Donors establish two new College of Nursing faculty awards

Kathryn Sandahl Philp

Two new awards have been established to recognize and reward UNMC College of Nursing faculty members.

The Kathryn Sandahl Philp Creativity and Innovation Award and the Donna Westmoreland Mentorship in Teaching Award were established through endowed funds that will be awarded annually.

The Kathryn Sandahl Philp Creativity and Innovation Award will be given for demonstrated expertise in areas of creativity and innovation in teaching, research and practice/service. The $10,000 fund was established by Philp’s daughter, Kristin Kramer.

“It’s a symbolic gesture and meant to honor my mother in the best way I can,” Kramer said. “My mother’s nursing training was a great experience for her and I wanted to recreate that experience for others and keep the tradition going.”

UNMC College of Nursing Dean Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., said using the gift for a faculty award celebrates Kathryn Philp’s educational beginnings at UNMC.

“Faculty awards are a wonderful way for a donor’s gift and name to be a constant reminder of faculty excellence and donor generosity,” Dr. Tilden said.

Philp was attending her 50th College of Nursing reunion last summer when her daughter surprised her with the news about establishing the award.

“I was very taken back. I was so pleased and amazed at her generosity,” Philp said. “Kristin knows how dear the school was, and is to me.”

The Donna Westmoreland Mentorship in Teaching Award was established to honor former UNMC College of Nursing professor, Donna Westmoreland, Ph.D., who loved teaching and mentoring faculty, Dr. Tilden said.

Donna Westmoreland, Ph.D.

“This award in her name celebrates her many gifts and recognizes how deeply loved she was by the faculty,” Dr. Tilden said.

Karen Grigsby, Ph.D., a friend and former co-worker of Dr. Westmoreland — who died last year at 57 after a battle with cancer — helped establish the award and also contributed to it.

“Donna was a spirited nurse educator and friend who helped faculty discover their voices and develop their capacity as teachers and scholars. I believed it was important that the fund be endowed so that this award would continue in perpetuity,” said Dr. Grigsby, UNMC College of Nursing associate professor.

Criteria for the Westmoreland award include serving as an inspiration to new faculty to develop knowledge and skills in the classroom, laboratory or in clinical nursing education.

Submission deadline for the awards is April 2. Honorees will be presented with an engraved plaque and a $500 award at the College of Nursing Retreat on May 2.

For more information, contact Danielle Wilson-Baxter at 559-6572 or at dwilsonb@unmc.edu.