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Professor Is Recipient Of Helen Vartigian Award From Professional Nurses Group

SUNY Adirondack is proud to announce that Assistant Professor of Nursing Brittany Nikas was honored with the Helen Vartigian Mentoring Award by the Northeast New York Professional Nurses Organization (NNYPNO) at a ceremony Thursday, June 4.

The award recognizes a nurse who has demonstrated excellence in mentoring other nursing professionals and is named in honor of Major Helen Vartigian (1941–2014), a decorated U.S. Army nurse and pioneering instructor from the Albany area.

“Receiving this news was both humbling and deeply meaningful, and it served as a powerful reminder of the impact mentorship and professional support can have throughout one’s career,” said Nikas, who was nominated by fellow SUNY Adirondack Nursing adjunct instructor and nurse Maryanne Preston.

“Brittany has been a genuinely caring and competent mentor for the students at SUNY Adirondack by helping them build confidence and knowledge,” Preston said. “With that confidence, students begin to own their academic journey.”

Nikas earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Hartwick College, then entered the workforce researching ovarian cancer. “During that time, I quickly realized that the isolated nature of research was not the right fit for me,” Nikas said. “I needed greater social interaction and a faster-paced environment where I could work more directly with people.”

She enrolled in SUNY Adirondack’s Nursing program, from which she graduated in 2013, then in a bridge program to earn a master’s degree in nursing education. Nikas worked for 11 years in the pediatrics unit at Glens Falls Hospital, where she was preceptor. “I found great fulfillment in working with students and recognized the meaningful impact I could have on shaping how they cared for others,” she said.

Nikas started teaching as a clinical adjunct under Preston in Nursing 104. “She has had a significant influence on my nursing education journey,” Nikas said. “Her guidance has helped me better understand how self-care, emotional well-being and the psychosocial aspects of nursing are essential in preparing future generations of nurses for the challenges of the profession.”

As part of her work on a doctorate from Fairfield University, Nikas is collaborating with local neurologists to develop a project focused on improving dementia care.

“My greatest joy in teaching comes from witnessing my students persevere through adversity, build confidence in their abilities, and begin what will become a lifelong journey in nursing,” she said. “Knowing that they will go on to provide compassionate care to individuals throughout our community is what inspires and motivates me every day as an educator.”