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School of Nursing Alumni Awards

A group of people gather in a large windowed atrium to celebrate the 2023 FPB Alumni Awards

Every year during CWRU Homecoming, the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing’s Alumni Association bestows the following awards to three graduates. 

FPB Early Career Alumni Achievement Award

Previously the Young Alumni Award for Excellence

This award recognizes an FPB alumna/us who has demonstrated outstanding leadership growth and/or significant contributions to nursing/healthcare within the first 10 years of their nursing career.This award is granted to an FPB alumna/us who graduated from an entry-level nursing program (BSN or MN).

FPB Alumni Award for Excellence

This award recognizes an FPB alumna/us who has demonstrated outstanding leadership growth and has made significant contributions in nursing or related areas of healthcare.

FPB Distinguished Alumni Award

This award recognizes an FPB alumna/us who has demonstrated exemplary contributions in nursing or related areas of healthcare and has continuously advocated for the advancement of the nursing profession.

Nominate Alumni for the Annual FPB Alumni Awards


Alumni Research Awards

See eligibility information below.

  • Nominations are reviewed once a year by the FPB Alumni Association Awards Committee, which consists of Alumni Association Board members and the Dean of the School of Nursing.
  • Only one winner will be selected for each award category. Award winners and their nominators will be notified by the Committee Chair by the end of August.
    • This will also include an invitation to attend an award ceremony during that year’s CWRU Homecoming Weekend.
  • Nominators of those not selected will also be notified by the Committee Chair by the end of August. These nominations will remain on file for 1 year and may be reassessed again, at the Committee’s discretion (except for Early Career Alumni Achievement Award nominees that exceed their 10 years of eligibility)

Alumni Association Awards Eligibility

  • Nominations are considered by the Awards Committee if they are submitted by the deadline and contain all of the required elements.
    • This includes completion of the nomination form, the nominee’s CV, and a letter of support from their nominator.
    • The letter of support must contain the nominator’s name, relationship to the nominee, length of time known, and how the nominee meets the award criteria (see below)
  • Nominees will only be considered for one award category.
    • Nominators should review the award descriptions above and select the most appropriate category.
  • Self-nominations are not accepted. Nominations will also not be accepted for:
    • FPB Alumni who are currently employed as full-time faculty or staff at CWRU
    • FPB Alumni who are currently serving on the FPB Alumni Association Board

Alumni Association Awards Criteria

The Awards Committee reviews each nomination and scores each nominee based on how well they fulfill the following criteria.

  • Award for Excellence
    • Considered a subject matter expert for an area in nursing practice, research, or policy.
    • Demonstrates advancement in leadership roles within clinical, academic, administrative and professional organization settings.
    • Recognized for excellence in teaching, curriculum development, or educational mentorship.
    • Presents at regional, national, or international levels.
    • Has made scholarly contributions (research/EBP and/or publications)
    • Engages in meaningful service or advocacy efforts within regional, national, or international communities.
  • Distinguished Alumni Award
    • Considered a subject matter expert for an area in nursing practice, research, or policy.
    • Recognized as a transformational nursing leader (e.g., advocacy, administrative progression, education, mentorship).
    • Presents at regional, national, or international levels.
    • Has made scholarly contributions (research/EBP and/or publications).
    • Engages in meaningful service or advocacy efforts within local or global communities.
    • Serves as a professional role model, exhibiting integrity, vision, and commitment to advancing the profession.
    • Has developed entrepreneurial, technological, or practice-based innovations in healthcare.
  • Early Career Alumni Achievement Award
    • Considered a subject matter expert for an area in nursing practice, research, or policy.
    • Demonstrates advancement in leadership roles within clinical, academic, administrative and professional organization settings.
    • Recognized for excellence in teaching, curriculum development, or educational mentorship.
    • Presents at local, regional, national, or international levels.
    • Has made scholarly contributions (research/EBP and/or publications).
    • Engages in meaningful service or advocacy efforts within local, regional, national, or international communities.

Alumni Research Awards

We are pleased to invite applications for the FPB Alumni Association Research Awards. The association established these awards to support students with independent research projects.

Eligible to apply:

  • Current Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing MSN, DNP and PhD students
  • FPB Alumni who have graduated within the last three years and are in clinical practice (full or part-time)

The applicant must be the Principal Investigator for the study/project. Learn more in the award eligibility form. Those who are selected could be awarded up to $1,000 to support their research project.

Please make sure to download, fill out the form, then "Save as" a different filename in order to retain the information you've provided.

Application deadline is April 1.

Research Awards: Up to $1,000

For questions, contact: fpbalumni@case.edu

Give the FPB Alumni Association Endowment Fund.

Previous Alumni Awards Winners

View an archive of recordings of previous award ceremonies on the FPB YouTube channel.

YearAwardee Name
2020Marian K. Shaughnessy, DNP '17, MSN '85 (posthumous)
2014Charlene Phelps, '65
YearName
2024MariLou Prado-Inzerillo, NUR '17
2023Adelais Markaki, NUR '92, GRS '92, (anthropology)
2022Sonya Moore, DNP '16
2020Nancy H. Wagner, DNP '09
2017Martha K. Swartz NUR '77
2016Michael E. Zychowicz, DNP ’06
YearName
2024Sara Mithani, PhD, CWR '16
Cara Berg Raunick, NUR '11, '15
2023Julia Blanchette, NUR '14, GRS '20, (nursing)
2022Zeyana Al Ismaili, MSN '15
2020Pamela Slaven-Lee, DNP '08
2017Kirstyn M. Kameg DNP ‘08
2016Diana R. DeBartolomeo Mager, DNP ‘09
YearName
2024Margaret Bobonich, NUR '00, '10
Teresa Kelechi, PhD, NUR '84
2023Freida Chavez, NUR '13
2022Jaclene Zauszniewski, PhD '92, MSN '89
2020Judy E. Davidson, DNP '08
2019Carol Roe, MSN '79
2016Margaret A. Fitzgerald, DNP ‘06
2015John M. Clochesy, GRS ‘93
2013Adeline M. Nyamathi, PhD ’83
2012Geraldine McCarthy, PhD '94, MSN '90
2011Mary Beth Happ, '88
2010Patricia Gorzka, '64
2009Lynore Dutton DeSilets, ’64
2008Shirley Mason Moore, ’93, ’91
2007Linda Q. Everett, '85
2006James E. Hovey, '94
2006Russell C. Swansburg, '52
2005Mary E. Kerr, '91
2004Donna Lee Algase, '88
2004Greer Lita Glazer, '79, '84
2003Mary Lou V. Stricklin, '77
2002Judith Shamian, '88
2001Sharon L. Tennstedt, ‘77
2000Barbara L. Nichols, ‘66
1999Charlene Phelps, ‘65
1998Betty Smith Williams, ‘54
1997Doris Matherny Modly, ‘57, ‘77, ‘87
1996Ruby L. Wilson, ‘59
1995Carol L. Schaffer, ‘79
1994Carol A. Lockhart, ‘65
1993Laura C. Dustan, ‘43
1992Thelma J. Wells, ‘70
1991Patty L. Hawken, ‘62
1990Carrie B. Lenburg, ‘58, ‘60
1989Mara M. Baun, ‘70
1988Elizabeth L. Grossman, ‘47
1987Judith A. Sullivan, ‘67
1986May L. Wykle, ‘62, ‘69, ‘81
1985Ruth M. Anderson, ‘45, ‘54
1984Jeanette Miller Lancaster, ‘69
1983Susan Reichert Gortner, ‘57
1982Catherine Parker Anthony, ‘32, ‘53+
1981Geraldine Gleason Price, ‘53
1980Lillian Sholtis Brunner, ‘47
1979Rita K. Chow, ‘55
1978Marlene Kramer, ‘58+
1977Helen M. Tobin, ’49, ‘57
1976Virginia E. Cleland, ‘49+
1975Edith Patton Lewis, ‘39
1974Alene B. Duerk, ‘48
1973Evelyn Burns Burke, ‘30+
1972Valencia N. Prock, ‘53
1971Martha Pitel, ‘46
1970Dorothy Mereness, ‘41+
1969Olga Benderoff, ‘28+
1968Margene Faddis, ‘29+

+ Deceased

YearName
2016Catherine Lindenberg, BSN’66

Other School of Nursing Alumni Awards

Other awards that are bestowed (outside of the purview of the Alumni Association of the Frances Payne School of Nursing) include:

The Frances Payne Bolton Legacy Award

The Frances Payne Bolton Legacy Award, given at the discretion of the Dean of FPB School of Nursing, honors individuals and organizations for their contributions to the school, the profession of nursing and the community at large in the spirit of Frances Payne Bolton; health care advocate, philanthropist, Congresswoman and namesake of the School of Nursing.

The President’s Award

The President’s Award recognizes an outstanding alumna or alumnus selected by the president of the CWRU Alumni Association and the Alumni Awards Committee for exceptional service to nursing or various unique efforts—often at the grassroots level which benefit nursing.