Lakeview Student, Faculty Member Receive DAISY Award

Lakeview College of Nursing (LCN) honored a student and a faculty member with a DAISY award during the College's Spring Research Day. Erica Stevenson, an LCN student from St. Joseph, IL, and Debra Kamradt, an LCN Assistant Professor from Tolono, IL, were presented with the awards.

Stevenson, a student from the College's Danville location, was recognized for her servant leadership.

"She leads by example, and her humility, empathy, and unwavering willingness to support others help those around her reach their fullest potential. This kindness and generosity have been a constant source of strength for our cohort," according to Sarah Minacci, an LCN student who nominated her for the award.

Minacci explained that Stevenson provided a safe and welcoming space and always strived to help her peers. Stevenson took time to speak with the incoming cohort of students, answering their questions and sharing her wisdom with them. "She was even willing to switch her top-choice clinical site with another student," said Minacci.

Kamradt, the faculty recipient of the DAISY award, has been a faculty member at Lakeview since 2022. The nomination for Kamradt described her as caring and empathetic, and someone who goes above and beyond and prioritizes the needs of others.

She "has always been available to help me with any questions pertaining to my current classes or clinical and you can tell that she truly cares about each and every one of her students based off how she advocates for our needs," according to Destiny Bell, one of Kamradt's students at the College.

Stevenson and Kamradt received a DAISY award certificate, pin, and a Healer's Touch sculpture.

Benjamin Reuttiger, a student from New Lenox, IL, was also nominated for the student award.

The DAISY Foundation is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at the age of 33 from complications of an autoimmune disease. Patrick's family was very touched by the remarkable compassion and clinical skill demonstrated by Patrick's nurses during his illness, so they created DAISY to recognize exceptional nurses everywhere. LCN has partnered with DAISY to present awards to extraordinary nursing students and faculty members.

More information about the DAISY award and LCN's online nomination form can be found at https://lcn.edu/daisy-award.