Published on May 22, 2025
Haley John Named 2025 Spring Semester Recipient of Vicki M. Stogsdill Nursing Award
Owensboro Health is proud to recognize Haley John as the Spring 2025 recipient of the Vicki M. Stogsdill Nursing Award—an honor reserved for those who embody the compassion, dedication and quiet leadership that define Vicki’s legacy.
For Haley, nursing began in the most uncertain of times—during the COVID-19 pandemic. Working as a nursing aide in a long-term care facility, she witnessed firsthand how critical connection is to healing.
“It was a challenging time for everyone, especially our elderly patients who were cut off from family and their routines,” she said. “That experience showed me how powerful the small things can be—how much human connection matters in healthcare. It laid the foundation for everything I’ve come to love about nursing.”
That foundation continues to shape her today. Currently working on the Stepdown Unit, Haley is quick to express gratitude for her team and the growth she’s experienced so far.
“I’ve already learned so much in a short time,” she said. “I’m thankful to be surrounded by people who support me. This unit is giving me a strong start, and I’m excited about where it’s leading.”
Haley’s motivation runs deeper than clinical skills or professional goals. As a woman of color in healthcare, she’s driven by purpose and representation.
“I’ve always believed that presence and attention to detail can bring peace, safety and dignity to someone,” she said. “I also want to support my community. I want young girls who look like me to know they can do this too—that they can achieve anything they put their minds to.”
Receiving the Stogsdill Award is both meaningful and surreal for Haley.
“It’s such an honor, but also so humbling,” she said. “It feels like all the long hours and sacrifices were worth it. But more than that, it means so much to know that others see how much I care. I don’t do this work for recognition, but this award is proof that showing up with heart, day after day, really does matter.”
Haley sees the award not just as a milestone but a challenge to carry forward a legacy.
“It’s more than recognition,” she said. “It’s a reminder of the kind of nurse and person I want to be. Vicki Stogsdill believed in compassion and the strength of leading from behind—lifting others as you rise. That’s what this award stands for.”
Haley John is doing more than stepping into a career. She’s stepping into a calling—one rooted in empathy, purpose and the quiet strength that inspires those around her.
Learn more about the Vicki M. Stogsdill Nursing Award and the application process.
Find more information about the BSN program.
About Owensboro Health
Owensboro Health is a nonprofit health system with a mission to heal the sick and to improve the health of the communities it serves in Kentucky and Indiana. The system includes Owensboro Health Regional Hospital, nationally recognized for design, architecture and engineering; Owensboro Health Muhlenberg Community Hospital; Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center; the Owensboro Health Medical Group comprised of over 350 providers at more than 30 locations; three outpatient Healthplex facilities, a certified medical fitness facility, the Healthpark; a weight management program, and the Mitchell Memorial Cancer Center.
On average each year, we have more than 19,000 inpatient admissions, deliver 2,000 babies and provide the region’s only Level III NICU. Owensboro Health physicians perform nearly 33,000 surgical procedures, including nearly 150 open-heart surgeries. Our physicians and staff have 90,000 Emergency Department visits and more than 1.25 million outpatient visits annually. Visit our home page for more information.