Awards

VALEDICTORIAN – BACCALAUREATE LEVEL Leah Rizzo Jennifer Zinga

VALEDICTORIAN –MASTER’S LEVEL The following students all achieved GPAs of 4.0 in the program: Andrea Arquiett Reina Baizan Laura Beattie Caitlyn Casab Erin Cavallo Jacilyn Devine Sydney German Brian Grant Lauren Guagenti Payton Hannon Ingrid Hansen Christina Haught Nicole Johnson Laura Keane Jamie Kinney Desiree Kinnison Meghan Lacey Marilyn Lebiednik Connor Letcher Sarah Lombardo Rebecca Matteson Gavin Morrow Taylor Pritchard Jennifer Richmond Danielle Rupert Hannah Scheminger Tiffany Shaughnessy Kimberly Smith Jillian Tracy Christina Urciuoli Jessica Vernooy Ellie Zangari

JOHN BERNARD HENRY, MD ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

Edward Thompson Established in honor of Dr. John Bernard Henry, past president of SUNY Upstate Medical University, this award is given to a student who completed an outstanding paper, project or other exceptional accomplishment.

The College of Nursing has been awarded three Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grants. These grants provide opportunities for students to receive financial assistance to continue their education and to obtain specialized training.

The goal of the Behavioral Health Workforce and Education Training (BHWET) grant is to expand the flow of behavioral health care providers into target communities by increasing the number of trained Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (FPMHNP) committed to working with behavioral health patients in rural and medically underserved communities. Grant scholars receive enhanced education in the areas of interprofessional collaboration, social determinants of health, common comorbid medical/psychiatric problems, telepsychiatry, and the opioid epidemic. The following 2021 graduates have been awarded Behavioral Health Workforce and Education Training (BHWET) grants.

Andrea Arquiett Wade Blair Erin Cavallo Kristen Cominsky Hayley Craner Heather Dailor Rajae Elkirami Nikima Glatt Brian Grant Lauren Guagenti Ingrid Hansen Nicholas Iorio Laura Keane Baljeet Khera Jamie Kinney Christine Lopez-Dwyer Elyssa Max Katherine McCarty Briana McMorris Kristine Mims Nyiesha Moore Frances Oquendo Sarah Rebel Shannon Stewart Lauren Sullivan Peter Valastro Martha Vanyo Lindsey Williams

The goal of the Opioid and Substance Use Disorders (OSUD) grant is to support increasing the number of skilled nurse practitioners available to address the opioid crisis. The award provides funding to support the creation of a new supplemental curriculum to train psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner students on how to treat patients with opioid and substance abuse disorders. The education includes all facets of care including prevention, diagnosis, treatment and recovery. The following 2021 graduates have been awarded Opioid and Substance Use Disorder (OSUD) grants.

Jody Anderson Kyra Danneker Jenna Rupert

The Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) grant supports academic clinical partnerships to educate primary care nurse practitioners to practice in rural and underserved communities, thereby increasing access to needed primary medical care for these populations. The curriculum includes cultural competency training, to provide students with additional education on how the culture of rural or underserved areas can affect people and their health. Scholars also receive telehealth training to prepare them for the utilization of new medical technologies and virtual visits. The following 2021 graduates have been awarded Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) grants.

Ashley Edmunds-Alfieri Shenelle Barr Anna Collins Payton Hannon Keith Hornbrook Alicia Johnson Nicole Johnson Sarah Lombardo Kelsey Nolan Lillian Penix Taylor Pritchard Desiree Kinnison Danielle Rupert Heather Sgroi Courtney Stone Jillian Tracy Jessica Vernooy

Sigma Theta Tau International is the honor society dedicated to improving global health through nursing scholarship, research and leadership. Founded in 1922 by six nurses at the former Indiana University Training School for Nurses, Sigma Theta Tau currently has over 240,000 nurse scholars as members. Omicron Alpha was chartered as a chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International on June 8, 1996. Omicron Alpha embraces the global mission of Sigma Theta Tau International, and consistent with the mission of growth, development and sharing of nursing knowledge, the Chapter is dedicated to the improvement of health of people in Central New York and beyond. Omicron Alpha is committed to advancing nursing leadership, scholarship, and research in clinical practice and in public policy. The Omicron Alpha Chapter merged with Omicron at Large on April 20, 2018.

The following 2021 graduating students have been inducted into the Omicron at Large Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.

GRADUATE MEMBERS DNP MEMBERS POST MASTER’S MEMBER

James Cromley Christopher Felter Sydney German Ashley Levatino Aaron Mruk Jennifer Richmond Kimberly Smith Lauren Wilsey Kyra Danneker Frances Oquendo Jenna Rupert Kelly Winchell