School of nursing alumus Dan Pesut will return to campus to receive two honors and present a speech on the future of heath care.

Pesut is a founding member of the Beta Omega chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, a nursing honor society with more than 120,000 members. Pesut is the president-elect of the organization.

“We’re so proud of Dan. He is a stunning example of what we hope nurses educated at NIU will achieve,” said Ruth Ann Belknap, assistant professor in the school of nursing. “His work in creative thinking and future studies as it relates to nursing is essential in guiding nursing’s future. It is very fitting that he has been selected to be the first recipient of the Beta Omega Outstanding Alumnus Award.”

This award is a way for the NIU chapter and the School of Nursing at NIU to recognize some of our outstanding graduates, explained Brigid Lusk, associate professor of the school of nursing and the chapter president of STTI.

“The awardee has to have graduated from either the graduate or undergraduate nursing program although does not necessarily have to be a member of STTI. Dan was one of the founding members of Beta Omega Chapter back in 1975,” Lusk said.

Along with this award, Pesut will also receive the NIU Alumni Association Outstanding Alumni Award for the College of Health and Human Resources as well as give a speech at 6 p.m. today at the Convocation Center.

“We are very excited about this,” Lusk said. “As an internationally known nurse leader he is an excellent role model who will motivate and encourage our nursing community at NIU.”