College of Nursing faculty and staff members are among the hundreds across the university who are being honored for service and excellence during the 2024 Founders’ Day celebration Wednesday.
UCF College of Nursing faculty and staff members are among those who will be recognized for academic excellence and service at the Founders’ Day Faculty Honors Celebration in the Student Union’s Pegasus Ballroom on April 3, 2024.
Congratulations to this year’s honorees:
Faculty Awards
Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, College Award
Jonathan Decker ’10PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, Associate Lecturer
Decker has been teaching and mentoring undergraduate students in the College of Nursing for nearly two decades.
The alumnus and advanced practice nurse practitioner also maintains a clinical practice with UCF Health Services.
Excellence in Graduate Teaching, College Award
Desiree A. Díaz, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, CNE, CHSE-A, ANEF, FSSH, FAAN, Professor
Díaz, an internationally recognized healthcare simulation expert, joined UCF in 2015 and is the director of the new interdisciplinary Hispanic Serving Healthcare Professionals graduate certificate program.
Her innovative research uses simulation to address healthcare disparities and improve care for underserved patient populations.
Excellence in Research, College Award
Victoria Loerzel ’07PhD, RN, FAAN, Endowed Professor
Loerzel’s research seeks to improve quality of life for older adults with cancer. She also mentors future nurse scientists as the college coordinator of UCF’s Honors Undergraduate Thesis program.
Her current research includes a $2.5 million NIH grant to test an educational game that seeks to improve symptom management for older adults with cancer.
Faculty Service
(from L to R)
- Christopher W. Blackwell, Associate Professor, 20 Years of Service
- Stephen D. Heglund, Senior Lecturer, 20 Years of Service
- Angeline Bushy, Professor Emerita
- Maureen Covelli, Associate Professor Emerita
- Charlotte Neubauer, Associate Instructor, Retired
Staff Awards
Employee Excellence Awards for Student Success
Judy Rechsteiner
Admissions Specialist II, Traditional BSN
In addition, congratulations to Employee Excellence Awards Nominees Christina Grosso and Deanna Williams.
Staff Service
- Norma Morell, 5 Years of Service
- Nicole Phanstiel, 5 Years of Service
- Patricia Riva, 5 Years of Service
- Christina Gonzalez, 5 Years of Service
- Sunny Heyl, 10 Years of Service
- Tonya LaPrarie, 10 Years of Service
- Elizabeth LaTorre, 10 Years of Service
- Ashley Turner, 10 Years of Service
- Debra Urban, Retired (pictured on left)
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