MARCH OF DIMES HONORS OUTSTANDING GRADUATE NURSES DEDICATED TO MOM AND BABY HEALTH

March of Dimes, the leading nonprofit fighting for the health of all moms and babies, has awarded its 2020 March of Dimes Nursing Graduate Scholarship Award to five exceptional nurses for post-graduate and doctoral studies in the field of maternal-child nursing. The award recognizes and promotes excellence in nursing and furthers the organizations’ commitment to ensuring moms and babies receive the highest quality of medical care.

The nurses will each receive a $5,000 scholarship supported this year by Pampers®, a March of Dimes partner for more than 25 years.

“We’re so proud to honor these talented nurses for their exceptional care and commitment to the health of moms and babies and to support their ongoing education,” says Stacey D. Stewart, President and CEO of March of Dimes. “Our country is in the midst of a maternal and infant health crisis that has been compounded by this pandemic. Now more than ever, it’s imperative that every mom and baby receive the highest level of care to ensure they get the best possible start.”

“At Pampers, caring for the healthy development of all babies is at the core of who we are. Helping nurses ensure mothers and their babies have a bright beginning is a cause we’re pleased to support,” says Andre Schulten, P&G Vice President for Baby Care in North America. “We value the evidence-based resources the March of Dimes provides to nurses that ultimately aid in a healthy recovery for postpartum moms and their newborn’s overall development.”

The 2020 recipients are:

Gladys Vallespir Ellett, RN, MA, IBCLC, LCCE, of New York, New York, is doctoral candidate in the Florence S. Downs PhD Program in Nursing Research and Development at the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York, New York. She plans to pursue a faculty position and expand her research interest focused on Maternal-Child-Family health. Receiving this scholarship supports Gladys as a novice nurse scientist and acknowledges the importance of her research on early fatherhood.

Emily M. Malloy, CNM, APNP, IBCLC, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is currently pursuing a PhD in Nursing at Marquette University College of Nursing. She plans to continue working as a midwife while performing clinical research about the maternal/neonatal dyad, particularly reducing Group B Strep, probiotics, and protecting the microbiome. She is grateful for this scholarship helping her to her get one-step closer to her goal of generating knowledge to achieve healthier birth outcomes for mothers and infants.

Eva Inorine Martineau, MPH, RN, IBCLC, LCCE, of Brooklyn, New York, is pursuing a Master's in Nurse Midwifery at the State University of New York (SUNY) Downstate Health Sciences University. She plans to work for a birthing center or home birth practice, extending the midwifery model of care to those with limited access to care, including families of color and those with limited English proficiency. This scholarship affords Eva flexibility to choose a position serving disadvantaged populations regardless of the starting pay.

Hannah Cole McGrew, RN, of Nashville, Tennessee, is pursuing a MSN, Dual Nurse-Midwifery/Family Nurse Practitioner at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. She is focused on building her advanced clinical skills and is looking forward to working on projects that improve access to maternal-child health services. Hannah holds the distinction of achieving the highest score among all scholarship applicants. She is grateful that this scholarship will help her to do the kind of work that she cares most about- caring for child-bearing people and their families.

Robyn Schafer, MSN, EdM, CNM, IBCLC, CNE, of Teaneck, New Jersey, is pursuing her PhD in Nursing Science at Vanderbilt University. She is focused on increasing the provision of safe and respectful perinatal care and improving outcomes through research, teaching, practice, and service. Receiving this support will enable her to complete her doctoral studies and disseminate her research, strengthening her foundation as a nurse scientist and educator.

Established in 1998, the March of Dimes Graduate Nursing Scholarship Award is given each year to the highest scoring graduate nursing scholarship applicants. Qualified applicants for the March of Dimes Graduate Nursing Scholarships are registered nurses currently enrolled in a graduate program in maternal-child nursing at the master’s or doctoral level. Applicants must be a member of the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM), the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWONN), or the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN). Applications for the 2021 scholarships will be available in September 2020 on the March of Dimes website, marchofdimes.org/scholarship.