This award is granted to Dr. Nancy Carter for her exceptional leadership in advancing best practices in nursing education administration. As Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, her work has consistently enhanced the student experience and strengthened the quality of nursing education in Ontario.

Dr. Carter is recognized for her significant contributions to curriculum development. Serving as the Department Education Coordinator, she has led ongoing curriculum development and implementation for four graduate program streams, ensuring that content remains evidence-based and responsive to current healthcare needs. Her innovative approach to curriculum has resulted in improved research literacy, sharpened communication skills, and new pathways for scholarly inquiry within nursing study at the graduate level.

Her passion for student success is evident in her extensive mentorship record. She has supervised eleven Master’s theses and nine doctoral dissertations, and advised over 100 graduate learners. Her mentorship is characterized by clarity, pragmatism, and care, which students note as instrumental in their progress from admissions through comprehensive exams, thesis defences, and transition to practice/academia.

This year’s Agency Recognition Award (Hospital) is presented to Scarborough Health Network (SHN). SHN is recognized for their exceptional and sustained commitment to supporting graduate nursing students through the provision of exemplary clinical learning environments that promote practice excellence, leadership development, and interprofessional collaboration.

Across SHN hospital units, students repeatedly reported feeling encouraged, trusted, and valued as learners and emerging professionals. Student evaluations were overwhelmingly positive, particularly related to feeling welcomed and supported in the clinical environment, and the overall quality of learning experiences. Further, university partners commend SHN’s proactive, student-approach to maximize clinical placements across a wide range of highly sought-after care settings, such as mental health, pediatrics, and post-partum care, where
placements can be difficult to secure.

A Master of Nursing Clinical student described their placement as providing “an open, positive and supportive approach that allowed me to feel comfortable as both a student and a team member”. In addition, a Nurse Practitioner student reflected that the placement environment, “allowed [her] to grow into the NP role while feeling well-supported by the team”.

COUPN recognizes Kensington Health with the Agency Recognition Award (Non-Hospital) for their outstanding commitment to clinical education, student learning, and professional development.

Students commend Kensington Health for fostering a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive atmosphere where placement experiences are highly efficient and well-organized. They also note the high level of dedication among preceptors and nurses on the unit who continually made themselves available for questions, and were committed to sharing clinical knowledge fostering a supportive learning environment which student’s credit for their placement success.

It was also noted by students with accessibility considerations that their needs were not only met, but exceeded, exemplifying Kensington’s Heath’s commitment to inclusion in practice.

Evaluation data from recent placements indicate that students were consistently made to feel welcomed, supported, and integrated into the interprofessional team. They also reported that the nursing and professional practice observed at Kensington Health served as a model to emulate, underscoring the organization’s commitment to nursing excellence in practice.

COUPN honours Megan Esses with the Clinical Instructor Award for excellence in clinical teaching, professionalism, and student mentorship. As a clinical educator, Megan embodies knowledge-based nursing through the integration of trauma-informed care and clinical reasoning into her teaching philosophy. She is recognized for her keen attention to the cultivation of professional standards in addition to clinical skills, cultivating values of nursing excellence in her students.

Megan is also celebrated for her dedication to student wellbeing, particularly with respect to ensuring psychological safety in clinical simulation settings. She is quick to adapt to student needs and consistently develops strategies to ensure that students who face barriers to participation are integrated in learning environments.

One of Megan’s students shared that she felt challenged by her community placement in oncology due to the emotionally intense nature of patient encounters. Megan was quick to formulate an action plan, share supportive strategies, and continually checked in with the student, who cited these efforts as instrumental to her successful completion of the placement.

COUPN grants this award to Steve Xia, a fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing student. His academic excellence is complemented by an extensive leadership and service portfolio, reflecting his deep commitment to advanced nursing practice in direct care, education, research, and administration.

Steve’s contributions to nursing practice are evident in his clinical placements across surgical, geriatric rehabilitation, diabetes education, and long-term care settings. He consistently demonstrates strong clinical judgment, professionalism, and patient-centered communication. In his diabetes education placement, he independently taught insulin administration, condition management, and lifestyle strategies to diverse patient populations, translating complex concepts into accessible education. He routinely manages full patient assignments with minimal supervision, demonstrating a level of competence and compassion that exceeds undergraduate expectations.

Steve is commended for his extensive leadership, serving as President of the Western-Fanshawe Nursing Students Association and for his advocacy for inclusion and accessibility in nursing education and practice. Steve’s infectious energy and passion for nursing continues to inspire others, modelling what it means to be an ambassador for the profession.

COUPN awards the Excellence in Teaching Award to Dr. Heather Thomson for developing innovative teaching strategies, often using simulation technologies to bridge gaps in curriculum and prepare students for leadership. Dr. Thomson’s enthusiasm for teaching and commitment to the nursing profession is widely celebrated by her colleagues and students.

Her teaching philosophy is centered on cultivating judgement, resilience, and leadership alongside clinical knowledge and technical skills. She is commended for developing unique online learning tools that stimulates students to think creatively and critically. As an educator, she embodies accessibility and adaptability in practice, offering students various formats to engage with course content that suit diverse learning needs.

Dr. Thomson’s dedication is widely recognized by her students, demonstrated by her outstanding evaluations across all her taught courses. In particular, students repeatedly call attention to her “pedagogy of kindness” which left them feeling heard and supported while navigating the rigour of the nursing program. One student writes, “her belief in students’ potential was both motivating and empowering, leaving a lasting impact on my learning and professional growth”.

The Master’s Student Award of Excellence is awarded to Julia Sek. Julia is recognized for her academic excellence and extensive scholarly contributions which exceed expectations for graduate study.

Julia’s thesis investigated Canadian mothers’ experience of stigma in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV), particularly in healthcare settings. Her scholarship carries critical implications and has potential to shape health care standards and guidelines when caring for women who experience gendered violence. She also coordinated a Canada-wide study on the use of arts-based storytelling among mothers with histories of IPV, along with conducting participant interviews, demonstrating an exceptional degree of nursing skill, as well as warmth, empathy, and sensitivity in working with this population.

Alongside her research endeavours, Julia continued to work as a Registered Nurse (RN) at the bedside, contributing to excellent patient care in addition to taking on multiple teaching assistant roles. She regularly guest-lectures in undergraduate nursing mental health courses, speaking to her expertise in this area and her skill as an emerging educator.

COUPN awards the Preceptor Recognition Award to Dionne A. Sinclair for her exceptional contributions to graduate nursing education through preceptorship. A hallmark of Dionne’s preceptorship is her ability to foster welcoming, psychologically safe, and supportive learning environments. Across evaluations, students rated Dionne at the highest level in measures related to feeling welcomed, supported, and respected as learners.

Graduate students repeatedly identify Dionne as an exceptional role model for professional nursing practice. Students strongly agreed that her practice within the placement setting was: “a model for me to emulate”. Many commented on how observing Dionne’s leadership deepened their understanding of advanced nursing roles, ethical decision making, and system level accountability.

She consistently prioritizes full participation in preceptor practicum webinars, including orientation sessions, mid‑term check‑ins, and post‑practicum debriefs. Her engagement in these forums is appreciated as she contributes innovative ideas, thoughtful and constructive feedback, and scholarly insights that enhance the quality of the advanced nursing practice scholarship practicum. This level of engagement exemplifies her passion for the nursing profession and a genuine investment in student success.

The Scholarship into Practice Award is awarded to Dr. Samantha Mayo for her tremendous contributions to nursing scholarship. Dr. Mayo’s research program addresses a vital issue in cancer research: how to optimize the long-term health of hematological cancer survivors in the context of clinical care and health services.

Samantha’s research is distinguished by its clear focus on patient-centered outcomes, which has direct applicability to oncology nursing practice. Her scholarly work bridges the critical gap between evidence generation and real-world implementation, ensuring that research findings translate into compassionate, effective, and equitable care for patients living with cancer. Much of her research inquiry mainly focuses on addressing under-studied neurological symptoms that can be long-lasting and distressing for patients.

Samantha’s scholarship and leadership elevate standards of care, strengthen nursing practice, and inspire nurses to engage in research, advocacy, and organizational leadership. Her contributions exemplify the highest ideals of the nursing profession and demonstrates the profound impact of nurses who serve as knowledge generators and leaders in practice innovation.