School of Nursing Honors 2019 Award Recipients

May Celebration award recipients (left to right): Donna Tyrpak, Maureen Moore-Haley and Martha Bergren.

Published June 18, 2019

Each year, the School of Nursing recognizes leaders in the nursing field who advance the profession and the mission and values of the School at our annual May Celebration. The 2019 School of Nursing award recipients are dyamic, dedicated professionals who are helping to shape the future of nursing practice and education.

Distinguished Alumni Award

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to a UB School of Nursing alumnus in recognition of his/her exceptional career accomplishments, community or university service, or research and scholarly activity.

The 2019 recipient is Martha Bergren, DNS, RN, NCSN, PHNA-BC, FNASN, FAAN. Bergren earned both her master’s and doctorate degrees from UBSON. During her career, Bergren worked in the pediatric and early childhood field and has advanced the pediatric nursing field with her extensive research. She is an unwavering champion of the field of school nursing and the important role nurses play in the successful educational outcomes for our youth.

Bergren is involved in professional organizations and professional service throughout her career, recently as a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives and the Global Network of Public Nursing. She has served on several advisory boards for student health issues and on the boards of directors for numerous organizations, including the National Core Data Set, Stand Up and Be Counted workgroup, the American Public Health Association in Washington, DC, and the Healthy Schools campaign in Chicago. She is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

Bergren currently serves as a clinical associate professor and director of the Advanced Population Health and Healthy Systems Leadership & Informatics, Department of Health Systems Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing.

Patricia H. Garman Award for Excellence and Service in Nursing

The Patricia H. Garman Award for Excellence and Service in Nursing is presented in recognition of significant support of, and impact on, the University at Buffalo School of Nursing.

The 2019 recipient is Donna A. Tyrpak, MS, RN, ANP. Tyrpak is a two-time graduate of UBSON, earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from UB. She has served in multiple roles at UBSON, including clinical faculty member; director of marketing, communications and alumni engagement; and project coordinator for the first UBSON-led R01 grant.

Distinguished Preceptor Award

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The Distinguished Preceptor Award is presented in recognition of an outstanding clinical preceptor for the School of Nursing.

This year, the award was presented to Maureen Moore-Haley, BSN, HMS, RN. Moore-Haley works on the ECMC rehabilitation unit as a registered nurse and has served as a UBSON preceptor since the inception of the program. She is a dedicated to the education and mentorship of our students and to the care of her patients. One of Maureen’s nominators said, ”Maureen is non-judgmental and will work with the most insecure students without difficulty. UB’s SON is lucky to have her. Her kindness, patience and compassion are truly remarkable.”

This year's celebration was held on May 23 at Hotel Henry.