UW Nursing School Dean Receives National Advocacy Award

Sherrill Smith, dean of the University of Wyoming’s Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing, is the recipient of the 2024 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Advocate of the Year Award.

Smith, who began serving as dean and professor at the UW nursing school in the College of Health Sciences in 2019, was selected for the award for her advocacy over the past year in promoting academic priorities for nursing education at a national level.

Each year, members of the AACN government affairs staff compile data on exceptional member advocates, present this information to the Government Affairs Committee for review and then select the annual awardee.

Karen Gorton, an associate dean and professor with the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing, notes Smith’s advocacy for academic success with the nursing school’s faculty, staff and students.

“Dr. Smith is always looking for ways to not only improve our student learning experiences in Wyoming, but also to work tirelessly to assist faculty as they seek to provide the best educational experience for our students,” Gorton says. “This can mean finding money to send faculty to various conferences during the year or advocating for faculty to have the opportunity to attend specialized courses which will, in turn, positively impact our programs.”

Smith received her Ph.D. from the University of Northern Colorado with a specialty in nursing education. She is a member of international, national and regional associations, including the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, and the Western Institute of Nursing.

While serving as dean, Smith has guided the UW nursing school through the COVID-19 pandemic and worked with faculty members to ensure the delivery of top-tier educational programs in the school, including the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science, Doctor of Nursing Practice and the interdisciplinary Ph.D. in biomedical sciences.

Smith plans to continue her work in advocating for nursing education at UW and beyond, providing the school’s graduates with tools to become nurse leaders and educators.

“It has been my honor to be the advocate for nursing education for the state of Wyoming these past six years,” Smith says. “I am humbled by this award and look forward to continuing to encourage our faculty and students to support the continued development of nursing education as we prepare the next generation of nurses.”

To learn more about the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing, visit www.uwyo.edu/nursing/index.html.

About UW’s College of Health Sciences

UW’s College of Health Sciences trains health and wellness professionals and researchers in a wide variety of disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, speech-language pathology, social work, kinesiology, public health, health administration and disability studies. The college also oversees residency and fellowship programs in Casper and Cheyenne, as well as operating a speech/hearing clinic in Laramie and primary care clinics in Laramie, Casper and Cheyenne.

With more than 1,600 undergraduate, graduate and professional students, the college is dedicated to training the health and wellness workforce of Wyoming and conducting high-quality research and community engagement, with a particular focus on rural and frontier populations.