Four Nursing Students Awarded CEW Scholarships
For nearly 50 years, U-M’s Center for the Education of Women has supported women and nontraditional students by providing financial support to ensure educational success and degree completion.
Congratulations to the four University of Michigan School of Nursing (UMSN) graduate students who were recognized for their academic records and future goals in a wide range of nursing paths including pediatrics, maternal and infant care, and fighting health disparities.
U-M’s Center for the Education of Women (CEW) established a scholarship and fellowship program to support students who have had an interruption in their education or have significant responsibilities caring for a minor, elderly or disabled person. The students must have strong academic records, impressive accomplishments and defined goals.
Ashley Bostic holds two bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, and decided to make a greater impact in nursing by obtaining her Adult Gerontonology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP). She has experience as a biological scientist but switched careers to focus on improving patient care. Bostic will pursue her goals through working to reduce medication errors and improving communication in critical care settings. She also has a passion for social justice and reducing health disparities. Bostic hopes to accomplish her goals as a faculty member at a prestigious nursing school and puts UMSN as a top choice. She was awarded a Margaret Dow Towsley Scholarship.
Ann Miller has more than 15 years of experience in pediatric nursing and is fulfilling her dream of a graduate degree to expand her nursing practice. She is earning her MSN in UMSN’s Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner program. Miller brings a personal perspective to the role as a single parent and mother of a child with medical needs. She also says her children were part of her decision to return to school because she wants them to understand the benefits of higher education, and show them it’s possible to reach new goals even through difficult circumstances. Miller was awarded a Sarah Winans Newman Scholarship.
Debra Rhizal is committed to maternal and infant health. She has worked for many years as a doula and childbirth educator, bringing a compassionate approach and tailoring her care to each specific mother and family. Now she is pursuing a master’s degree in UMSN’s Nurse-midwifery program. She plans to use her degree to continue her work on individuals but also to expand her focus area to maternal policies. She has goals of working internationally to improve maternal and infant health, and working in a leadership and/or faculty position. Rhizal was awarded a Margaret Dow Towsley Scholarship.
Deidra Williams may have had a few delays on her journey to becoming a nurse-midwife but she never gave up on her dream. As a single mother, she worked to support her family and pursued her nursing career. She became an LPN, an RN, and then she earned her BSN. Deidra is now just months away from earning her MSN. She brings a strong focus on increasing access to women’s health care services for at-risk populations, with a special focus on Detroit’s African American community. She plans focus her research on improving maternal infant mortality rates. Williams was awarded a Margaret Dow Towsley Scholarship.
The UMSN students and other CEW Scholars and Fellows will be honored during a ceremony October 2nd at the Michigan League.
