Mary Jo Kirkpatrick, chair of the Associate in Science Nursing program at Mississippi University for Women, was recently honored with the Kossen Faculty Excellence Award.
The award, which includes a $5,000 stipend, recognizes the role of faculty as the heart of the university. It was established in 2004 by Connie Kossen, a 1964 alumna of MUW, and her husband Tom.
Criterion for the award is based on three fundamentals: excellence in teaching, excellence in scholarly or artistic achievement and excellence in service, preferably both on campus and in communities throughout MUW”s service area. Further, to be considered for this award, a faculty member must exhibit a commitment to student success in each of these three areas of responsibility.
Kirkpatrick has served on many university and nursing committees. Highlights of her university service include facilitating and guiding the ASN faculty through four intensive curriculum reviews to keep the curriculum current and in compliance with all professional accreditation standards and leading the program through three successful accreditation visits.
She also has been recognized as a respected leader in the areas of community service, professional achievement and scholarly achievement. She has served as president of the Mississippi Organization of Associate Degree Nursing, president of Sigma Theta Tau Zeta Rho Chapter of the International Nursing Honor Society and served on numerous professional committees at the state and national level. She is an expert in the area of teaching nursing pharmacology and has written and published five nursing pharmacology study guides for Lippincott Publishers since 2004. She also is a recognized expert in student success and has served as a consultant to other schools of nursing.
“Mary Jo is a master teacher with 33 years of experience in the classroom at MUW. Her teaching is always excellent, well received by students, and her student evaluations are consistently good,” said Dr. Sheila Adams, dean of the College of Nursing and Speech-Language Pathology at MUW. “She has incorporated evidenced-based research into her classes, introduced new teaching and learning strategies based on Best Practices in ASN Education,” and incorporated appropriate technology into her classes.”
Current MUW nursing graduate student Shellie Moffett, a 1997 graduate of the MUW Associate of Science in Nursing Program and 1998 graduate of the MUW Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program, praised Kirkpatrick.
“I am thankful for Mrs. Kirkpatrick and the encouragement that she has given me over the years. She has been a role model for me in that women can be part of the working profession, continue their education and raise a family all at the same time with a little structure and organization.”
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