2018 Faculty and Staff Awards

Ending 2018 with reflection and celebration, Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing announces the winners of this year’s faculty and staff awards. Ending 2018 with reflection and celebration, Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing announces the winners of this year’s faculty and staff awards.

We would like to take this time and congratulate all of the recipients, and thank them for all of their hard work in and out of the classroom.

Dean’s Award for Exceptional Service

The Dean’s Award for Exceptional Service is presented to a faculty member for his or her participation in outstanding service to the College, the academic profession and the community. The faculty selected Kelly Hantack, MSN, RN, CPN, instructor at Goldfarb.

For the past five years, Kelly has shown incredible skill, effort and leadership in many ways. She has worked with the Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education (CIPE) curriculum committee, the college’s undergraduate curriculum committee, the faculty affairs committee, co-chaired the student awards committee, led a review of the West Campus Site curriculum with faculty and is leading a Higher Learning Commission (HLC) criterion work group. One fellow faculty member said about Kelly, “Kelly has consistently gone above and beyond any expectation for faculty participation in committee work aimed to support the college’s ongoing success.”  And leadership at the CIPE said, “Kelly is keenly able to help the committee better understand nursing’s perspective of interprofessional education and practice, and [Kelly] has integrated that perspective into the core curriculum. Kelly is an invaluable member of the committee.” In addition for formal service, colleagues know that Kelly attends Goldfarb events and meetings, and is there to help new and current faculty whenever needed.

Ruth G. Franc Award for Excellence in Classroom Teaching

The Ruth G. Franc Award for Excellence in Classroom teaching is presented to a faculty member who demonstrates innovative teaching and learning approaches; motivates supports and serves as a role model for students; and demonstrates evidence based integration of theory and practice in teaching. The faculty selected Katie Jett, MSN, RN, FNP-BC, assistant professor at Goldfarb.

Administration, colleagues and students cannot say enough about Katie’s exceptional classroom teaching. She goes above and beyond in the classroom, including lecture and simulation. She continues to have excellent student review and performance evaluations related to her teaching term after term, year after year. Within the classroom, Katie has incorporated many teaching strategies including real life case studies, concept mapping with short quizzes to determine understanding of the concepts, start of class question and answer period over previous class, clicker questions, focused review with storytelling and humor, occasional flipped classroom and class virtual simulation with pod casts and role play. Katie uses a combination of high expectations, technology, real life and the ability to connect with her students to create an optimal learning environment. One of Katie’s students said, “Katie has a unique teaching style that engages all students. She truly gets how students learn. Her students feel more confident in their knowledge because they had to take ownership for their learning.” Anyone can see that Katie has a love for teaching and a passion for nursing. She is a role model for classroom teaching.

Cynthia Billman Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching

The Cynthia Billman award for excellence in clinical teaching is presented to a faculty member whose clinical teaching is innovative, supportive and respectful to students. The person motivates students to be knowledgeable and compassionate. The faculty selected Justin Schneider, MSN, RN, AGPCNP-BC, instructor at Goldfarb.

Goldfarb administration, faculty and students are emphatic about Justin’s exceptional clinical teaching. Colleagues say, “He creates a student-centered learning environment at the beginning of a term by assessing his learners for where they are in regard to clinical skills, knowledge and comfort. Then, he uses that baseline assessment to individualize learning opportunities for his students. He designs learning experiences that allow students to implement patient safety and communication. He is one of the best role models for nursing as he is organized, clear with expectations and compassionate. Justin sets a high bar for his students, supports their efforts to be successful and holds them accountable.”  One student shared the following comment with Justin, “Your patience provided me the environment to grow. Your knowledge gave me the tools to apply myself. And your love for your career inspired me every day. I hope one day I can be half the nurse you are!”  Justin exemplifies exactly what a clinical instructor at Goldfarb should be.

Christner Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Nursing Science

The Christner Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Nursing Science is presented to a faculty member for his or her outstanding accomplishments and excellence in this area. The faculty selected Nancy Van Aman, DNP, RN, FNP-BC, associate professor at Goldfarb.

Nancy’s research has included the areas of high fidelity human patient simulation with new graduate nurses, using standardized patients to teach delirium screening, using standardize patients to teach end-of-life care, simulation to teach assessment using a respiratory distress scale, compassion fatigue prevalence and relationship of fatigue to heat sensitivity in patients with multiple sclerosis. Nancy joined the research team at Missouri Baptist Medical Center in a collaborative relationship between Goldfarb and Missouri Baptist. Nancy has direct oversight of the Evidence Based Practice (EBP) Fellowship where staff nurses are taught the EBP process and are mentored through their own project based on the needs of the nursing unit. Through her mentoring, Missouri Baptist has seen positive outcomes as a result of EBP which have touched nearly every service line at the hospital.  Through Sigma (an honor society for nursing), Nancy has chaired a number of research day events and was instrumental in the Sigma Tau Iota Chapter’s new scholarship programs that fund research. Nancy is passionate about making a difference through research.

Living Our Values Award for Staff Excellence

The Living Our Values Award for Staff Excellence is awarded to an outstanding staff member that consistently exceeds expectations and demonstrations the values of Goldfarb. The committee chose Curtis Smith, MM, program officer for academic affairs at Goldfarb.

Curtis works diligently behind the scenes and pays careful attention in processing of time records and supporting faculty, and adjunct faculty, in receiving their correct pay. He often comes in over the weekend to work through glitches that occur within the myTime/Kronos system. This is a prime example of taking a broken process and going beyond what is necessary to benefit the adjunct faculty and aid in maintaining their willingness to continue supporting the college and in turn our nursing students.

Curtis cares about the community and is known to demonstrate a willingness to speak up and bring forward concerns that others may stay silent, in a respectful way. Curtis has a desire to learn and pursue opportunities such as being appointed as a Higher Learning Commission (HLC) peer reviewer and completed the fellowship of the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative. In addition, Curtis serves as a mentor for young men during a summer camp experience and works with a food program to assist Syrian refugees.

Staff Award for Community Service

The Staff Award for Community Service recognizes a staff member who volunteers their time or resources to the betterment of their community. The committee chose Yolanda Nettles, instructional technology specialist at Goldfarb.

Yolanda models the college’s core values of caring ways, community, mutual respect and empowerment because she is genuine, kind and always helps out when asked. Yolanda volunteers at a homeless shelter, the East St. Louis Mosque, and with East St. Louis Hoops. East St. Louis Hoops is a basketball tournament for children in the community. Yolanda selflessly gives her time in organizing and planning the activities for this event for children. In addition to volunteering outside the community, she also serves the Goldfarb community by being an active member on the ATI (test preparation) faculty workgroup.

Congratulations, again, to all of the winners!

Faculty awards are chosen by the faculty affairs committee; Nominees submit a portfolio of accomplishments for the committee to review. Staff awards are chosen by a committee consisting of 1 faculty member, 2 internal non-faculty members, 2 external individuals and a HR representative as ex-officio.