Hartwick College Celebrates Two Nursing Alumni for Transformational Work in the Field

Two exceptional graduates of Hartwick College’s School of Nursing have been recognized with the 2025 Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award for their exemplary leadership, innovation and service in healthcare.

Aliria Muñoz Rascón ’07 and Robert Mele ’14 have each made significant contributions to the nursing profession through clinical excellence, academic leadership and global engagement. Their careers demonstrate the core values of Hartwick’s nursing program and its mission to prepare professionals for a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

Kim Smith, associate professor and chair of Hartwick’s School of Nursing, praised the achievements of this year’s honorees. “Hartwick nursing alumni continue to make an incredible impact across the healthcare system,” Smith said.

“It’s inspiring to see our graduates leading in clinical excellence, education and global health. Their accomplishments highlight the depth and adaptability of a Hartwick nursing education.”

Kim Smith

Associate Professor and Chair of Hartwick College's School of Nursing

Rascón, PhD, is a clinical associate professor at Arizona State University’s Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, earned her bachelor of science in nursing from Hartwick in 2007, where she also minored in Spanish and competed as a Division I water polo athlete. She obtained a master of science in nursing education from Arizona State University in 2012 and completed her PhD in nursing at the University of Arizona in 2019. Her doctoral research focused on type 2 diabetes management among Mexican American grandmothers who serve as caregivers.

Rascón has over a decade of clinical nursing experience in oncology, medical-surgical, telemetry, medical intensive care unit (ICU) and trauma ICU settings. She has practiced in various international locations, including Jamaica, Mexico, Peru and the Solomon Islands, as well as in a mobile health clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. Since joining Arizona State University in 2013, Rascón has taught more than 18 different courses across undergraduate and graduate programs using didactic, clinical, experiential, hybrid, online and study abroad formats. Now as a nurse scientist, she conducts NIH-funded research to advance diabetes prevention using community-based implementation science approaches.

Thinking back on her own time at Hartwick, Rascón reflected on today’s nursing students. “I thought to myself—maybe there are students in Hartwick’s nursing program now who are just like I was—student-athletes, children of immigrants, no health professionals in their family, not sure of where they will go—but ready to dive in,” she said. “I hope my story and my nonlinear and unpredictable trajectory empower nursing students to advance in their careers and embrace the strengths of unpredictability.”

Aliria Muñoz Rascón ’07

“Nursing has transformed my life—I’m excited for the next generation of nurses to transform the world.”

Aliria Muñoz Rascón ’07

Clinical Associate Professor, Arizona State University’s Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation

Mele, DNP, MBA, NNP-BC, is the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) advanced clinical provider supervisor at Northwell Health’s Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. He earned his bachelor of science in nursing from Hartwick in 2014, where he was part of a unique cohort of quadruplets who all enrolled together. After graduating from Hartwick, Mele worked as a NICU registered nurse and found his passion for neonatology. While working at UNC-Chapel Hill Children’s Hospital, Mele became a board-certified neonatal nurse practitioner in 2017. He later earned a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) from Duke University and a master’s of business administration.

Mele’s professional career centers on neonatal intensive care, where he applies his clinical expertise to improve outcomes for vulnerable newborns. In 2024, Hartwick honored him as a “Rising Hawk,” recognizing his contributions to the field and ongoing engagement with the College community.

“Hartwick became my foundation for not just a successful young career but also taught me so many life lessons,” Mele said.

Robert Mele '14

“As young adults, we are so moldable and have a responsibility to influence the industries we choose to pursue. It’s a heavy task—with challenges our mentors have likely not faced in an ever-changing and dynamic world. But Hartwick prepares its students to be well-rounded and versatile novice scholars to take on those challenges.”

Robert Mele ’14

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Advanced Clinical Provider Supervisor, Northwell Health’s Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City

The names of Rascón and Mele will be added to a permanent plaque displayed in the School of Nursing suite in Smith Hall, commemorating their achievements alongside past recipients of the Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award. The 2025 awards were announced in celebration of National Nurses Week, held from May 6–12, to honor the vital contributions of nurses across the country.

May 15, 2025

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