Dean’s Award for Undergraduate Scholarly Mentorship

Assistant professor Jianghong Liu, was selected for the Dean’s Award for Undergraduate Scholarly Mentorship for her passion and commitment to mentoring undergraduates in pursuit of knowledge and nursing research. She has helped students cultivate their research interests by providing them with opportunities to prepare manuscripts, develop and present abstracts at research symposiums, and design scholarly posters. Dr. Liu has even offered her mentees the opportunity to accompany her on an annual research trip to China this summer, where students will engage in first-hand research, gain cultural competency, and form international collaborative relationships with Chinese scholars. “Dr. Liu is dedicated to helping us realize our professional goals and has offered us invaluable learning opportunities to help pave our way to get there,” her students wrote in a joint nominating letter, adding, “none of our Penn experiences would have been the same without her.”

Dean’s Award for MS/MSN Scholarly Mentorship

Associate professor of pain practice—clinician educator Rosemary Polomano, is the first recipient of the Dean’s Award for MS/MSN Scholarly Mentorship. She was nominated for being a role model and inspiration to her students in establishing a research career that informs their practice. She has helped students conduct research at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, taught them how to write successful grant applications, and “been available to direct, guide, and answer any questions about the research project,” wrote her students. Dr. Polomano also advised the students when they were invited to an international conference to share their research findings. Her students added that “she has inspired us to continue to pursue nursing research so that we may build on the evidence upon which we practice.” 

Dean’s Award for Exemplary Professional Practice

Associate professor of health care of women and childbearing nursing—clinician educator Diane Spatz, was nominated for the Dean’s Award for Exemplary Professional Practice by more than 80 of her colleagues at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she works as a clinical nurse specialist in lactation, and by her fellow faculty members at the School of Nursing. Dr. Spatz, the Helen M. Shearer Term Associate Professor of Nutrition, was commended for “transforming institutional culture” by developing education and training programs for nurses and physicians that have improved the lives of vulnerable infants. In her clinician educator role at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), she has educated more than 550 CHOP nurses on the use of human milk and breastfeeding and an additional 400 nurses from regional and national hospitals through her NICU course. She has also encouraged RNs—some who have been out of school for decades—to return and earn their MSNs. A former CHOP RN and Penn graduate student wrote, “Dr. Spatz continually works toward improvement in nursing practice by fostering high standards for nurses and stimulating the professional development of the staff nurses that she works with.”

Award for Teaching Excellence by Non-Standing Faculty

Senior lecturer Beth Quigley was nominated by more than 100 students and faculty for her exceptional teaching, course leadership, and commitment to the School of Nursing. “Ms. Quigley has excellent command of her material and appropriately hones the teaching to students’ readiness to learn,” wrote a fellow faculty member. She was also commended for mentoring both students and clinical instructors. Another professor wrote, “I have become a much more effective teacher because of Beth Quigley’s influence.” Ms. Quigley’s students refer to her as “exceptional in demonstrating and teaching skills and assisting students in the beginning stages of their careers. She has contributed greatly to the nursing profession by shaping generations of nurses over the last 20 years and imparting to them not only excellence in clinical skills, but also caring, passion, and critical thinking.”

Undergraduate Award for Teaching

Lecturer Rosemary Gillespie, was selected by the undergraduate class for excellence in teaching at the undergraduate level, knowledge of the subject matter, ability to stimulate student interest and professional development, innovative teaching methods, and responsiveness to students. She is an OB clinical instructor for advanced senior clinical rotations and “goes out of her way to find opportunities for us to expand our skills,” wrote one student who nominated her for the award. “My critical thinking skills have increased exponentially. She assures that she is available for each and every delivery that we experience on the floor.”

Outstanding Nurse Educator Award/MSN Award for Teaching

The Graduate Student Organization selected advanced senior lecturer Mary Kathleen McHugh, for excellence in teaching at the master’s level, knowledge of the subject matter, ability to stimulate student interest and professional development, innovative teaching methods, and responsiveness to students. “Her skills in the classroom manifest with every word she speaks; the mysteries of scientific jargon artfully are taken from textbooks and crafted into everyday images,” her student wrote. “All of Kate’s achievements, dedication to her students, and international work are reflections of her great passion for this profession, one that certainly is infectious to her students.”

Barbara J. Lowery DSO Faculty Award

Associate professor Martha Curley, was selected by the Doctoral Student Organization for advancing nursing science through exemplary and unwavering student mentorship. Dr. Curley was nominated for being an “exemplar of the integration of research and clinical practice” and for her “extraordinary ability to show kindness and passion in everything she does.” Her commitment to nursing scholarship is evidenced by “her ability to model the synergy of clinical care and research, recognize the opportunity to mentor future educators of nurses, and initiate the opportunity to support doctoral students in their development of teaching skills,” one student wrote.