High Achievers: College Brings Home Top Awards
Gator Nursing faculty earn well-deserved award recognitions.
The College of Nursing prides itself on excellence in every facet of nursing education, research and clinical service. That is why it is no surprise that Gator Nursing faculty are being recognized with a historic number of state and national awards this fall.
“For the last 67 years, Gator Nursing has remained at the forefront of the nursing profession,” said Debra Lyon, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN, the college’s interim dean, executive associate dean and Kirbo Endowed Chair. “This fall, the college and numerous deserving faculty members are being recognized for their outstanding dedication to nursing. Never before have our college and faculty received such a high number of prestigious awards in such a short amount of time. I know I join the entire faculty body, our alumni and students in congratulating Gator Nursing on this well-deserved recognition.”
Top in the State
In September, Gator Nursing was ubiquitous at the 2023 Florida Nurses Association Membership Assembly in St. Augustine. The College of Nursing received the highest number of awards out of any state institution. Four college faculty members were honored for excellence in professional nursing and were recommended and selected by their peers for formal recognition. In addition, Assistant Professor Lakeshia Cousin, PhD, APRN, AGPCNP-BC, was selected as the assembly’s keynote speaker to discuss a commitment to quality.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs – Undergraduate Education Debra Lynch Kelly, PhD, RN, OCN, CNE, FAAN, was the recipient of the Nursing Research Icon Award, which recognizes a nurse who has produced research of scientific merit with relevance to the practice of nursing. Kelly is a certified oncology nurse with over 30 years of experience caring for patients with cancer. She developed a special interest in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant, a potentially curative treatment for life-threatening cancer and other conditions. Leading an interdisciplinary team of scientists, Kelly is conducting clinical research that is impactful in improving quality of life for people undergoing this treatment, as well as reducing symptom burden and health disparities.
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs Denise Schentrup, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, was recognized with the Advanced Practice Nursing Icon Award. Schentrup is the director of UF Health Archer Family Health Care, a community-based, nurse-led health care center that offers comprehensive adult, pediatric, mental health and women’s health care to an underserved rural population. Schentrup is committed to providing the highest level of care possible for all patients, while creating a positive practice environment for clinicians and advanced practice nursing students. Additionally, Schentrup is nationally recognized for her leadership and service on the National Association of Rural Health Clinics, which supports her proven ability to shape national policy through interprofessional collaboration.
Linda Aiken Chair Anna M. McDaniel, PhD, RN, FAAN, was welcomed as the newest member of the Florida Nurses Association Hall of Fame, which is reserved for nurses who have dedicated their career to the nursing profession with enduring impact, integrity and courage. McDaniel was the College of Nursing’s fifth dean between 2013 and 2023, and made significant strides to improve the college’s education, research and clinical foci. Among numerous additional accomplishments, throughout her tenure, the college boosted its faculty numbers by 50%, established a new level of partnership with UF Health and transformed undergraduate and graduate curriculums to better prepare the nurses of the future.
Associate Dean for Community Engagement and Global Affairs Jeanne-Marie Stacciarini, PhD, RN, FAAN, was selected as the Mary Cash Award recipient, which recognizes an individual nurse who has made outstanding contributions to cultural diversity in nursing and health care. Stacciarini has been very active in educational programs that provide opportunities for cross-cultural learning. These include coordinating courses in countries both within and outside the United States and mentoring faculty and PhD students in Mexico, Peru and Brazil. The EMBRACE program that she initiated is yielding extraordinary outcomes through the collaborative partnerships that are forged between underrepresented undergraduate students, graduate student mentors and faculty. The outcomes are extending nursing science and motivating pursuit of graduate education, while supporting and uplifting students.
Sigma Honors
The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing is a community of nurses dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, teaching, learning and service through the cultivation of communities of practice, education and research. The biennial convention is Sigma’s largest event and was held in November in San Antonio, where nurses from across the world came together to learn and celebrate. At this event, the UF College of Nursing stood out with two special recognitions.
Interim Associate Dean for Research Leslie Parker, PhD, APRN, NNP-BC, FAAN, was the recipient of the Audrey Hepburn Award for Contributions to the Health and Welfare of Children, which recognizes an individual who has made outstanding strides to advance child health. Parker has dedicated over 30 years to promoting the health of critically ill infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, as well as their families. In her dual role as a nurse researcher and a nurse practitioner, Parker has transformed clinical understanding of routine gastric residual evaluation, a commonly used medical procedure for extremely preterm infants, and has displayed an unwavering commitment to her research enterprise, which has accumulated over $4 million in funding within the past five years. Her current work is focused on determining the optimal feeding tube dwell time in very low birth weight infants.
The Alpha Theta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International at the UF College of Nursing earned the Chapter Key Award, which is the highest honor recognizing Sigma chapter excellence. This marks the first time the Alpha Theta Chapter has received this accolade in its over 60-year history. Chapters are evaluated for the award based on a measure of success in 24 chapter activities, such as events, recruitment, retention and community service. The Alpha Theta Chapter is led by president and Clinical Assistant Professor Toni Lindsey, DNP, RN, CNE, CPN, and vice president and Clinical Assistant Professor Allison Peters, DNP, RN, CNOR, NEC.
