Congratulations to the 134 degree recipients in the Class of 2020! Today’s virtual celebration included encouraging remarks from Dean Ann Kurth ’90 MSN, PhD, CNM, MPH, FAAN and student speaker Danielle Um ’20 MSN. The class is comprised of 115 Master of Science in Nursing candidates, 16 Doctor of Nursing Practice candidates, and 3 PhD candidates, whose degrees are awarded through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Check out the full video here.
Check out the faculty and student prize winners below and learn more about outstanding YSN graduates in a special section of YaleNews. See and share photos on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook using hashtags #YaleNursing2020 and #Yale2020.
Student speaker Um was selected by the Commencement Awards Committee, a group of faculty, staff, and students. The adult gerontology/primary care specialist acknowledged the unusual circumstances of graduating during a global pandemic, while also striking a hopeful tone: “As we go out into the real world, with all the training wheels off, may we not be afraid to step out of our comfort zones, may we be willing to work in underserved communities, and may we never forget YSN’s mission: Better health for all people.”
Annie Goodrich Award for Excellence in Teaching
Dr. Dilice Robertson ’08 MSN, DNP, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, PMHNP-BC was nominated by her students to earn this prize. Named for YSN’s founding dean, the prize recognizes a faculty member who carries on her tradition of exceptional nursing education. Dr. Robertson is noted for her deft pivot to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing mindfulness exercises to every Zoom call, and creating a welcoming space for students to share their personal and professional concerns. As the preceptor liaison, she has built many strong relationships with clinicians throughout the community.
Charles King, Jr. Memorial Scholars Aid Prize
Camille Lawhead ’20 MSN is the winner of this award, demonstrating outstanding performance in scholarship, research, and clinical practice. During her years at YSN, she volunteered at the Haven Free Clinic, completed a rotation with the Yale Community Health Care Van, and worked with the Refugee Health Alliances group in Tijuana, Mexico. Lawhead was also an active participant in the Gender, Sexuality, and Health Justice concentration.
Milton and Anne Sidney Prize
Dr. Bridget Lynn Basile Ibrahim ’20 PhD is being honored for her research and commitment to clinical scholarship and the mission to contribute better health for all people. Dr. Ibrahim produced an in-depth exploration of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) in the United States. Her integrative review exposed the facilitators and barriers identified in the literature of accessing VBAC in the United States. Her study of 2017 birth certificate data is the first large dataset, state-by-state demographic, and geographic examination of VBAC.