KANSAS CITY, Mo., (Mar. 8, 2024) – The Research Foundation has awarded nursing educators from Avila University, Research College of Nursing, and William Jewell College for teaching excellence, community services, scholarly achievement, and leadership. These awards are presented annually and are open to all nursing faculty at the three institutions.
The Teaching Excellence Award is given to those who have made a positive difference in the teaching climate of their college or university. The Research Foundation recognized William Jewell College instructor and nursing arts lab coordinator Raechel Blades, MSN, RN, RNC – OB, CNE, Avila University assistant professor Kellie Quesada, MSN, RN, and Research College of Nursing assistant professor Nicole Kreimer, MSN, RN, APHN-BC as the Teaching Excellence Award recipients.
The Outstanding Community Service Award is given to those who demonstrate service to the community and encourages faculty and students to provide leadership and service that fosters community growth. The Research Foundation recognized Research College of Nursing assistant professor Jo Collette, DNP, APRN-BC, and chair of the Avila University School of Nursing Caryl Goodyear, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, CCRN-K, FAAN as the Outstanding Community Service Award recipients.
The Scholarly Achievement Award is to recognize the involvement of faculty members in scholarly pursuits. The award is given to faculty members who have made a positive difference in scholarly activities. These activities must advance the teaching, research, and practice of nursing through inquiry that is significant to the profession, is creative, can be documented, can be replicated or elaborated, and can be peer-reviewed. The Research Foundation recognized Avila University Nursing Education & Resource Center clinical assistant Madelyn Marshall, RN, William Jewell College associate professor of nursing Melissa Timmons, MSN, BSN, and Research College of Nursing assistant professor Rosalia Molina, PhD, MSN, RN as the Scholarly Achievement Award recipients.
The Teaching Excellence Award, Outstanding Community Service Award and Scholarly Achievement Award all include a $1,500 honorarium.
The Nancy O. DeBasio Faculty Leadership Award honors the career of Dr. Nancy DeBasio who served Research College of Nursing in leadership positions for nearly 30 years. The award includes a $2,500 honorarium and is given to a faculty member who demonstrates heroic leadership, based on Chris Lowney’s four pillars of heroic leadership: self-awareness, ingenuity, love, and heroism. The Research Foundation recognized Avila University assistant professor Lonna Boen, MSN, RN, and former Research College of Nursing dean Julie Nauser, PhD, RN, CNE as the Nancy O. DeBasio Faculty Leadership Award recipient.
The Research Foundation also facilitates faculty development by funding doctoral degrees. Avila University nursing faculty member Megan Ashcraft, MSN, RN, CNE and Tracy Koehler, MSN, RN; Research College of Nursing faculty members Nicole Kreimer MSN, RN, APHN-BC, Julia Payne, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, CE, Cassie Peason MSN, RN, CNE, and Sarah Schlanker, MSN, RN, CNOR; as well as William Jewell College nursing faculty member Tiffany Condren, MSN, RNC, CHSE and Melissa timmons, MSN, RNBC are eligible for up to $5,000 of funding. Research College of Nursing assistant professor Pamelia Bertrand, MSN, RN was awarded a $2,539 faculty scholarship grant for a research project that studies how individual peer support following emotionally challenging clinical events aids those who have become second victims of healthcare.
Visit theresearchfoundationkc.org/faculty to learn more about The Research Foundation’s nursing faculty development awards and scholarships.
