Professor Brighton is dedicated to our nursing students across many educational programs. At the BSN level, every College of Nursing student enters the nursing profession under her guidance with the foundations of physical assessment and effective, compassionate communication skills. Students are eager and motivated, yet the academic content is rigorous and somewhat abstract to the real world of taking care of patients. She is highly influential in effectively guiding our students in becoming excellent nurses during this critical time of professional socialization and making this content seem real and vital. She inspires them to see the value of these foundational skills, and incorporate them well early in their career. Professor Brighton is highly valued and respected among her peers for her expertise as a Psychiatric Nurse, both as an educator and as an Advanced Practice nurse in private practice. Her knowledge of group therapy and effective counseling techniques has been vital to the education of our MSN and DNP students. She is recognized and respected as being the content expert and leader in the development of our Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program. Through her expertise and guidance, the PMHNP program continues to expand in educating graduate students with mental health expertise to serve patients with psychiatric and mental health conditions across the state of Iowa and to improve access to mental health care for many in need. Professor Brighton is beloved by everyone in the College of Nursing: students, faculty and staff. Her God given and contagious ?joie de vivre? enlightens many a heart on the 3rd floor of the Nursing Building, as well as throughout the College of Nursing and the NCEC. She is known and beloved for bringing a humorous spin in the midst of many a stressful time. Colleagues are deeply grateful that she has invested her career in our midst, and are sincerely grateful knowing that her warm and caring influences trickle down to the student level as well as making the College of Nursing a happier place to be. It is without a doubt that we are fully confident that Clinical Assistant Professor Veronica Brighton is an outstanding Nurse Educator, and wish to honor her as this year?s DAISY Nurse Educator Award for 2013.