UAH's Sharon Spencer recipient of 2018 Lamplighter Award

Dr. Sharon Spencer, UAH College of Nursing faculty is a recipient of the prestigious Alabama League for Nursing Lamplighter Award.

Michael Mercier | UAH

Sharon Spencer (DNP, RN), a member of The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) College of Nursing faculty has been nominated as a recipient for the prestigious Alabama League for Nursing (ALN) Lamplighter Award for exemplary contributions to the nursing profession.

Spencer will officially receive the award during an ALN banquet on Thursday, March 1, in Tuscaloosa, AL. ALN will present Spencer with a plaque and a Lamplighter pin.

"I am filled with gratitude and honored to be given this most prestigious nursing award," said Spencer. "It is rewarding to know that my colleagues recognize and value my passion to serve our profession. Reflecting back over my career I owe many thanks to family, friends, countless colleagues, students and patients on being selected for this distinguished award. This is an outstanding honor and I sincerely thank everyone involved for thinking of me, and making this moment possible," added Spencer.

A Clinical Assistant Professor in the UAH College of Nursing, Spencer has been at UAH since 2010 and has served in various education and academic roles, with a focus on excellence in teaching, academic student advising, and mentoring new faculty and graduate teaching assistants.

"Dr. Spencer is very deserving of this award," said Dr. Marsha Howell Adams, UAH Dean of Nursing. "She is a master clinician with a specialty in critical care who works tirelessly to position nursing students for success. She is a mentor and professional role model to students."

Spencer's clinical expertise is in critical care nursing. In addition, her research interest lies in nursing leadership, education, and mentoring programs and activities specifically designed for student nurses. At UAH, she has been actively involved in the UAH Nurse Educator Teaching Certificate Program, The University of Alabama System Scholar's Institute, and Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society. She is also the recipient of a Gulf States grant to STTI Annual Leadership Conference.

Before her tenure at UAH, Spencer was a clinical nursing faculty member at the Delgado Charity School of Nursing in New Orleans, LA (NOLA) and an RN at Tulane Medical Center (NOLA). In addition, she worked as an SICU nurse at the Veteran's Administration Hospital (NOLA).

Spencer holds professional memberships in STTI, Beta Phi National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) Board, American Nurses Association (ANA) and Phi Kappa Phi. Her professional service includes Sigma Organization: electronic delegate officer, preceptor for graduate nursing students, advisor to undergraduate nursing students and UAH Student Conduct Board Spring 2016-2018.

Spencer received her BSN and MSN-HSM degrees from Loyola University (New Orleans, LA), and she earned a DNP from UAH.