2025 School of Nursing Awards

Mary G. Carey, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN, is the 2025 recipient of the University at Buffalo School of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award. Dr. Carey completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UB in 1990. She earned both her master’s in critical care nursing with a minor in education in 1993 and her PhD in physiological nursing in 2001 from the University of California, San Francisco. With her background in critical care nursing stemming from her undergraduate training at UB, she has made outstanding contributions to nursing research, education and practice.

Carey is the Director of the Clinical Nursing Research Center at the University of Rochester/Strong Memorial Hospital. In her illustrious 30-year career, she has garnered numerous awards and honors, including being selected to the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame in 2022; named a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing in 2014;  won Nurse of the Year, Education and Research by the March of Dimes in 2012; and earned the Dean’s Excellence in Research Award at UB in 2008. She also serves as a mentor in the American Nurses’ Association Mentorship Program and chairs the Young Investigator Competition for the International Society for Computerized ECG.

She is a prolific researcher and contributor to nursing science, who has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications. Her work has advanced the use of ECG monitoring to help detect cardiac arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia and infarction, which aids in the ECG's use in predicting cardiac events and sudden cardiac death. With funding from the National Institutes of Health, she has improved the detection of myocardial ischemia in patients with and without heart disease. She also founded the Cardiovascular Research Lab at UB. 

Susan M. Brooks, MS, RN, is the 2025 recipient of the University at Buffalo School of Nursing Patricia H. Garman Award for Excellence and Service in Nursing. Brooks earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UB in 1994. She is the Vice President of Patient Care Services at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital and Health Center and Lockport Memorial Hospital for Catholic Health.

Her exceptional career as an innovative and equitable nurse leader spans over 30 years and includes collaborating with the team that oversaw the founding of Lockport Memorial Hospital—the newest campus of Mount St. Mary’s Hospital. She also played a vital leadership role on the multi-disciplinary team that converted the St. Joseph Campus into the first dedicated COVID-19 treatment facility in New York State in 2020.

Brooks’ outstanding record of service includes volunteering on UB’s Undergraduate Nursing Committee and supporting Dedicated Education Units (DEUs) and internships for students that promote clinical nursing leadership and education. She has also precepted and mentored numerous students and serves as a member of several community organizations, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the New York State Nursing Association, and the American Organization of Nurse Executives.

She earned her Master of Science in Executive Leadership and Change from Daemen University in 2010. She was also named to Buffalo Business First prestigious 2025 Women of Influence List, which honors women who have made exceptional contributions to their companies and communities. 

Jessica Varghese, PhD, RN, is the 2025 recipient of University at Buffalo School of Nursing’s Outstanding Recent Graduate Award. Dr. Varghese earned her PhD in Nursing from UB in 2017. She is an assistant professor of nursing at the New York Institute of Technology, where she launched the RN to BS program—a Bachelor of Science program designed for licensed nurses with an associate’s degree.

Varghese has worked in professional development and nursing leadership roles for over 20 years in acute care, home care and managed care settings. Her areas of interest include educational technology, informatics, health policy, global health, trauma-informed care, health systems research, and social justice/equity research. In 2019, she led a global health medical outreach program working with refugee families in Athens, Greece. This included visiting refugee camps, maternity centers, and making home visits. She is an active member of numerous professional nursing associations, including the Eastern Nursing Research Society, Abstract Reviewer and ENRS Organizational Development Committee Member. She has presented her research at various regional and national conferences and has won numerous honors and awards, including the Jonas Doctoral Nurse Leader Scholar and the Shirley D. DeVoe Nursing Doctoral Dissertation Research Award.

Varghese received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y. She also completed a Master of Arts in Urban Affairs at Queens College and a Master of Science in Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Systems at Grand Canyon University.

Heather Price, BSN, RN, is the 2025 recipient of the University at Buffalo School of Nursing’s Distinguished Preceptor Award. Price is a dedicated nurse at Buffalo General Hospital, which is part of the Kaleida Health System—the largest health care system serving Western New York. As an early career nurse, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership, clinical expertise and a deep commitment to patient-centered care and student learning.

Price has emerged as a lead preceptor in the Dedicated Education Unit (DEU). She integrates evidence-based practices into real-world clinical scenarios, fostering critical thinking and confidence at the bedside. Even in fast-paced and stressful situations, Heather models how to prioritize patient care with an air of poise and calm. She creates an inclusive and welcoming environment where students are encouraged to ask questions, participate in complex patient cases, and develop the skills and confidence necessary to become compassionate, competent nurses.

Price earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The Ohio State University in 2023 and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing in Leadership and Management at Western Governors University.