WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., SEPT. 18, 2007 – Six exceptional registered nurses have been awarded scholarships from the March of Dimes for graduate studies in the field of maternal-child nursing it was announced today.

“Each year the pool of applicants becomes stronger and it becomes more difficult for our National Nurse Advisory Committee to select the recipients,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “These nurses are outstanding examples of the dedication and vision of nurses all over the country who are working tirelessly to improve maternal and infant health. The March of Dimes is proud to recognize their achievements and help them go on to make even greater contributions to their communities.”

For the third consecutive year, the March of Dimes awarded six scholarships instead of the traditional four because of a generous contribution from Proctor & Gamble Company.

Three of the scholarship recipients are working toward doctorate degrees and three are studying for their master's degrees. One recipient is a soldier who is continuing her nursing studies while on active duty in Iraq.

The March of Dimes annual Graduate Nursing Scholarship was founded in 1997 to assist registered nurses enrolled in graduate programs in maternal-child nursing. Each recipient receives $5,000 to continue their education.

The six scholarship winners for 2007 are:

Anjli Aurora, of Duluth, Georgia, who is pursuing a master's degree in nurse midwifery at Emory University School of Nursing.  Ms Aurora has a long history of leadership and volunteerism in nursing, having served as the president of the Emory Student Nurses Association and as director of a Breakthrough to Nursing program designed to mentor middle and high school students about nursing as a career. She is also president of HealthStat, a student-run organization which promotes collaboration among health professionals across Georgia.

Sandra Banta-Wright, of Portland Oregon, who is pursuing a doctorate in nursing at Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing.  Ms. Banta-Wright is a neonatal nurse practitioner who has published extensively about genetic inborn errors of metabolism. She is studying breastfeeding in infants with PKU and is enrolled in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Program through the Maternal Child Health Bureau.

Jessica Brumley, of Tampa, Florida who is pursuing a doctorate at the University of South Florida School of Nursing. Ms. Brumley is a nurse midwife who practices at the University of South Florida's Physicians' Group. She also leads a Centering Pregnancy program at Tampa General Hospital to improve health care for minority women. Her doctoral dissertation will focus on African American women, stress and preterm birth.

Jane DeLuca, of Rochester, N.Y., who is pursuing a PhD in nursing at the University of Rochester.  Ms. DeLuca works at Strong Memorial Hospital in the Inherited Metabolic Disorders Clinic and has organized a regional support program for families who have received positive results from newborn screening for medium-chain acyl CoA dehyrogenase deficiency. Her doctororal focus is on the issues families face when being screened for genetic disorders.

Laura Jenson, of Portland, OR, who is pursuing a dual master's degree in nursing and public health at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing.  Ms. Jenson works for the Multnomah Health Department Corrections Center where she began the “Pregnancy, Empowerment, and Childbirth Education Program.” She has volunteered in a homeless project, as an advocate for pregnant Latina women, and as a doula for incarcerated pregnant women. 
 
Laura Kostura, of Georgetown, MA, who is pursuing a master's degree in nurse midwifery at the University of Cincinnati.  During the past year, Ms. Kostura has worked on this degree as a distance learner because she is currently a deployed soldier on active duty in Iraq.  While in Iraq she is working as an intensive care unit wardmaster.

Qualified applicants for the March of Dimes graduate nursing scholarships are registered nurses currently enrolled in a graduate program in maternal-child nursing at the master's or doctorate level.  Applicants must be a member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, or the National Association of Neonatal Nurses.  Applications for the 2008 scholarships will be available this fall on the March of Dimes Web site at www.marchofdimes.com/scholarship, or by calling the March of Dimes at (914) 997-4609.  Applications for 2008 scholarships are due January 15, 2008.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.  Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to reduce the rate of premature birth.  For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish-language Web site at nacersano.org.