WVU Nursing hosts Kandzari Lectureship, recognizes student award winners and honor society inductees

Dr. Bernadette Melnyk, Dean Tara Hulsey and Dr. Mary Jane Smith before the Kandzari Lectureship on April 25, 2024.

As part of the Kandzari Lectureship, the West Virginia University School of Nursing welcomed Dr. Bernadette Melnyk as its keynote speaker during the April 25 event. In addition to the lecture, student award winners and honor society inductees were recognized.

Dr. Melnyk, who is the Vice President for Health Promotion and Chief Wellness Officer for The Ohio State University, presented “Using Best Evidence to Improve Rural Population Health and Well-Being: A Call to Action.”

Melnyk, who is recognized globally for her expertise in EBP, child, adolescent and clinician mental health, serves as the Executive Director of the Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for EBP, the Helene Fuld Health Trust Professor of Evidence-based Practice, and Dean Emeritus of Ohio State’s College of Nursing.

The 2024 student award recipients include:

· CRNA Award for Excellence — Hannah Nuzum

· PhD Award for Excellence — Kimberly Erwin

· DNP Award for Excellence — Melissa Fannon-Wisner

· BSN Awards for Excellence — Senior, Jack McDade; Junior, Isabella Haynes; Sophomore, Halee Stevens

· BS/BA to BSN Award for Excellence — Taylor Sergent

· Dr. Patsy Hesen Haslam Public Health Nursing Award — Kelsie Lesher

· PhD Alumni Award for Leadership — Patrick Murphy

· DNP Alumni Award for Leadership — Sarah Hinnant

· MSN Alumni Award for Leadership — Virginia Ford

· BSN Alumni Award for Leadership — Aiden Slusser

New members were also inducted into the Alpha Rho Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society — an international community of nurses, dedicated to the advancement of knowledge, teaching, learning, and service through the cultivation of communities of practice, education and research.

New members include:

· Zyiah Bailey

· Jonathan Barbour

· Brooke Belcher

· Mary Buffington

· Benjamin Davis

· Robin Elkins

· Lindsey Ellison

· Scott Fankhauser

· Hailey Freeman

· Madison Goff

· MacKenzie Gould

· Isabella Haynes

· Candice Henson

· Sarah Hinnant

· Emily Huffman

· Madison Jenkins

· Alyssa Kocher

· Hannah Koontz

· Adison Leahy

· Donna Leonard

· Chesney Manko

· Crystal Martin

· Haley Maynard

· Jessica Mitchell

· Hannah Mooney

· Kimberly Moore

· Frances Murphy

· Coriann Nemcik

· Delaney Palmer

· Savannah Pennington

· Annamarie Pinti

· Madison Remeto

· Parker Rohrbaugh

· Taylor Sergent

· John Sulkowski

· Angelina Summerbell

· Benjamin Tillis

· Ella Tingler

· Skylar Webb

The Kandzari Memorial Nursing Lectureship was created to honor Judy C. Kandzari, who was a member of the faculty at the WVU School of Nursing from 1967 until her untimely death in 1996. A West Virginian, she earned an EdD in Community Health Education, a master’s degree in Counseling and Rehabilitation, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing, all from West Virginia University. The Memorial Lectureship is designed to offer insight into nursing in rural settings through presentations by nurse leaders who are experts in rural health.

See the full gallery of photos. 

-WVU-

CONTACT: Wendy Holdren
Director of Communications and Marketing
WVU School of Nursing
304-581-1772; wendy.holdren@hsc.wvu.edu