The UW Tacoma Nursing Program will give its second Alumni Award to Rep. Dawn Morrell, D-Puyallup, and Community Partner Award to the Sumner School District at the Master of Nursing hooding ceremony at 4 p.m. June 8 in Carwein Auditorium on the University of Washington, Tacoma campus.

Rep. Morrell, who graduated Cum Laude in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, works as a critical care nurse at Good Samaritan Community Hospital in Puyallup in addition to her legislative duties. A strong supporter of the UWT nursing program, Morrell serves on a number of education and health-related committees. Her legislative priorities include investing in education and affordable health care.

The Sumner School District is being recognized for its partnership with the nursing program to help education UWT community health students. Nurses from UW Tacoma spend weeks each year assessing the health of the Sumner and Bonney Lake communities, studying affordable housing, homelessness, community assets and under-age drinking. The results of their studies are used in city and school district planning, and the partnership has led to the creation of grants that support programs in Sumner. The School District, along with the City of Sumner, has played an important role in this project.

The UWT Nursing Program offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Nursing to experienced registered nurses. The program provides the opportunity for nurses to apply new knowledge, facilitate change, improve communication, work with diverse populations, think critically and assume leadership roles. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing opened in 1992 with 66 students and has granted 750 diplomas. The Master of Nursing program opened in 1996 and has granted 175 diplomas.