Berkeley College Nursing Graduate Steven Alonzo Earns DAISY Award for Extraordinary Work and Compassionate Care
Friday, May 9, 2025
Senior Director, Communications and External Relations
973-200-1099
KME@BerkeleyCollege.edu
BERKELEY COLLEGE NURSING GRADUATE STEVEN ALONZO
EARNS DAISY AWARD FOR EXTRAORDINARY WORK
AND COMPASSIONATE CARE
Photo Caption: Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate and U.S. Army veteran Steven Alonzo of Tuxedo Park, NY, receives the Daisy Award at Berkeley College in Woodland Park, NJ, on Friday, April 18, 2025. Pictured (L to R) are Alonzo; Camile Richards, RN, Professor, Nursing, Berkeley College School of Health Studies; and Caterina Sousa, RN, FNP-C, Master of Science in Nursing Program Director, Berkeley College School of Health Studies.
Share the News: @BerkeleyCollege #BerkeleyCollege
Steven Alonzo of Tuxedo Park, NY, received the DAISY Award at the Berkeley College nurse pinning ceremony in Woodland Park, NJ, on April 18, 2025. Alonzo earned the award for going above and beyond in his care and support for both his patients and peers during his tenure as a student at Berkeley College. Alonzo will receive his diploma alongside more than 1,200 graduates at the Berkeley College Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 16, 2025, at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The Berkeley College Commencement will include 95 Practical Nurse, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and Master of Science in Nursing graduates.
Debora La Torre, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, Professor, Nursing, Berkeley College School of Health Studies, presented the DAISY Award to Alonzo. “Steven has demonstrated attributes not only of a knowledgeable student but also of a nursing leader,” La Torre said. “He supports his peers and provides compassionate care and empathy to all while being respectful. His genuine demeanor while performing clinical skills makes peers and patients comfortable and an asset to the profession.”
The DAISY Award was created in 1999 in memory of J. Patrick Barnes to acknowledge the care, support, and empathy shown by his nurses.
“Receiving the DAISY Award is incredibly meaningful to me,” Alonzo said. “I strive to be the kind of nurse who brings both skill and heart into every patient interaction – someone who listens, who sees the whole person, not just the diagnosis.”
Alonzo credits his passion for healthcare to his late father, who passed away from kidney transplant rejection complications when Alonzo was 7. “I didn’t fully understand everything at the time, but I knew I wanted to grow up to help others the way I wished someone could have helped him, especially in his final moments,” Alonzo said.
Now a father of two, Alonzo said he wants to show his sons “the value of service, resilience and compassion. I want them to grow up knowing that strength comes from caring for others, and that even in the face of loss, we can choose to be light for someone else.”
Alonzo, who is a volunteer firefighter, served as a Staff Sergeant, combat medic, and licensed vocational nurse in the U.S. Army for more than a decade. “The Army taught me how to remain calm in chaos, act quickly, think critically, and, most importantly, how to care deeply,” said Alonzo. “It’s where I learned that healing isn’t just about medicine – it’s about presence, trust, and humanity.”
At Berkeley College, Alonzo served as a Peer Tutor and was inducted into the Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society, honoring students for academic achievement, service, and leadership.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers Continuing Education programs to enhance career credentials.
Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 4,000 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans for 12 consecutive years. Berkeley College is also ranked among the Best Regional Colleges/Universities in the North in the 2025 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges survey. The website address is https://BerkeleyCollege.edu.
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower each student to achieve lifelong success.
- end -
