Tatiana Davidson Honored withTeaching Excellence Award at MUSC Faculty Recognition Ceremony

Tatiana M. Davidson, Ph.D., a tenured professor of nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) College of Nursing, has been awarded the 2025 Teaching Excellence Award at the James W. Colbert Endowed Lectureship and MUSC Faculty Awards and Recognition Ceremony, to be held Tuesday, Aug. 12.

A respected leader in trauma-focused behavioral health, Dr. Davidson said she was humbled by the nomination, which came from faculty colleagues Teresa Kelechi, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Shannon Phillips, Ph.D., RN, and Sarah Miller, Ph.D., RN. “Mentorship is something very near and dear to my heart,” she said. “I see it as an opportunity to build strong relationships and foster growth through servant leadership.”

Dr. Davidson’s approach to mentorship and education is grounded in service. She credits her own mentors for modeling the very mentorship style she now emulates. “They all took a mentee-centered approach, prioritizing the goals and growth of the mentee. I learned a tremendous amount from each of them, and one lesson I try to keep in mind regularly is to recognize my own strengths and limitations as a mentor,” said Dr. Davidson. “This allows me to grow and get the training I need and become more effective.”

In addition to her teaching and mentorship, Dr. Davidson is an accomplished researcher and co-director of MUSC’s Trauma Resilience and Recovery Program (TRRP), a multidisciplinary clinical service supporting survivors of traumatic injury. She has led or co-led multiple federally and foundation-funded projects, including grants from the NIH, Duke Endowment, FEMA, and South Carolina’s Victims of Crime Act Program.

Dr. Davidson integrates research and leadership into every layer of her mentorship. She encourages participation in programs such as MUSC’s Emerging Leaders and even organizes book clubs focused on leadership. “Leadership is something you model, but it’s also about creating opportunities for mentees to apply it,” she said.

As an academic leader, Dr. Davidson acknowledges that juggling teaching, mentorship and research is no small feat. She finds clarity and focus by staying grounded in her purpose.

“I always return to my anchor,” she said. “That’s my mission — knowing why I’m here. From there, it’s about managing my time, setting clear priorities, and making sure I am focused on the things that matter most.”

Looking ahead, Dr. Davidson hopes the next generation of educators will embrace mentorship as an essential responsibility in academic life. “No one gets here alone,” she said. “So we have to pay it forward. We all need guidance at some point, and we should  offer that same support for others.”

To learn more about faculty accomplishments and nursing education at MUSC College of Nursing, visit nursing.musc.edu.