Chapter Excellence Awards
Gamma Rho Chapter Excellence Awards recognize nurse leaders for their considerable work within various nursing disciplines. Do you know someone who exemplifies nursing excellence? Nominate them below!
Criteria for Nomination
Consider nominating an outstanding nursing colleague, faculty member, nursing teacher, nurse educator, clinician, or any deserving nurse colleague for one of the seven chapter awards below. Submit a letter of support OR a PowerPoint slide with bullet points supporting their nomination and describe how the applicant meets the defined criteria. Preference given to Sigma members.
Please send nominations to cheryl.armstrong@nurs.utah.edu
Early Career Nurse Innovator
- Registered nurse in practice for two to five years
- Demonstrates skill in nursing practice
- Contributes to quality of care by leading or actively participating in improving quality of patient care
- Participates in continuing education to further enhance nursing practice
Excellence in Education
- Demonstrates excellence in teaching
- Actively promotes growth of nursing students and/or nursing professionals
- Contributes to scholarship (research, systematic evaluation, publishing, presenting) in nursing education
- Positively influences the professional practice of nursing and the public’s image of nursing through excellence in teaching
Excellence in Leadership
- Receives recognition as a nursing leader in education, practice, administration, and/or research
- Influences leadership in nursing through visionary and innovative approaches to leadership
- Creates an environment that enhances the image of nursing
- Participates in the development of nursing leaders
Excellence in Mentorship
- Actively shapes and promotes the careers of nurses
- Freely shares own resources for the growth and development of individual nurses or groups of nurses
- Maintains the mentoring relationship with nurses over time
Excellence in Practice
- Majority of time is spent in direct patient care
- Demonstrates expertise in an area of clinical nursing practice
- Advances the practice of nursing to enhance quality patient care
- Positively influences the image of nursing through practice
Excellence in Research
- Conducts original research involving innovative projects
- Disseminates research findings to a broad audience
- Encourages research activities within Sigma and the nursing community
Excellence in Scholarship
- Connects the research to practice settings with innovative evidence-based practice changes and quality improvement projects
- Disseminates evidence-based practice and quality improvement innovations
- Encourages scholarship activities and innovations within Sigma, nursing, academia, and healthcare settings
2024 Awardees
Previous Awardees
Excellence in Clinical Practice: Cara Wolf, DNP, FNP-C
Excellence in Education: Shawna Sisler, Ph.D., APRN, PNP-PC
Excellence in Leadership: Linda C. Hofmann, Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, NE-BC
Excellence in Mentorship: Rebekah Perkins, Ph.D., MS, RN
Early Career Nurse Innovator: Anna Alder, DNP, RN
Excellence in Research: Djin Tay, Ph.D., RN
Excellence in Scholarship: Sara Simonson, Ph.D., MSPH, DNM, FACNM
Research Grant Award: Natasha Ansari
Clinical Educator Legacy Award: Tamara Ekker
Excellence in Clinical Practice: Dr. Frances Johnson
Excellence in Education: Dr. Julie Gee
Excellence in Leadership: Cheryl Armstrong and Rebecca Wilson
Excellence in Mentorship: Dr. John Nerges
Early Career Nurse Innovator: Dr. Paige Miller
Excellence in Research/Scholarship: Dr. Perry Gee
Research Grant Award: Scott Christensen
Excellence in Clinical Practice: Erin Johnson Cole
Excellence in Education: Ann Butt and Nancy Allen
Excellence in Leadership: Jennifer Macali
Excellence in Mentorship: Brenda Luther
Research Grant Award: Kelly Mansfield and Lisa Taylor Swanson
Excellence in Clinical Practice: Jessica Ellis
Excellence in Education: Nanci McLeskey
Excellence in Leadership: Connie Madden
Excellence in Mentorship: Carolyn Scheese
Research Grant Award: Shawna Sisler and Youjeong Kang
Early Career Innovator: Brittany Low
Excellence in Clinical Practice: Jennifer Clifton and Michelle Litchman
Excellence in Education: Linda Edelman
Excellence in Leadership: Jennifer Macali
Excellence in Mentorship: Nancy Allen
Research Grant Award: Sarah Wawrzynski