UIW Nursing Professor and Student Chapter Recognized at 2024 Texas Nursing Students Association Conference

From Thursday, Oct. 10 through Saturday, Oct. 12, the 2024 Texas Nursing Students Association (TNSA) conference was hosted in Austin, Texas. TNSA is dedicated to promoting professionalism and leadership among nursing students, representing over 3,000 individuals across the state who are preparing for initial licensure as registered nurses. This annual conference welcomes members to gather and exchange ideas, share knowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of the next generation of nursing professionals.

This year, a UIW Nursing faculty member and the University's Student Nurses Association (SNA) were honored for their outstanding contributions to the nursing field and nursing education.

Dr. Daniel Lovasz, assistant professor of Nursing at the UIW Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions (SNHP), received the 2024 Faculty of the Year Award. This award recipient is nominated by their TNSA chapter students for being a notable educator dedicated to supporting their educational advancement.

To help determine which nominated educator was most deserving of this award, TNSA asked students to respond to one simple prompt: Why do you feel this faculty member should receive this award?

"The easy and simple answer is that Dr. Lovasz cares about his students. The more difficult answer is that Dr. Lovasz is the glue that holds our organization together," wrote Natalie Cerba and Ana Chartier, UIW SNA president and editor. "He continues to surpass what is expected of him professionally and goes beyond his best efforts to make this organization a space for nursing students to be successful. He dedicates his time to ensuring we are the best versions of ourselves as we embark on pursuing one of the most renowned degrees. This journey has been recognized as rigorous and demanding, and having a faculty member like Dr. Lovasz encouraging us to keep going is quite often the small push that students need."

Dr. Lovasz felt deeply honored to be nominated by his students for this distinguished award, a recognition that resonates profoundly with him. To him, the recognition reaffirms his commitment as an educator, serving as a reminder that he is making a meaningful impact in their lives. "I was very happy, emotional to tell you the truth. It's a pleasure to teach students and to see them grow and develop into the professionals they're becoming," expressed Dr. Lovasz.

UIW SNA received two awards: 2024 Chapter of the Year and 2024 Image of Nursing Award.

The Chapter of the Year award recognizes a student nursing chapter that has actively engaged in fundraising and community health initiatives that support those in need. The UIW SNA chapter has participated in events such as Alamo Heights Nutrition Night and provided valuable services, including the SNA Scrub Closet, which provides affordable scrubs to healthcare workers and students, and vaccine administration.

The group received the Image of Nursing Award for their work with the UIW football team, administering IVs to players during home games to ensure they maintained optimal hydration. The award aims to recognize nursing projects that portray a positive image of nursing and demonstrate significant contributions to the public and/or community through innovative community health projects.

"Earning the TNSA awards for Chapter of the Year and Image of Nursing fills UIW SNA with motivation, passion, and pride," shared Chartier. "UIW Nursing students are monitored and evaluated to hold high professional and educational standards that promote our development into our future nursing careers. We value and appreciate this recognition as it validates the impact UIW Nursing has made within our community at the state level. These awards mark the beginning of our futures and support our nursing program's mission to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word, through the educational preparation of health professionals."

Additionally, UIW SNA secretary Celestina Martinez was appointed by TNSA as Nomination Chair on their board, taking on the mantel from UIW's Amber Barrera. In this new position, Martinez will coordinate elections for the TNSA's annual conference.

"I'm honored and excited to be a part of such an incredible group," remarked Martinez. "I'm beyond grateful for the encouragement and support I received during the process. I'm passionate about showing members the potential they have. No matter who you are or who you think you are, I believe you are capable of incredible things."

Congratulations to all of UIW's honorees!

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