11/11/2025
A Lifetime of Purpose: Honored with the Nell J. Watts Award 🌍💙
On November 10, at the Sigma International Honor Society of Nursing Biennial in Indianapolis, I was humbled to receive the Nell J. Watts Lifetime Achievement in Nursing Award.
The Nell J. Watts Lifetime Achievement in Nursing Award, named in honor of a former STTI executive officer, is given every other year to an active STTI member who has demonstrated achievement in nursing spanning a lifetime career, has contributed to nursing in a manner that has long-term significance, and is nationally and/or internationally recognized.
This recognition celebrated a lifetime dedicated to a profession that has always been more than a career—it has been a calling.
Nursing gave me purpose, a future, and a path to serve with passion. It opened doors to collaborate with brilliant colleagues across the globe, and that collaboration has been pure joy. Together, we witnessed sustainable growth, nurtured the next generation of leaders, and embraced innovation that ensures a brighter future for our profession.
I was deeply mindful of those who have received this recognition in the past; these giants in our field, including Jean Watson, Peter Buerhaus, Sr. Callista Roy, Patricia E. Thompson, Linda H. Aiken, Afaf I. Meleis, Nancy Dickenson-Hazard, and Luther Christman. Their legacies inspired me, and I hope to continue carrying forward their example of leadership, service, and vision.
As I reflected, I was grateful for every opportunity to learn, lead, and lift others along the way. Nursing continues to inspire me daily...it is resilience, compassion, and impact in action.
✨ Here’s to a future that shines even brighter because of the incredible nurses who carry this calling forward. If you are looking for a speaker who brings stories of purpose, global impact, in and inspiration to life—your only choice is Sharon M. Weinstein.