Awarding Excellence
During the College of Nursing Convocation Ceremony, we proudly recognized outstanding students who have demonstrated excellence in their academic achievements, clinical practice, community service, and leadership. These individuals embody the core values of nursing and have made significant contributions to the profession and society.
Here are the 2024 award recipients:
Undergraduate Nursing Impact Award: Jessica Bolt
Jessica’s passion for nursing is evident in her dedication to helping her peers succeed. She has gone above and beyond, creating personalized study plans to assist fellow students with coursework, embodying the true spirit of nursing excellence and collaboration.
Outstanding Community Service Award: Alexis Sutton
With over 200 hours of service to organizations like Harvest Hope, DJJ, Pace Academy, Meals on Wheels, and as the Social Media Outreach Coordinator for the Nonprofit organization High School Blitz. Alexis is a true community champion. Her dedication to helping others is a shining example of what it means to give back.
Outstanding Leadership Award: John Rosella
John has been a recognized leader throughout his nursing journey. As a member of the Dean’s Graduate Advisory Council, he initiated peer mentoring programs that created a supportive environment for students across all levels of expertise in the DNP program.
Outstanding Service to the College of Nursing and University: Charlotte Burts
Charlotte served as president of the Student Nurses Association (2022-2023) and treasurer at the state level, as well as her four years on the Dean’s Student Advisory Board. A volunteer at Harvest Hope Food Bank, Charlotte graduates as an Honors Nursing Student with several accolades, including the Palmetto Gold Scholarship, Magellan Scholar, Harvard NCRC participant, and the Gamma Phi Beta Unsung Hero Award.
Graduate Nursing Impact Award: Laura Griffith
Laura is dedicated to advancing nursing’s mission of social justice and health equity. Her DNP scholarly project focused on identifying adolescent depression in a public school system through Public Health Questionnaire screenings, providing pathways for treatment, support, and policy improvements to enhance mental and physical health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Outstanding Graduate Clinical Performance Award: Sarah Clement
Sarah has been recognized for her exceptional critical thinking and patient-centered care. Her DNP scholarly project evaluated the impact of a newly implemented hospital rewards program on RN satisfaction and retention across generational cohorts at a large, urban academic medical center. Sarah’s findings contributed to improved RN job satisfaction and helped inform retention strategies within Prisma’s Midland Market.