Nurturing Next Generation Award
This award, in honor of Sarah Gutknecht, DNP, who was a pillar of excellence in the pediatric community for several decades. She was one of the first students to earn her doctorate in Nursing at the University of Minnesota, faithfully using her skills and her knowledge to serve pediatric patients and their families at Shriner’s Hospital and Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare. She was known for her enthusiasm, generosity, love of life and learning, and her ability to inspire. Very few people she encountered walked away without being motivated to do or be better. Her smile was infectious, her energy boundless, and her heart full of compassion. She was often found sitting on the floor in her patient’s rooms, playing, winning them over with her kindness during their visit.
She was an active member of the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board, the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP), the Institute for Pediatric Nursing, the Minnesota International Health Volunteers, and Ready Set Smile. She went on nearly 30 volunteer excursions around the world with Operation Smile and Healing Hands for Haiti, helping provide resources and corrective surgery for patients with disabilities. She won the Distinguished Nurse of the Year Award through the Minnesota March of Dimes, the President’s Award through Minnesota NAPNAP, the Distinguished Alumni Humanitarian Award from the University Of Minnesota School Of Nursing, and the Donna Poe Davis Award for Excellence in Nursing from Operation Smile. She never failed to seize an opportunity to teach or to learn. She was humble, brilliant, and approachable. She stayed at the forefront of pediatric development by participating in research, maintaining involvement in local and national organizations, and serving on the board at the University Of Minnesota Nursing Department.
Her life ended all too quickly on August 24, 2017, following a brave and arduous fight with pancreatic cancer. Her legacy lives on through the lives she touched and the people she inspired. She was passionate about students advancing their education in nursing to promote better outcomes for the pediatric community. She mentored countless students over the years; always-instilling confidence, never leaving them with feelings of inferiority or inadequacy. The “Nurturing the Next Generation Scholarship” was founded in her honor to give students pursuing advanced pediatric nursing degrees the opportunity to augment their education and to connect to the greater pediatric nurse practitioner community by attending the annual NAPNAP Conference. Sarah valued this conference so much that she generously gave of her own time and money to ensure students could afford to attend and to embrace this opportunity.
The “Nurturing the Next Generation” Scholarship is open to all current Minnesota, North and South Dakota residents enrolled in advanced practice graduate nursing programs with a pediatric focus (PNPs, FNPs, CNS, DNPs) with anticipated graduation dates during the upcoming academic year. Applicants must be or become members of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) and associate themselves with the local MN chapter. A selection committee from the MN NAPNAP board will review the applications and choose the recipient based on qualifications, response to the following questions, and financial need.
Applicants must verify their student status by one of two methods 1) submit a valid student picture ID with valid dates or 2) submit a letter from the program director on official institution letterhead that validates status as a student in a qualifying program. Recipients must provide proof of NAPNAP membership, conference registration, and attendance at The National Conference before funding is received. Recipients will receive $500 towards attending the in-person conference or to cover the full fee of $250 for the virtual conference. Recipients provide their own funding for all other expenses incurred.
- Applications are open for receiving between January 1st and January 13th, 2025. Recipient will be notified by January 14th, 2025. Funds available after the recipient has submitted proof of conference registration, with proof of additional above requirements.
Nurturing the Next Generation Award Application
Additional Awards:
1. PNP of the Year
Each year we recognize one or more exemplary nurse practitioners for his or her contributions to the profession and community at large. The honoree must have made a significant contribution to the region in promoting health care of children and families in at least one of the following areas: health care delivery, education, research, or administration and promotion of the PNP role.
2. Organization of the Year
Annually, we recognize an organization for their promotion of health and wellbeing for children in the state of Minnesota.
3. Student Member Award
The MN NAPNAP board greatly values our student members and encourages students to be engaged in this professional organization. We recognize that as students you have limited time to work and may not have CE funds available for conferences and professional memberships. Each year we award one student with a 1-year membership to NAPNAP, which includes membership in the national organization as well as with your local MN chapter. Nominations can be completed for self or another.
4. President's Award
The President’s Award for Excellence recognizes the outstanding contributions of a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner who has demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and compassion in the care of children and families over the past year. This individual has gone above and beyond in providing high-quality, evidence-based care, building strong patient relationships, and advocating for the well-being of every child they serve. Through their clinical expertise, leadership, and tireless commitment to improving patient outcomes, they have set a new standard of excellence in pediatric nursing practice. This award honors their unwavering passion for pediatric healthcare, their collaborative spirit, and their significant impact on the lives of the children and families they care for.
Presidents Award Application
Email questions to mnnapnap@gmail.com