This year, Marietta Stanton has won the UA Burnum Distinguished Faculty Award for her excellence in teaching, research and scholarship throughout her career.

The Burnum Award Committee, composed of previous award winners, selects nominees for the award based on their scholastic achievements and dedication to teaching. The top two nominees are then sent to UA President Stuart Bell who selects the overall winner.

In a statement presented at the award ceremony, Stanton expressed her gratitude to Celeste Burnum, who established the award.

“I found that Dr. Burnum’s devotion to medicine and medical education was an inspiration to the medical community. I think I follow these expectations and roles that were set by Dr. Burnum, and I am proud to fit into the role of teacher and scholar,” Stanton said. 

In presenting the award, President Bell congratulated Stanton on her achievements and success throughout her career.

“To Dr. Stanton I do want to give my heartfelt congratulations on this much deserved award. You have been a tremendous supporter to countless students as well as your colleagues and faculty, and have served as a mentor for so many of them,” Bell said.

Stanton is a nurse, veteran, researcher and professor in the Capstone College of Nursing.  She has received multiple awards and recognition throughout her career as a nurse, including induction into the American Academy of Nurses as a fellow in 2014. In 2017, Stanton was inducted into the Alabama Nursing Hall of Fame. 

As a member of the military, Stanton has received the Legion of Merit Award, which is the highest honor that a non-combatant can receive. In 2008, Stanton retired from the service and focused more of her time and effort on the college of nursing and her research.

Since coming to the University, Stanton has raised approximately $5 million in research and program grant funding for various projects, including those focused on the reintegration of military nurses. She is recognized nationally for her case management model regarding support for returning reservist soldiers, which has been implemented nationwide and led to several changes in policies and procedures. Stanton’s most recent research has focused on transcranial direct current stimulation and psychological disorders.

As a professor at the University, Stanton has worked to develop courses and has taught 17 different courses. She developed the first ever online class and played a role in creating the first fully online degree program at the University of Alabama through the Capstone College of Nursing. Stanton was also instrumental in launching the Doctor of Nursing Practice program and the Doctor of Education program in collaboration with the College of Education. 

Alice March, the assistant dean of graduate programs for the Capstone College of Nursing accepted the award on Stanton’s behalf.

“Her teaching style, her mentorship with new faculty and her leadership of our graduate programs are the reasons that we have so much overwhelming success in our graduate school and with our graduate programs,” March said. 

Following the acceptance of the award, March presented a lecture with Safiya George, the assistant dean of Research for the Capstone College of Nursing, which detailed all of Stanton’s achievements before and during her time at the University.

“She has demonstrated superior scholarly achievements and is an outstanding example of a consistent and productive researcher and has been one of our most productive senior researchers at our college,” George said.