Each June at the annual graduation celebration, at least five students are recognized for excellence in the school’s core attributes of leadership development, interprofessional and interdisciplinary education, transformative research, cultural inclusiveness and innovative technology. A Teaching Excellence Award recognizing a faculty member was added in 2016. Below are photos and a list of all excellence award recipients at previous graduation celebrations.

2023 Student Excellence Awards

Aliyah Bell, Felix Howard and Victoria Le
From left, Aliyah Bell, Felix Howard and Victoria Le (Not pictured: Ashlyn Oller and Monica Godden)

Nursing faculty recognized five students with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Leadership: Ashlyn Oller
  • Excellence Collaboration: Victoria Le
  • Excellence Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Felix Howard
  • Excellence in Community Connection: Aliyah Bell
  • Excellence in Innovative Solutions: Monica Godden

2023 Dean’s Excellence Awards

2023 Commencement Ceremony
2023 Commencement Ceremony

School of Nursing students, staff and faculty also submitted nominations for the Dean’s Excellence Awards, which honor staff and faculty in three areas. Those include teaching, research, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Those recognized are:

  • Excellence in Teaching: Michelle Touw
  • Excellence in Research: Jessica Draughon Moret
  • Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Sheri Kuslak-Meyer

2022 Student Excellence Awards

Aldreen Venzon, Irene Turner, Jessica Dyatlov and Sophia Crosby
From left, Aldreen Venzon, Irene Turner, Jessica Dyatlov and Ju-A Son

Nursing faculty recognized five students with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Innovative Solutions: Aldreen Venzon
  • Excellence in Community Connection: Jessica Dyatlov
  • Excellence in Leadership: Ju-A Son
  • Excellence in Collaboration: Irene Turner
  • Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion: Sophia Crosby

2022 Dean’s Excellence Awards

Dean Stephen Cavanagh awards Associate Professor Gordon Worley with the Excellence in Teaching Award
From left, Dean Stephen Cavanagh awards Associate Professor Gordon Worley with the Excellence in Teaching Award.

School of Nursing students, staff and faculty also submitted nominations for the Dean’s Excellence Awards, which honor staff and faculty in three areas. Those include teaching, research, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Those recognized are:

  • Excellence in Teaching: Gordon Worley
  • Excellence in Research: Julie Bidwell
  • Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Susan Adams

2021 Student Excellence Awards

Jonathan Trask, Nicole Vance, Hannah Davis, Erika Gonzalez and Mohammed Jawara
From left, Jonathan Trask, Nicole Vance, Hannah Davis, Erika Gonzalez and Mohammed Jawara

Nursing faculty recognized five students with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Innovative Solutions: Jonathan Trask
  • Excellence in Community Connection: Nicole Vance
  • Excellence in Leadership: Hannah Davis
  • Excellence in Collaboration: Erika Gonzalez
  • Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion: Mohamed Jawara

2021 Dean’s Excellence Awards

Kathryn Sexson, Deb Bakerjian and Brent Luu
From left, Kathryn Sexson, Deb Bakerjian and Brent Luu

School of Nursing students, staff and faculty also submitted nominations for the Dean’s Excellence Awards, which honor staff and faculty in three areas. Those include teaching, research, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Those recognized are:

  • Excellence in Teaching: Kathryn Sexson
  • Excellence in Research: Deb Bakerjian
  • Excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Brent Luu

2020 Student Excellence Awards

Amber Ross, Laura Schafer, Loralyn Taylor, Selu Vargas and Breanne Harris
From left, Amber Ross, Laura Schaffer, Loralyn Taylor, Selu Vargas and Breanne Harris

Nursing faculty recognized five students with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Leadership Development: Amber Ross
  • Excellence in Interprofessional Education: Laura Schaffer
  • Excellence in Transformative Research: Loralyn Taylor
  • Excellence in Cultural Inclusiveness: Selu Vargas
  • Excellence in Innovative Technology: Breanne Harris

2020 Dean’s Leadership Awards

Piri Ackerman-Barger, Cara Sandholdt and Fawn Cothran
From left, Piri Ackerman-Barger, Cara Sandholdt and Fawn Cothran

School of Nursing students, staff and faculty also submitted nominations for the Dean’s Leadership Awards, which honor staff and faculty in three areas: Diversity and Inclusion, Teaching and Research. Those recognized include:

  • Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion: Piri Ackerman-Barger
  • Excellence in Teaching: Cara Sandholdt
  • Excellence in Research: Fawn Cothran

2019 Student Excellence Awards


From left, Victoria Ngo, Misara Bambao, Jason Kao, Ann Tadas and Addie Newby

Nursing faculty recognized five students with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Leadership Development: Addie Newby
  • Excellence in Interprofessional Education: Ann Tadas
  • Excellence in Transformative Research: Jason Kao
  • Excellence in Cultural Inclusiveness: Misara Bambao
  • Excellence in Innovative Technology: Victoria Ngo

2019 Dean’s Leadership Awards


From left, Matt St.Amant, Kate Turpin and Debbie Ward

School of Nursing students, staff and faculty also submitted nominations for the Dean’s Leadership Awards, which honor staff and faculty in three areas: Diversity and Inclusion, Teaching and Research. Those recognized include:

  • Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion: Matthew St.Amant and Kate Turpin
  • Excellence in Teaching: Cara Sandholdt
  • Excellence in Research: Jill G. Joseph

2018 Student Excellence Awards


From left, Heather M. Young, Sarina Fazio, Cody Potter, Elaine Talley, Emily Jing and Malalai Yusufzai

Nursing faculty recognized five students with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Leadership Development: Malalai Yusufzai
  • Excellence in Interprofessional Education: Emily Jing
  • Excellence in Transformative Research: Elaine Talley
  • Excellence in Cultural Inclusiveness: Cody Potter
  • Excellence in Innovative Technology: Sarina Fazio

2018 Dignity Health Dean’s Leadership Awards


From left, Terri Harvath, Sheryl Catz, Sam Sankaran-Walters and Heather M. Young

School of Nursing students and faculty also submitted nominations for the Dignity Health Dean’s Leadership Awards, which were made possible by the Dignity Health Dean’s Chair for Nursing Leadership Endowment. The awards honor staff and faculty in three areas: Diversity and Inclusion, Teaching and Research. Those recognized include:

  • Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion: Jann Murray-García
  • Excellence in Teaching: Sam Sankaran-Walters
  • Excellence in Research: Sheryl Catz

2017 Student Excellence Awards


From left, Dean Heather M. Young, Barbara Abeling, John James, Sarah Reed, Jerry Yang and Hayatullah Niazi

Nursing faculty recognized five students with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Leadership Development: Hayatullah Niazi
  • Excellence in Interprofessional Education: Jerry Yang
  • Excellence in Transformative Research: Sarah Reed
  • Excellence in Cultural Inclusiveness: John James
  • Excellence in Innovative Technology: Barbara Abeling

2017 Dignity Health Dean’s Leadership Awards


From left, Dean Heather M. Young, Associate Professor Elena O. Siegel and Family Nurse Practitioner Director Elizabeth Rice and Maricel Lumaquin

For the first time, students and faculty submitted nominations for the Dignity Health Dean’s Leadership Awards, which were made possible by the Dignity Health Dean’s Chair for Nursing Leadership Endowment. The awards honor staff and faculty in three areas: Diversity and Inclusion, Teaching and Research. Those recognized include:

  • Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion: Maricel Lumaquin
  • Excellence in Teaching: Elizabeth Rice
  • Excellence in Research: Elena O. Siegel

2016 Student Excellence Awards


From left, Associate Dean for Academics Theresa Harvath, Dean Heather M. Young, Goretti DeNava Arreygue, Gloretha Wilcots, Sally Moyce, Annie Ngo Tat and Alexandra Sabella

Nursing faculty recognized five students with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Leadership Development: Alexandra Sabella
  • Excellence in Interprofessional Education: Annie Ngo Tat
  • Excellence in Transformative Research: Sally Moyce
  • Excellence in Cultural Inclusiveness: Gloretha Wilcots
  • Excellence in Innovative Technology: Goretti DeNava Arreygue

2016 Teaching Excellence Award


From left, Associate Dean for Academics Theresa Harvath, Assistant Adjunct Professor Kupiri Ackerman-Barger and Dean Heather M. Young

For the first time, students and faculty submitted nominations for the Teaching Excellence Award, the recipient deserving special recognition for his or her enthusiasm in the classroom, teaching innovations, responsiveness to students, and ability to stimulate thought, involvement and independent efforts by students. Associate Dean for Academics Theresa Harvath presented the inaugural award to Kupiri Ackerman-Barger, an assistant adjunct professor and assistant director for the Master's Entry Program in Nursing.


2015 Student Excellence Awards


From left, Dean Heather M. Young, Donn Kropp, Dale Risenhoover, Pam Ibanez, Satish Mahajan, Jerry John Nutor and Rocio Hernandez

Nursing faculty recognized six students with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Leadership Development: Rocio "Cio" Hernandez
  • Excellence in Interprofessional Education: Jerry John Nutor
  • Excellence in Transformative Research: Satish Mahajan
  • Excellence in Cultural Inclusiveness: Dale Risenhoover and Pam Ibanez
  • Excellence in Innovative Technology: Donn Kropp

2014 Student Excellence Awards


From left, Robin MacPherson-Dias, Katherine Kim, Bertha Odhiambo and Deborah Greenwood

Five students were recognized by nursing faculty with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Leadership Development: Lauren Burke
  • Excellence in Interprofessional Education: Robin MacPherson-Dias
  • Excellence in Transformative Research: Katherine Kim
  • Excellence in Cultural Inclusiveness: Bertha Odhiambo
  • Excellence in Innovative Technology: Deborah Greenwood

2013 Student Excellence Awards


From left, Christy Solorio, Issa Sidibe, Kimberly Higgins, Sergio Camarillo, Anita Depatie and Dean Heather M. Young

Five students were recognized by nursing faculty with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Leadership Development: Kimberly Higgins
  • Excellence in Interprofessional Education: Issa Sidibe
  • Excellence in Transformative Research: Christy Solorio
  • Excellence in Cultural Inclusiveness: Sergio Camarillo
  • Excellence in Innovative Technology: Anita Depatie

2012 Student Excellence Awards


From left, Charles Johnston, Ren Bee, Jody Johnston, Linda Luna, Jennifer Mattice and Dean Heather M. Young

Five students were recognized by nursing faculty with awards of excellence highlighting the school’s five core attributes:

  • Excellence in Leadership Development: Charles Johnston
  • Excellence in Interprofessional Education: Ren Bee
  • Excellence in Transformative Research: Jody Johnson
  • Excellence in Cultural Inclusiveness: Linda Luna
  • Excellence in Innovative Technology: Jennifer Mattice