University of Wyoming College of Nursing Awards Peter K. Simpson Advanced Practice Nursing FAN Award

March 10, 2022

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing at the University of Wyoming is pleased to announce that Canyon Hardesty, M.S, CHES is the 2022 recipient of the Peter K. Simpson FAN Award. This honor is in recognition and appreciation for work and commitment to the DNP program, its faculty, and students. Hardesty is an associate director at the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND), Wyoming's UCEDD, as well as the director of community training and education.

Dr. Ann Marie Hart, DNP program director, spoke about Hardesty's collaboration with the nursing program. "Canyon Hardesty is truly one of Wyoming's biggest supporters of advanced practice nursing and nurse practitioners. Over the years, she has supported UW's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in numerous ways, including but not limited to working with DNP faculty on several Project ECHOs, serving on NP faculty search committees, seeking and securing graduate assistantships for DNP students through the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (LEND) program, and collaborating with DNP faculty on a peer-reviewed publication."

Hart concludes, "From my years of working alongside Canyon on various endeavors, it is evident that she respects nurse practitioners and values the unique contributions they bring to primary and mental health care. Canyon Hardesty is indeed a treasured fan of the University of Wyoming's DNP program."

The award is named for Pete Simpson, a longtime supporter of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Simpson is a member of the Wyoming Simpson political family and has served the university in multiple roles, including the vice president for development, the executive director of the UW foundation, and as vice president for institutional advancement. The 2022 Simpson FAN Award will be presented April 20 during the College of Nursing Willow Ceremony, an annual event honoring nurse practitioners and the University of Wyoming nurse practitioner students.