Graduation Awards, Student Speakers, & School Flag Bearers

Badger Future Nurse Leader Award

The Badger Future Nurse Leader Award recognizes a student who is an exemplary leader and embodies the ethics and values of nursing.

The award recipient will receive a certificate of recognition at the School of Nursing Graduation Celebration event in May.

Self-nominations will be accepted for the Badger Future Nurse Leader Award.

Award Criteria

To qualify, nominee must:

• Demonstrate leadership
• Prepare, motivate, and impact other students as leaders
• Participate in community activities and giving back to others
• Mentor fellow students
• Promote activity in nursing organizations
• Make a significant contribution to the overall excellence of their school
• Set a healthy example and promote a healthy lifestyle
• Demonstrate a clear sense of direction for their future nursing careers
• Be on track to graduate from a UW-Madison BSN program during the academic year the award is given

Once nominated, nominee must submit the following to be considered for this award:

• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Personal statement

The recipient will be selected based upon how successful the candidate is in meeting the eligibility criteria and the quality of the submitted materials in relation to the demands of the award.

The recipient of the Badger Future Nurse Leader Award will also be the UW-Madison School of Nursing’s nominee for the Wisconsin Nurses Association (WNA) Future Nurse Leader Award.

DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students was created by the DAISY Foundation to remind nursing students, even on their hardest days in nursing school, why they want to be a nurse.  It recognizes nursing students for the above-and-beyond care and compassion they show patients and their families as they are learning what it means to be a nurse.

The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students will be awarded to two undergraduate students each academic year. Award recipients will receive a certificate of recognition, a pin, and a statuette at the School of Nursing Graduation Celebration event in May.

Due to the DAISY Foundation’s award criteria, self-nominations will not be accepted for the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students.

Award Criteria

To qualify, nominee must:

• Demonstrate commitment to compassionate care of patients and families
• Make a connection with patients, families, and peers by building trust and respect
• Advocate strongly for patients
• Demonstrate exceptional skill
• Be on track to graduate from a UW-Madison BSN program during the academic year the award is given

Once nominated, nominee must submit the following to be considered for this award:

• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Personal statement

The recipients will be selected based upon how successful the candidates are in meeting the eligibility criteria and the quality of the submitted materials in relation to the demands of the award.

Ginsberg Family Award

Every year, the School of Nursing awards the Ginsberg Family Awards, a campus-wide award which recognizes undergraduate excellence in leadership, service, and scholarship to students at the baccalaureate level. The award is in recognition of strong academic performance combined with outstanding leadership and service to the university or larger community. The Ginsberg family has chosen to offer these awards in honor of the late Dean of Students Paul Ginsberg (Dean of Students from 1970-1987) in recognition of his profound impact on the campus community. These awards will continue Dean Ginsberg’s legacy of transforming the student experience.

The School of Nursing award recipient will receive a certificate of recognition at the School of Nursing Graduation Celebration event in May. On the campus level, the award recipient will be honored during a reception at the end of the spring semester, attended by family, friends, and the Dean of Students, and will receive a $1000 monetary award.

Self-nominations will be accepted for the Ginsberg Family Award.

Award Criteria

To qualify, nominee must:

• Demonstrate leadership and service to the university or larger community
• Maintain a record of academic excellence
• Be on track to graduate from a UW-Madison BSN program during the academic year the award is given

Once nominated, nominee must submit the following to be considered for this award:

• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Personal statement

The recipient will be selected based upon how successful the candidate is in meeting the eligibility criteria and the quality of the submitted materials in relation to the demands of the award.

For additional information on this award at the campus level, view the Undergraduate Academic Awards – Ginsberg Family Awards page.

Mary L. Keller Research Award

Mary L. Keller was a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing for nearly two decades. Mary died of cancer in May 2006. Professor Keller was an outstanding scholar and her ability to engage and mentor students in research was unsurpassed. The Mary L. Keller Research Award is awarded annually to one student in her memory.

Award recipients receive a certificate of recognition at the School of Nursing Graduation Celebration event in May, as well as a monetary award of $1,000.

Self-nominations will be accepted for the Mary L. Keller Research Award.

Award Criteria

To qualify, nominee must:

• Be involved in research through the Nursing PhD program, the Early Entry PhD program, or the Undergraduate Honors program*
• Demonstrate passion, integrity, and productivity in nursing research

*Both graduating and continuing students are eligible for the Mary L. Keller Research Award.

Nominators must:

• Submit a statement of 250 words or less about the nominee that addresses:
  • The length of time you have known the nominee and your working relationship with the nominee (program/honors advisor, clinical supervisor, course instructor, etc.)
  • The reasons for nominating this individual for the Mary L. Keller Research Award, including insights on the nominee’s passion, integrity, and productivity for nursing research

Once nominated, nominee must submit the following to be considered for this award:

• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Personal statement

The recipient will be selected based upon how successful the candidate is in meeting the eligibility criteria and the quality of the submitted materials in relation to the demands of the award.

Nurses Alumni Organization (NAO) Pins

Each year, the UW–Madison Nurses Alumni Organization (UW NAO) honors outstanding graduating students by presenting them with pins donated by alumni of the School. Started in 1996, the pinning tradition illustrates the proud history of the UW–Madison School of Nursing and the strong connection alumni have to the School. More information regarding the pin tradition can be found here.

All UW–Madison School of Nursing students, faculty, and staff are welcome to nominate graduating undergraduate nursing students for consideration to receive a nursing pin that has been donated by an alum. Pin recipients will be selected by the NAO and will be honored during a virtual pinning ceremony in late-April.

The NAO Pin nominations are collected separately from Graduation Award nominations, though nominations are typically collected around the same time. View the Nomination Information section at the top of this page for nomination links and deadlines.

Self-nominations will be accepted for the Nurses Alumni Organization (NAO) Pin.

School of Nursing Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award

Every year, the School of Nursing awards the School of Nursing Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award to a nursing student at the baccalaureate level.

The award recipient will receive a certificate of recognition at the School of Nursing Graduation Celebration event in May, as well as a monetary award of $750.

Self-nominations will be accepted for the School of Nursing Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award.

Award Criteria

To qualify, nominee must:

• Have a minimum nursing grade point average of 3.75, within top 5%
• Participate in volunteer service to the school, community and professional organizations
• Demonstrate exceptional clinical and course performance

Once nominated, nominee must submit the following to be considered for this award:

• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Personal statement

The recipient will be selected based upon how successful the candidate is in meeting the eligibility criteria and the quality of the submitted materials in relation to the demands of the award.

Signe Skott Cooper Writing Award

Every year, the School of Nursing awards the Signe Skott Cooper Writing Award to a nursing student at the baccalaureate or doctoral level.  The purpose of the award is to help students become aware of the opportunities for publication in nursing literature and to encourage them to write for publication. All currently enrolled UW School of Nursing students, baccalaureate or doctoral, are eligible to submit their paper or manuscript, which is of publishable quality.

The award recipient will receive a certificate of recognition at the School of Nursing Graduation Celebration event in May, and a monetary award of $400.

Self-nominations will be accepted for the Signe Skott Cooper Writing Award.

Award Criteria

To qualify:

• Nominee must be the primary author
• Paper/manuscript must be relevant to a topic of interest to nursing (examples: clinical topics, research, health care delivery, nursing roles, international nursing experiences, illustrative case studies, administrative issues)
• Paper/manuscript must be prepared for submission or submitted to a nursing or health-related journal

Once nominated, nominee must submit the following to be considered for this award:

• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Personal statement
• Paper/manuscript and the “Guidelines for Authors” of the intended journal

The recipient will be selected based upon how successful the candidate is in meeting the eligibility criteria and the quality of the submitted materials in relation to the demands of the award.

Mary L. Keller Research Award

Mary L. Keller was a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing for nearly two decades. Mary died of cancer in May 2006. Professor Keller was an outstanding scholar and her ability to engage and mentor students in research was unsurpassed. The Mary L. Keller Research Award is awarded annually to one student in her memory.

Award recipients receive a certificate of recognition at the School of Nursing Graduation Celebration event in May, as well as a monetary award of $1,000.

Self-nominations will be accepted for the Mary L. Keller Research Award.

Award Criteria

To qualify, nominee must:

• Be involved in research through the Nursing PhD program, the Early Entry PhD program, or the Undergraduate Honors program*
• Demonstrate passion, integrity, and productivity in nursing research

*Both graduating and continuing students are eligible for the Mary L. Keller Research Award.

Nominators must:

• Submit a statement of 250 words or less about the nominee that addresses:
  • The length of time you have known the nominee and your working relationship with the nominee (program/honors advisor, clinical supervisor, course instructor, etc.)
  • The reasons for nominating this individual for the Mary L. Keller Research Award, including insights on the nominee’s passion, integrity, and productivity for nursing research

Once nominated, nominee must submit the following to be considered for this award:

• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Personal statement

The recipient will be selected based upon how successful the candidate is in meeting the eligibility criteria and the quality of the submitted materials in relation to the demands of the award.

School of Nursing DNP Excellence Award

Every year, the School of Nursing awards the School of Nursing DNP Excellence Award to an outstanding graduate student in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. This award recognizes academic achievements in the program, performance in clinical courses, research interests, and/or contributions to the school.

The award recipient will receive a certificate of recognition at the School of Nursing Graduation Celebration event in May. All currently enrolled UW School of Nursing DNP students are eligible.

Self-nominations will be accepted for the School of Nursing DNP Excellence Award.

Award Criteria

To qualify, nominee must:

• Have a minimum nursing grade point average of 3.75, within top 5%
• Participate in volunteer service to the school, community and professional organizations
• Demonstrate exceptional clinical and course performance

Once nominated, nominee must submit the following to be considered for this award:

• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Personal statement

The recipient will be selected based upon how successful the candidate is in meeting the eligibility criteria and the quality of the submitted materials in relation to the demands of the award.

Signe Skott Cooper Writing Award

Every year, the School of Nursing awards the Signe Skott Cooper Writing Award to a nursing student at the baccalaureate or doctoral level.  The purpose of the award is to help students become aware of the opportunities for publication in nursing literature and to encourage them to write for publication. All currently enrolled UW School of Nursing students, baccalaureate or doctoral, are eligible to submit their paper or manuscript, which is of publishable quality.

The award recipient will receive a certificate of recognition at the School of Nursing Graduation Celebration event in May, and a monetary award of $400.

Self-nominations will be accepted for the Signe Skott Cooper Writing Award.

Award Criteria

To qualify:

• Nominee must be the primary author
• Paper/manuscript must be relevant to a topic of interest to nursing (examples: clinical topics, research, health care delivery, nursing roles, international nursing experiences, illustrative case studies, administrative issues)
• Paper/manuscript must be prepared for submission or submitted to a nursing or health-related journal

Once nominated, nominee must submit the following to be considered for this award:

• Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
• Personal statement
• Paper/manuscript and the “Guidelines for Authors” of the intended journal

The recipient will be selected based upon how successful the candidate is in meeting the eligibility criteria and the quality of the submitted materials in relation to the demands of the award.