Tresa Zielinski, BSN '90 was recently awarded the 2004 St. Thomas of Villanova Young Alumni Medal in recognition of her outstanding work coordinating kidney transplants for children and her selfless service to those less fortunate. Her award citation paints the picture…

The reputation that Villanova enjoys today as an outstanding academic institution is significantly enhanced by the achievements of its alumni. The St. Thomas of Villanova Young Alumni Medal is awarded to a graduate of the last fifteen years whose achievements help to advance Villanova's mission as a Catholic and Augustinian University.

Ms. Tresa Zielinski, or "T" as she is called by her friends, graduated from Villanova's College of Nursing in 1990. She is the daughter of Richard M. Zielinski, a graduate of Villanova's College of Engineering Class of 1952. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing degree as a Critical Care Nurse Practitioner and a Post-Master’s Certificate as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner from Rush University in Chicago. T is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where she is a member of the Kidney Transplant Team. In that role, she coordinates the care for kidney transplant families and donors and interacts with the surgical and medical teams involved with the transplant program. T has made numerous professional presentations, including one at the International Transplantation Association in Venice, Italy. T was also featured in a story chronicling the miraculous success of a multi-organ transplant involving a young girl who was under T's care. The story was featured on MSNBC, NBC Dateline and PBS.

T expands her impact as a nurse practitioner through the Latin American Medical Provider program in Guatemala, donating ten days of her time each year to provide much needed medical services to that country's citizens. She has also served on the National Kidney Foundation and Medical Outreach Committee of the Make a Wish Foundation. Additionally, she is the President–elect for the Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners.

T stands as an outstanding example of the caliber of the recent graduates of Villanova University, committed to her profession, compassionate about the care of others and living the legacy of St. Thomas of Villanova in all that she does.

Tresa Zielinski, RN, MS, PCCNP, APN-NP
BSN '90