Senator Shirley Nathan-Pulliam honored with an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service at 2023 graduation – US Black Engineer

The College of Maryland, Baltimore celebrated the commencement of the Class of 2023 on Could 18th on the Chesapeake Employers Insurance coverage Enviornment, situated on the College of Maryland, Baltimore County campus. Through the ceremony, Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, a former Maryland state Senator, was awarded an Honorary Physician of Public Service for her 40 years of devoted work as a political and neighborhood activist.

Nathan-Pulliam served in each the state Senate and the Home of Delegates for 25 years, the place she championed numerous well being coverage initiatives to cut back healthcare disparities and inequalities and enhance the healthcare supply system.

She is an alumna of the College of Maryland College of Nursing and was acknowledged as an inaugural Visionary Pioneer in 2014. Not too long ago, the varsity honored her contributions to nursing, schooling, and public well being by including her title to the façade of their expanded footprint on Lombard Avenue.

Earlier than retiring in 2019, Nathan-Pulliam was a big advocate for improved entry and high quality of look after underserved populations in Maryland all through her tenure. Her efforts positively impacted hundreds of people, notably these in underserved communities. Her legislative focus ensured entry to healthcare for all Maryland residents.

She established a number of applications to diagnose and deal with diseases, together with breast most cancers, and cut back oral most cancers mortality. She additionally sponsored laws that led to the creation of the Healthcare Disparities Prevention Act and the Maryland Workplace of Minority Well being and Well being Disparities. Nathan-Pulliam was a mentor to nurses and legislators.

Nathan-Pulliam was a licensed registered nurse who labored as a high quality assurance coordinator, head nurse, and workforce chief in a number of hospitals in Baltimore. She was appointed because the Social Service Commissioner by Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke, JD, in 1990. In

1994, she grew to become the primary Caribbean-born particular person and the primary African-Caribbean registered nurse to be elected to the Maryland Normal Meeting. Her advocacy prolonged to enhancing the standard of care in nursing houses, Medicaid utilization, and well being care supply and financing, in addition to laws for youngsters, youth, and households, well being care insurance coverage and Medicaid, psychological well being, and well being care workforce variety. Click on here to learn extra on The Elma College of Maryland, Baltimore publication.