Nurse practitioner student to receive annual Ralston Center Award for Gerontology Nursing Excellence

Since 2006, Philadelphia’s Ralston Center has annually awarded educational grants to two outstanding graduate-level nursing students, one from Villanova University College of Nursing and one from the University of Pennsylvania. Through the Award for Gerontology Nursing Excellence, Ralston Center is able to contribute to the education of much-needed professionals in geriatric care.

This year the two $2,000 grants are being awarded to the College’s Laura Binkley and the other to Steven Szablewski of the University of Pennsylvania. The award presentation will take place on April 18, 2013 at 12:00 PM at Ralston Center in Philadelphia. Binkley will also be recognized at the College's Convocation on May 18th.

Binkley is a student in the MSN Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program and is employed as a staff nurse at Lancaster General Hospital. She has a long interest in the care of the elderly, and her work is guided by her to desire to maximize the quality of life for older adults. Binkley’s recommendation letter from M. Louise Fitzpatrick, Connelly Endowed Dean and Professor, states that “Ms. Binkley has an outstanding academic record and continually demonstrates passion for older adults throughout her clinical and didactic courses. Faculty describes her as passionate, focused and dedicated to the elderly and their total care needs.”

Candidates for the Award for Gerontology Nursing Excellence are nominated by their school's clinical instructors or academic advisors. Candidates must have a GPA of 3.50 or higher, and must have completed one-third of the course requirements toward his/her graduate nursing program in gerontology. The award is offered in the spring of each year.