Faculty Awards

Professor Zuppa is the recipient of the Innovative Educator Award. Known for going above and beyond, she consistently makes herself available to students, provides meaningful feedback, and dedicates significant time to helping them succeed both academically and creatively. This year, Professor Zuppa helped establish the Writers Guild, creating a valuable space for students and community members to practice writing and connect with others who share a passion for the craft. She also devotes additional time to supporting this club and ensuring the highest-quality production of the Boars Tusk creative journal. Through engaging discussions, diverse writing experiences, and individualized guidance, Professor Zuppa inspires students to deepen their skills, confidence, and appreciation for writing.

Sunny Thomas is the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award. She is deeply committed to her students’ success and consistently encourages them to strive for excellence, even when they lack confidence in themselves. Highly knowledgeable in nursing practice, she is also open about the limits of her own expertise and models lifelong learning by encouraging students to seek answers and think critically. Sunny actively welcomes student feedback and continually reflects on how to improve her teaching and classroom experience. She embraces innovative approaches to education, including virtual reality, and strongly advocates for meaningful clinical learning opportunities. Through her guidance and encouragement, she supports students in advancing their education and preparing for their nursing careers, serving as a source of inspiration and mentorship throughout the student nurse experience.