Noteworthy

Widener University honored faculty members for distinction in areas of civic engagement, institutional leadership, research, as well as innovative and distinguished teaching. Various faculty were awarded at the ceremony, held Wednesday, Oct. 29 in the University Center. Honors included:

•    The Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award , given to a faculty member who has exemplified a history of teaching at the highest level of distinction. It is endowed by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation, a Philadelphia-based foundation that provides grants to institutions of higher education for the promotion of excellence in teaching. The recipient was Commonwealth Law School Associate Professor Amanda Sholtis of Enola, Pennsylvania.

•    The Faculty Award for Civic Engagement, which recognizes the outstanding contributions faculty members have made in accordance with Widener’s civic engagement mission, as well as solidifying Widener students’ understanding of their social responsibilities, and the impact of their disciplinary learning. This year's recipient was College of Arts and Sciences Professor Stuart Eimer of Collingswood, New Jersey.

•    The Outstanding Researcher Award, given to a faculty member who has participated in research and scholarship nationally or internationally, and made a significant contribution through their research, while advancing their profession or discipline as well as the university’s mission and vision. The recipient was Associate Professor Hilary Barnes of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Barnes teaches in the Jack & Nancy Dwyer School of Nursing.

•    The Fitz Dixon Innovation in Teaching Award highlights an individual who has designed, implemented, and assessed an innovative or experimental teaching and learning project. This award was presented to College of Arts and Sciences Associate Teaching Professor Catherine Safran of Bear, Delaware.

•     The Faculty Institutional Leadership Award recognizes a record of leading initiatives that further the university’s vision, mission, and strategic objectives. This year’s award recipient was College of Arts and Sciences Professor Hemlata Mistry of Wallingford, Pennsylvania.
 

Photo shows, from left, Interim Provost Mark Nicosia, Professor Hemlata Mistry, Professor Stuart Eimer, Professor Hilary Barnes, Associate Teaching Professor Catherine Safran and Associate Professor Amanda Sholtis.

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Teresa Shellenbarger '95 and Brenda Elliott '12, graduates of the nursing science doctoral program in the Jack and Nancy Dwyer School of Nursing, have been inducted into the American Academy of Nursing's prestigious fellowship program. 

The American Academy of Nursing is an honorific society and a policy organization comprised of more than 3,000 fellows who represent nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia. Fellows are selected annually through a highly competitive nomination and review process. This distinguished honor, celebrates nurses for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. Those inducted into the program earn the Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, or FAAN, credential, the most prestigious recognition in nursing.

Shellenbarger and Elliott's inductions bring the total number of Widener nursing members with FAAN credentials to 12—nine alumni and two faculty.

Shellenbarger is the executive director for the National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation where she leads nursing education program accreditation initiatives. She is a distinguished university professor emeritus and was founding director of the PhD in nursing program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Her significant, substantial, and longstanding national and international contributions focus on leading quality workforce development initiatives and developing and supporting clinical nursing education competency development.

Elliott is an associate professor and director of the graduate program in nursing at Messiah University. Elliott’s primary research addresses the professional development needs of nurses and nurse educators to teach nurses and nursing students respectively about the healthcare needs of members of the military, veterans, and their families. 

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Widener University's Jack & Nancy Dwyer School of Nursing has been named a best school for men in nursing by the American Association for Men in Nursing, or AAMN. This is the first time Widener nursing has earned the one-year designation and we are one of only 16 schools nationally to get it.

The prestigious accolade recognizes the Dwyer School of Nursing for its work to recruit and retain men in nursing, provide male students with a supportive educational environment, and educate faculty, students and the community about the contributions that men make to the nursing profession. Since chartering its AAMN chapter in 2012, nursing has made strides to bolster the male representation across its programs, including a steady year-over-year increase in male faculty members. 

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Widener University's Eta Beta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing has been honored with the 2023-2025 Chapter Key Award, the organization’s highest recognition for its chapters. This marks the 11th time the Eta Beta Chapter at Widener has received this honor.

Out of more than 650 chapters worldwide, only a select group achieves this distinction, which celebrates excellence in advancing Sigma’s mission of global nursing leadership and scholarship. This award recognizes chapters that demonstrate exceptional achievement in membership engagement, service and community impact, education, and leadership development.

This honor is a testament to the Eta Beta Chapter at Widener's commitment to advancing nursing through leadership, scholarship, and service and strengthening the profession and the communities they serve. 

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Julie Larson, a doctoral candidate in the School of Nursing, received the Eastern Nursing Research Society Doctoral Research Award by the National League for Nursing, or NLN. Larson, who earned her MSN at Widener in 2022 and is a nursing instructor at Thomas Jefferson University, was awarded $2,500 to conduct research titled "Nurse Educators’ Understanding of Social Justice as a Core Professional Value." Larson's project is one of nine grant-funded investigations partially funded by the NLN Foundation for Nursing Education to advance evidence-based, innovative scientific inquiry in pursuit of transformative excellence. 

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Audrey Snyder has been named the next dean of the School of Nursing. Snyder will assume the role on July 1, 2025.

A celebrated educator, passionate healthcare advocate, and accomplished scholar, Snyder brings more than 40 years of experience to this role. She comes to Widener from the University of North Carolina Greensboro where she currently serves as professor and associate dean for Community Engagement and Academic Partnerships. Throughout her career, Snyder has focused on promoting access to care for rural and under-resourced populations. While at UNC Greensboro, Snyder was instrumental in securing federal funding to promote telehealth education for rural environments and launching the nursing program’s mobile clinic, known as Minerva’s Mobile Health, to increase healthcare access in rural and under-resourced communities in the Piedmont region of North Carolina.

Snyder is a leading expert and scholar in disaster preparation and response. Her primary research focuses on improving the lives of individuals at risk for disasters through disaster resilience. Her research is informed by her diverse disaster response experiences across the United States, most notably following hurricanes Katrina and Rita and refugee response at the United States-Mexico border. Snyder has also participated in international responses such as the earthquake response in El Salvador and Haiti.

“I am delighted to welcome Audrey Snyder to the Widener community,” said Provost Andrew Workman. “Audrey’s proven dedication to nursing education and meaningful student experiences will be a tremendous asset to Widener’s nursing program. In addition to being an exceptional nursing scholar, Audrey brings a deep passion for engaging with the communities around her to improve healthcare access and outcomes. Her demonstrated commitment to service and care at the local, national, and international levels will help to advance Widener’s mission and values.”  

“I am truly honored to join the pride at Widener University,” said Audrey Snyder. “The School of Nursing has a strong history of promoting nursing excellence in practice, leadership, research, and service to nursing and the community. I look forward to working with the faculty, staff, students, and community partners to continue this legacy.”

Snyder’s career is marked with accolades and achievements from many distinguished institutions. She received the 2023 Lillian Wald Humanitarian Award by the National League for Nursing and was honored as a North Carolina Great 100 Nurse for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Snyder has secured more than $12 million in funding from federal, foundation, and intramural grants, including the Emergency Nurses Association. 

She succeeds Anne Krouse, who has retired from Widener’s School of Nursing after 25 years of distinguished service, including seven as dean.

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Rose Rossi, associate dean of undergraduate nursing and professor, has been named to the board of directors of Nurses & Neighbors Collaborative Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit founded in 2022 with the mission to improve health and wellness within local neighborhoods through nurse-led programs. Nurses & Neighbors has used its members’ collective nursing experience to work with the homeless, volunteer in vaccination clinics, present health information to community groups, and serve as volunteer nurses in partnership with community-based organizations.

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Andrew Bobal, instructional designer and adjunct professor in the School of Nursing, published a textbook that illustrates the importance of integrating technology into the nursing classroom. 

"Teaching Tomorrow’s Nurses: A Technology-Enhanced Approach," which Bobal co-authored, is a resource for nurse educators to understand the diverse learning technology options designed to obtain targeted learning outcomes. Packed with expert perspectives from across the nursing education spectrum, this comprehensive toolkit walks through the why and how of using technology to engage and evaluate learners and empowers readers to make confident, informed choices.

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Widener's School of Nursing was one of 13 institutions named a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing. The prestigious honor recognizes nursing's evidence-based and innovative efforts to enhance student learning and professional development. This is nursing's second Center of Excellence honor in the student learning and professional development category from the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education.

In addition to being named a Center of Excellence for student learning and professional development in 2020 and 2024, Widener’s nursing program earned a designation for its work to advance the science of nursing education in 2013, 2018, and 2023. Widener nursing is just one of seven schools nationwide to hold that designation, which runs through 2027. To date, only 95 institutions hold the Center of Excellence in Nursing Education designation.

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Anne Krouse, dean of the School of Nursing, has been inducted into the National League for Nursing's Academy of Nursing Education. This prestigious fellowship celebrates nursing education leaders who teach programs across the spectrum of higher education. Krouse has been selected 2024 class of fellows alongside 26 distinguished nurse educators who are affiliated with top-ranked teaching hospitals, academic institutions, and other organizations committed to advancing the quality of health care in the United States and globally. This competitive fellowship considers applicants’ contributions to innovative teaching and/or learning strategies, nursing education research, faculty development activities, academic leadership, promotion of public policy initiatives that advance nursing education, and/or collaborative educational, practice, or community partnerships.

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The School of Nursing is growing its footprint in the prestigious Main Line Health. The suburban Philadelphia health system reported approximately 40 Widener nursing hires, comprised of both current students and recent graduates, as part of its 2024 nurse residency and nurse externship fall cohort. Widener's growing presence in the tri-state health network leads the hospital's college/university 2024 hires and is the result of a strategic partnership built to provide clinical experience and career opportunities for students.  

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Anne Krouse, dean of nursing, received the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing Medallion for distinguished achievement presented by Villanova University. Krouse, a Villanova alumna, was celebrated for her work as an educator and influential leader in the development and delivery of nursing education. Under Krouse’s direction, Widener’s School of Nursing has been repeatedly named a Center of Excellence, and in 2023, was the only recipient in the category of advancing the science of nursing education. Throughout her career, Krouse has served as president of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Nursing Schools Association, and completed two consecutive three-year terms as the National League of Nursing. Her contributions to the fields have been recognized in the past with honors from the Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania, a fellowship in the Leadership in Academic Nursing Program for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the Fitz Dixon Innovation in Teaching Award, and the Excellence in Leadership Award, Eta Beta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International.

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Nursing Associate Professor Banibrata Roy authored a research article in the journal Pharmacy Education to determine the leadership skills needed amongst pharmacists in different work settings and in different parts of the world. The article titled, "Results from a global pharmacy leadership needs assessment: Opportunities to advance pharmacy leadership," finds that skills should be carefully considered for career development and advancement while providing leadership training in pharmacy education.

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Nancy Laplante, professor of nursing, co-authored a new textbook geared toward preparing nursing students for the Next-Generation NCLEX exam. The textbook, "Clinical Nursing Skills & Techniques, 11th Edition," provides clear, step-by-step guidelines to more than 200 basic, intermediate, and advanced skills. With more than 1,200 full-color illustrations, a nursing process framework, and a focus on evidence-based practice, this manual helps students learn to think critically, ask the right questions at the right time, and make timely decisions. 

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Lauren McCarthy '25 has been elected president of the Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania (SNAP), a non-profit organization and constituent of the National Student Nurses’ Association (NSNA), representing nursing students throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. McCarthy was elected during the 2023 SNAP Convention after previously serving as the organization's secretary/treasurer. As president, McCarthy oversees a number of executive-level responsibilities including representing SNAP at at the annual NSNA convention and other professional organizations and supporting local chapter affiliates. McCarthy will serve as president for one term.

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Katelyn Sheesley '21 donned the cover of Inside Pennsylvania Magazine as one of the young residents named to publication's "30 Under 30" list. A graduate of Widener's accelerated bachelor of nursing (ABSN) program on the Harrisburg campus, Sheesley's work as a critical care nurse and nurse educator at Evangelical Community Hospital earned her recognition in the Susquehanna Valley-based publication. 

Read the full feature on Katelyn Sheesley (page 24).

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First-year nursing students Melvasia Fitzpatrick, Raheim Grant, and Sakyra Sar-Tuch, have bene chosen as recipients of The Independence Blue Cross (IBX) Foundation’s Healthcare Scholars award. The scholarship covers tuition and educational expenses of students interested in pursuing a bachelor of science or associate degree in nursing. A total of 35 students in Pennsylvania were honored at an awards reception held in August. 

This award is given in an effort to increase representation and diversify the nursing profession. The National Advisory Council on Nurse Education finds that patients are better served by healthcare providers of the same background. 

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Widener University’s School of Nursing has been recognized by the National League for Nursing as a Center of Excellence in the area of advancing the science of nursing education. This is the third time Widener has received this recognition.

Nine nursing education programs across the country and the academic spectrum of higher education in nursing, as well as leading teaching hospitals and clinical sites, have been named Centers of Excellence, with Widener being the only recipient in the category of advancing the science of nursing education for 2023. Formal recognition of the award will take place at the 2023 National League for Nursing education summit in September.

“Widener is dedicated to educating the next generation of nurses by creating the evidence to support innovation in nursing education. Recognition for advancing the science of nursing education demonstrates our commitment to ensuring student success through scientific inquiry,” said Anne Krouse, dean of the school of nursing.  

Since 2004, the National League for Nursing has encouraged nursing programs to apply to become a center of excellence based on their ability to demonstrate in concrete, measurable terms sustained excellence in faculty development, nursing education research, student learning and professional development, and academic progression in nursing. Historically, many programs have achieved recognition in multiple categories or once designated, have maintained their center-of-excellence status through multiple award cycles. 

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Assistant Professor of Nursing Jawanza Bundy has been recognized in the graduating cohort from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN) Diversity Leadership Institute, a program which empowers academic nursing leaders with strategies to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the field of nursing and nursing education.  

Each graduate of the 2023 cohort learned high-impact DEI strategies that can be implemented in their own classrooms, and completed a capstone presentation. Bundy’s capstone, titled “Color Blocking: Creating a Colorful Canvas of Culture Across the Campus,” takes into account Widener’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging when looking at existing research and creating a plan of action to be implemented in the School of Nursing. 

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The Widener University Board of Trustees has appointed rising junior nursing major Maritza Garcia ‘25 to the student seat on the board. She will serve a two-year term.

As the student trustee, Garcia, 20, of Bensalem Township joins the prestigious governing body entrusted with the institution’s long-term success. The board monitors and oversees critical aspects of the university, including educational quality, financial strength, mission, and the student experience. She will provide a critical voice to her fellow board members about what it is like to be a student in the Widener community.

Garcia is a strong student who has excelled both inside and outside of the classroom. Her accomplishments include serving as a resident assistant within the Office of Student Living and becoming a certified peer educator through this position. She also re-established the Latinos Unidos student organization, which had been dormant at Widener – seizing an opportunity to provide a greater sense of belonging for students who identify within the Hispanic culture and community at the university. She serves as the group’s president.

An aspiring neonatal intensive care nurse, Garcia is a C.R.E.W. leader in the Office of Student Engagement. Students who hold the position, which stands for the Committee Responsible for Enhancing Widener, serve as guides for helping acclimate new students to Widener and are instrumental in the university’s summer registration and orientation processes. 

In addition, she serves as a pride mentor in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs and pride service site leader with the Center for Civic and Global Engagement. Outside of Widener, she works as a barista shift lead at Starbucks and a shift operation manager at CVS Pharmacy.

Garcia will attend her first board meeting in October. She fills the student seat that had been held by Ijjae Hill ’23, who earned her bachelor’s degree in visual and performing arts in May. 

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