McNeese Nursing Professor to be Inducted into LSNA Hall of Fame

Dr. Tari Dilks, professor of nursing at McNeese State University, will be inducted into the Louisiana State Nurses Association Hall of Fame at the 19^th Annual Nightingale Awards & Gala in July.

Inductees are chosen for this prestigious honor for their significant accomplishments and contributions to the nursing profession. Dilks is the first faculty member of the McNeese College of Nursing and Health Professions to earn a place in the LSNA Hall of Fame.

“Tari is deserving of this distinguished honor and she has represented the College of Nursing and Health Professions well in local and state professional organizations. However, her contributions to nursing go beyond the state level, as she currently serves as national president of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA). For the college, Tari has been a great leader who best exemplifies the compassionate care, clinical expertise and educational knowledge in the area of health care. We could not be happier that our colleague is being recognized with this award,” said Dr. Peggy Wolfe, dean of the college. 

This isn’t the first time Dilks has been recognized for her achievements and leadership in the nursing field. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) presented her with the Louisiana Award for Nurse Practitioner Excellence and inducted her into the association as a Fellow.

At McNeese, she is a recipient of the Emily Stokes Professorship in Nursing, Fred and Ruth B. Zigler Foundation Professorship in Nursing and the Fannie Edith Winn Educational Trust Professorship in Nursing as well as a Pinnacle Excellence Award for the College of Nursing and Health Professions.

Dilks began her national leadership role as president of APNA in October 2019 where she continues her advocacy for awareness of psychiatric mental health issues.

“It has been an honor to lead APNA as president, especially during this pandemic.The mental health needs of the front-line essential workers and others are and will be intense and vast. I have been involved in partnering with other organizations to provide mental health resources by recording podcasts and webinars for their members,” said Dilks.    

About the Hall of Fame honor, she said, “I am extremely humbled that my co-workers thought enough of my work to nominate me for this prestigious award and that the selection committee of the Louisiana State Association of Nurses felt I met their rigorous criteria. I would not be where I am without the support of so many great nurses, students and others working with me. None of us do this alone. We all pull together and great things get accomplished!

She previously served as president of the APNA Louisiana Chapter and is currently the AANP representative for the state of Louisiana.

Dilks, who joined the McNeese College of Nursing and Health Professions in 2003, is co-coordinator of McNeese’s Master of Science in Nursing programs and director of the psychiatric/mental health track for the Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing partnership involving McNeese, Nicholls State University, Southeastern Louisiana University and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

 With over 40 years of nursing experience. Dilks has served as a family nurse practitioner, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and a licensed professional counselor in Louisiana. She obtained her Doctorate in Psychiatric Nursing Practice from the University of Tennessee, her Master of Science in Nursing degree and her Master of Arts degree in psychology both from McNeese and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from West Texas State University.