Sister Nancy Schreck, OSF, was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) on Friday, August 16, during the closing banquet of LCWR’s Assembly in Orlando.

Recipients are chosen based on their “commitment and collaboration in the ministry of leadership; faithfulness to gospel values and mission; creative and innovative leadership in one or more areas; and significant contribution on the national and/or international level, particularly to women religious congregations in the United States,” according to the LCWR website.

Sister Nancy served in leadership and formation ministry for the Sisters of St. Francis as well as in the LCWR presidency and as a US delegate to the International Union of Superiors General (UISG). She also served for eight years as a member of the council of the Franciscan Handmaids in New York. Her contributions to LCWR over the years — including keynote presentations at LCWR assemblies, facilitation of the Leading from Within Retreat and New Leader Workshop, articles, and more — have influenced leaders nationally and globally. She is a sought-after presenter and facilitator for religious groups throughout the world. Sister Nancy founded and is currently the program director of Excel Inc., a community service organization located in Okolona, Mississippi.

In her acceptance speech Sister Nancy shared what she has come to learn about religious life through her work with thousands of Catholic sisters around the world who have asked her to serve as a facilitator and speaker with the hope that the reflections would help leaders know “who then shall we be.”

In her conclusion, she quoted Friedrich Nietzsche who said: “I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things, then I shall be one of those who makes things beautiful.” Sister Nancy added, “That is my hope – that as I have worked among you, I have been able to make religious life more beautiful.”