UMSON’s Michelle Spencer Awarded Dr. Peg E. Daw Nurse Faculty Recognition Award for Contributions to Nursing Education

Baltimore, Md. - Michelle R. Spencer, DNP ’19, MS ’06, BSN ’84, RN, assistant professor and director of the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Community/Public Health Nursing specialty at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has been awarded the Dr. Peg E. Daw Nurse Faculty Annual Recognition Award in recognition of her contributions to nursing education.

Spencer was recognized for demonstrating excellence in “Contributions to Nursing Education,” one of five categories for recognition.

The award is part of the Nurse Support Program (NSP) II, a statewide initiative funded by the Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC). In 2024, the award was named in memory of Daw, DNP, RN-BC, CNE, FAAN, who significantly contributed to and made an impact on nursing and health care throughout the state of Maryland as the MHEC NSP II grant administrator for 12 years. Deans and directors of Maryland nursing programs may nominate one nurse faculty member at their institution for the one-time $10,000 award annually. 

“Receiving the Dr. Peg E. Daw Nurse Faculty Annual Recognition award for Contributions to Nursing Education is a great honor,” Spencer said. “It affirms my commitment to excellence in nursing education. I sincerely appreciate this recognition and the support from my colleagues and institution."

Spencer joined UMSON in 2010 as an adjunct faculty member, and in 2012 she was appointed to full-time faculty as a clinical instructor, bringing more than 28 years of clinical experience to her teaching role. Her work focuses on addressing health disparities and serving vulnerable populations. After earning her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from UMSON in 2019, she was promoted to assistant professor. She previously earned her Master of Science in Community/Public Health Nursing and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), both from UMSON.

Spencer is responsible for the community/public health courses and clinical experiences for the BSN program, RN-to-BSN program, and entry-into-nursing master’s programs, as well as having responsibility for the MSN in Community/Public Health. Collectively, these programs prepare nearly 1,100 students each year.

“Too often exceptional nursing faculty are not recognized for their consistent day-in and day-out contributions to nursing education,” Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD ’11, MS ’05, BSN ’04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and professor, wrote in a letter of nomination. “Therefore, it is my privilege to nominate Dr. Spencer as an exemplary faculty member and frontline educator helping to shape the preparation of the next generation of nurses.”

As an example of her contributions to nursing education and fostering innovative student learning opportunities, Ogbolu cited Spencer’s work over a period of nine years with the Christopher Place Employment Academy, a residential employment program focused on men who are experiencing or are at risk for homelessness, have a history of substance use disorders and related health conditions, or who may be transitioning from jail or prison to the community. Spencer led a clinical group of UMSON students to provide student-led health promotion activities, health assessments, care coordination and care navigation, and connect residents to primary and specialty care, health and social resources, and health management programs.

Ogbolu also described Spencer’s leadership role in developing Health Care in the Library, which provides opportunities for small cohorts of BSN students to spend one day per week on site at a branch of Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Free Library. Under the supervision of a clinical instructor, students provide a variety of services, including general health assessments, blood pressure screenings, referral services, support in finding health care providers, health education, and medication education. Students report that the program helps them understand different populations and their varying health care needs, as well as the importance of making care comfortable for the patients they serve. 

“The development, implementation, and dissemination of new ideas for community-centered education for nursing students can be of tremendous benefit, and Dr. Spencer's work and that of other School of Nursing faculty members has potential implications for nursing education in Maryland and also at a national level,” Ogbolu wrote.

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The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,000 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.