Nurses Sharing Knowledge

Shawn Marie Fox 12N 13MN was a toddler when she saw her first home birth. Since then, she has learned everything she can about nurse midwifery, so she can provide the same safe, healthy experiences to mothers whose only choice may be home birth.

Financial support from alumni of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is helping her achieve that goal. Fox will graduate in May from the accelerated bachelor’s/master’s degree program in nurse midwifery. With help from the Kay Kittrell Chitty Scholars Sharing Knowledge Award, she was able to present research at her first national conference in December.

“It was inspiring to be in the presence of individuals from all around the world who have spent their lives improving the health care in their communities,” Fox says. “I was one of a handful of students to present, and one of the only nursing students.”

Kay Kittrell Chitty 65N 68MN, a nurse and educator for more than four decades, and her husband, Charles, gave $100,000 to endow the award so students would have opportunities not available when she was in school.

“Evidence-based nursing has become more important,” Chitty says. “Students need to have the experience of presenting their research, answering questions, and defending their science.”