Nursing Professor Named Scranton’s CASE Teacher of the Year
Catherine P. Lovecchio, RN, Ph.D., professor of nursing, was named The University of Scranton’s CASE Professor of the Year.
The University of Scranton named Catherine P. Lovecchio, RN, Ph.D., professor of nursing, as its CASE Professor of the Year in recognition of her outstanding performance as a member of the faculty.
Professors awarded by individual schools are eligible for further recognition by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) at the state and national levels.
Since 1990, Dr. Lovecchio has been educating nursing students in various programs including diploma, associate, baccalaureate and master’s degree. She joined The University of Scranton’s Nursing Department in 2004 after serving as director of the Center for Health and Wellness Education at Villanova University.
Her vast professional experiences have enabled her to employ a full spectrum of teaching strategies, incorporate new scientific findings and clinical approaches, and accommodate a variety of student learning styles in the classroom and in clinical settings.
In addition to teaching a wide range of nursing courses to the senior class, Dr. Lovecchio has introduced a cardiac arrest simulation with nurse anesthetist students, a professional development conference for resume and interview skills, a comprehensive professional portfolio, adaptive quizzing to enhance mastery of content and online quizzing to simulate the NCLEX licensure exam.
In the clinical setting, she has co-developed an innovative academic-clinical partnership with two community hospitals. This Clinical Liaison Nurse (CLN) model of instruction pairs expert staff nurses with academic faculty to provide a comprehensive, supportive clinical learning environment for students. She also has developed courses that provide students with the opportunity to travel and immerse themselves into diverse cultures, while learning about social justice and poverty.
Dr. Lovecchio’s leadership roles at The University of Scranton include director of the Center for Health and Wellness Education, co-coordinator of the Clinical Liaison Nurse Program, and founding director of the University’s Student Service Committee.
In 2012, she received the Excellence in Integrating Mission and Justice into the Curriculum Award, and in 2009, she received the Sheldon I. Rosenburg Award to attend the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Summer Institute.
The recipient of several teaching and research grants, Dr. Lovecchio is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, National League for Nursing, American Nurses Association, Pennsylvania Nurses Association and the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s Villa in Elmhurst.
A resident of South Abington Township, Dr. Lovecchio earned a Ph.D. in nursing education from Villanova University, a master’s degree in adult health and education from Misericordia University and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Villanova University.
