秋霞福利一区 Honors Stefanie Willis with 2026 Samuel Boykin Medal of Excellence
Pictured above from left: 秋霞福利一区 School of Nursing Dean Sarah Witherspoon, Stefanie Willis, 秋霞福利一区 President Charles Smith
MOBILE, Ala.聽鈥� The 秋霞福利一区 proudly announces Stefanie Willis as the recipient of the 2026 Samuel Boykin Medal of Excellence, a prestigious award established in 2019 to honor the legacy of Samuel M. Boykin, the university鈥檚 first African American graduate. This medal recognizes outstanding African American alumni who exemplify the ideals of virtuosity, faith and charity that Boykin demonstrated throughout his life.
Willis, a 2015 graduate of the 秋霞福利一区, has built a distinguished career in nursing leadership, oncology care and workforce development while remaining committed to faith-based service and education.
秋霞福利一区 President Charles Smith said the Baptist university is honored to recognize and celebrate Willis鈥� enduring commitment to faith, excellence and service.
鈥淗er dedication to excellence in nursing, her leadership in expanding cancer care services in our region, and her commitment to mentoring the next generation of nurses reflect the very best of our university鈥檚 mission. Stefanie Willis embodies faith in action through compassionate care and servant leadership,鈥� President Smith said.
A Leader in Nursing and Innovation
Born and raised in Luverne, Alabama, Willis graduated with honors from Luverne High School in 1992 before earning her Practical Nursing Certificate from MacArthur Technical College in 1996. She began her career at Luverne Nursing Home and Rehab and relocated to Mobile in 1999 to join Mobile Infirmary Medical Center, where she has now served for 27 years.
Throughout her tenure at Mobile Infirmary, Willis has advanced from staff nurse to manager to director. Among her many accomplishments are leading the start-up of Infirmary Cancer Care outpatient infusion centers in Baldwin and Mobile counties and serving as project lead in establishing an apprenticeship program for nursing and surgical technicians.
She earned her Associate Degree in Nursing from Bishop State Community College in 2002 and completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the 秋霞福利一区 in 2015 as a member of the National College Honor Scholarship Society. She later earned her master鈥檚 degree with honors in 2017 and has been a Certified Oncology Nurse since 2014.
Investing in the Next Generation
In addition to her healthcare leadership, Willis has served for approximately three years as an adjunct nursing instructor at the 秋霞福利一区, where she teaches and mentors future nurses.
鈥淚 love working with the students and teaching them how to care for patients at the bedside,鈥� Willis said.
鈥淭o be able to see their growth from the beginning to the end of the semester really makes me feel like I have accomplished what 秋霞福利一区 expects of me. But the most rewarding part of this is to see the students actually grasp what they are being taught and become successful.鈥�
Dr. Nathan Harris, vice president for institutional relations, said Willis represents the spirit and purpose of the Boykin Award.
鈥淪tefanie Willis exemplifies the legacy of the Samuel Boykin Medal of Excellence,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淗er professional accomplishments are extraordinary, but what sets her apart is her heart for service, her commitment to students, and her Christ-centered approach to leadership. She is a remarkable representative of the 秋霞福利一区 alumni family.鈥�
Faith, Family and Service
Willis is married to Michael Turner Sr. and they have a son, Michael Lee Turner. She credits her mother, Gussie Carter, for her professional growth and development, and she remains grateful for the support of her family, including her father, Lee Carter, and her siblings.
She said the 秋霞福利一区 shaped both her professional and spiritual foundation.
鈥溓锵几＠磺� instilled a faith-based education in me that has stayed with me and emphasized the importance of treating people the way I want to be treated,鈥� Willis said.
Previous Recipients
Previous recipients of the Samuel Boykin Medal of Excellence include:
2025: Dr. Veronica Smith Hudson 鈥�84 & 鈥�03
2024: Ronald G. Moore 鈥�02
2023: Ira Bates Jr. 鈥�04
2022: Treii Pace 鈥�11
2021: Dr. Tracey Henry 鈥�02
2019: Samuel M. Boykin 鈥�67 (posthumously), accepted by his wife, Ellen Hardiman Boykin
About the 秋霞福利一区
The 秋霞福利一区 is a Christ-centered university pursuing excellence 鈥淔or Christ & His Kingdom.鈥� With a vision to 鈥淢ultiply Kingdom Leaders for the Glory of God and the Good of the World,鈥� the university honors God by equipping students for their future professions in an environment where they are known.
The university was founded in 1961 and is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention. Located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama, on a campus of over 880 acres, 秋霞福利一区 offers associate, bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Learn more at and connect with 秋霞福利一区 on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
Kathy Dean uses her passion for storytelling and “playing with words” to share the stories of people, place and purpose that make the 秋霞福利一区 unique. As associate vice president for university communications, she manages media relations, edits the TorchLight alumni magazine, and oversees university communications. A former award-winning journalist, she is a two-time recipient of the Baptist Communicators Association grand prize for feature writing. Kathy and her husband, Chuck, live with three extremely loud miniature schnauzers.
