School of Nursing News

Jennifer Searle, one of our recent October graduates was awarded the Matthew Ayer Award for excellence in Community Health Nursing. The award recognizes students who cultivate an ethical understanding of diversity and inclusiveness, specifically when collaborating with communities living on the margins related to issues of inequity and social injustice. Jennifer is featured here with Dr. Goldberg, who nominated Jennifer for the award related to her exceptional work during a pilot LGBTQ+ community placement. It was here where she was placed at Laing House: an organization where Jennifer partnered collaboratively with youth living with mental health illnesses to engage programs on a weekly basis to further support their peer driven initiatives. The award is named to honor the memory of former nursing student, Matthew Ayer, who is well remembered by Dr. Goldberg and was beautifully embodied in the work of Jennifer during her community nursing placement at Laing House prior to graduation.