News Releases

Maryland Nursing School Leaders Present Award to Senator Barbara Mikulski On Behalf of AACN

April 15, 2004

Baltimore, Md. – During their annual spring meeting held in Washington, D.C., the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) honored Senator Barbara Mikulski for her outstanding leadership and dedicated service on behalf of nursing education. Janet D. Allan, PhD, RN, CS, FAAN, dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and seven other Maryland nursing school leaders presented the award to Sen. Mikulski on behalf of the AACN.

Sen. Mikulski led the initiative in 2002 to pass the Nurse Reinvestment Act to recruit and retain nurses. In 2003, she added an amendment to the appropriations bill for funding of the Act, and she continues to lead efforts to increase funding for nursing workforce development programs.

"We cannot thank Sen. Mikulski enough for her efforts on behalf of nursing and nursing education," said Dean Allan. "Her support is truly appreciated, particularly in this time of severe nurse and nurse faculty shortages."

Other Maryland nursing school leaders attending the ceremony were Noel Eller, PhD, RN, assistant professor of nursing, Bowie State University; Gina Brown, PhD, RN, chair, Edyth T. James Department of Nursing, Columbia Union College; Marcella A. Copes, PhD, RN, dean, Helene Fuld School of Nursing, Coppin State University; Martha Hill, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing; Jacquelyn D. Jordan, PhD, RN, academic chairperson, Department of Nursing, Towson University; Patricia Hinton Walker, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean, Graduate School of Nursing, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences; and Judith A. Feustle, ScD, RN, director, Nursing Division, Villa Julie College.