Patty Sharkey Excellence in Nursing Scholarship

Emerita Professor Patricia Sharkey ’76 established the Patty Sharkey Excellence in Nursing Scholarship at SUNY Brockport to recognize an outstanding senior-year student enrolled in the Department of Nursing.

Ms. Sharkey earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Brockport and her MSN degree from SUNY at Buffalo before teaching at the College for 38 years, retiring in 2015. Her specialty was working with those suffering from mental illness and addiction. She enjoyed helping students learn to communicate effectively with patients and to care for those struggling with emotional and mental health issues. She appreciated watching students transform from the classroom to nursing professionals as they developed skills to use in clinical situations.

She also maintained an active practice, specializing in the care of psychiatric problems in the elderly, and she served as a psychiatric consultant to many nursing homes. Through her work, she helped to improve the quality of life for those struggling with Alzheimer’s Disease and other mental health conditions that emerge later in life.

In recognition of her dedication to her students and to the aging and mentally ill population she served, Ms. Sharkey received numerous awards. In 1986, she received the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching to acknowledge her concern for students as well as exemplary teaching and significant contributions to institutional quality in education.

In 2007, she received the Excellence in Academic Advisement Award for her commitment to supporting students. She received the Teacher of the Year Award in 2011 from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

Since her retirement, Ms. Sharkey serves as an active community volunteer, and she continues to act as a resource for current nursing faculty.

Applicants for the Patty Sharkey Excellence in Nursing Scholarship must be senior-year students during the year the scholarship is awarded. They must demonstrate academic excellence by maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and the need for financial assistance as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. In addition, applicants must show commitment to the nursing profession through their successful performance in clinical rotations, and they should demonstrate empathy, compassion, responsibility and a commitment to excellence in nursing as determined by the selection committee.