. Eileen (Gallagher) Vining into the Alumni Hall of Fame.