In a significant initiative aimed at bolstering the future of nursing, March of Dimes, a prominent nonprofit focused on enhancing the health of mothers and infants, has granted scholarships to four remarkable nursing students. This effort is supported by Pampers®, a well-regarded partner of March of Dimes for over 25 years, underlining their shared commitment to promoting better health outcomes for communities across the United States. Each scholarship recipient has been awarded $10,000, acknowledging their dedication to addressing the critical issues surrounding maternal and infant health.
Established in 1998, the March of Dimes Nursing Scholarship Awards aim to promote nursing excellence while furthering the organization’s vision to ensure families have access to top-tier medical care and work toward more equitable health systems. According to Cindy Rahman, President and CEO of March of Dimes, the nursing sector is currently facing severe challenges due to workforce shortages. "It's crucial for us to collectively address these pressing issues, and our scholarships play a vital role in reinforcing the future of nursing," she stated. Rahman extended her congratulations to the recipients for their unwavering commitment to improving health for mothers and their children.
"Pampers is proud to play a part in every baby's journey, providing essential support for parents and families throughout pregnancy and beyond. Collaborating with March of Dimes allows us to support the dedicated nurses and midwives who play an essential role in ensuring healthy developments for every baby," remarked Alissa Fitzgibbons, PG Baby Care Senior Communications Director at Pampers.
The 2026 March of Dimes Nursing Scholarship Recipients:
Graduate Nursing Scholarships
These awards are designated for registered nurses engaged in graduate nursing programs, dedicated to enhancing maternal and infant health.
- - Margaret Comerford Freda Award Winner: Kathryn Kravetz Carr from Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in Atlanta, GA, will use the scholarship to conduct her HEART study, aimed at enhancing communication and teamwork among obstetric care teams to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
- - Another deserving recipient, Hannah Kumarasamy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, stated her intention to leverage the scholarship towards groundbreaking research that illuminates the unseen costs of pregnancy, which could eventually reduce maternal morbidity and mortality.
Undergraduate Nursing Scholarships
Acknowledging the efforts of undergraduate students aspiring to make a difference in maternal and infant health:
- - Kate Powers from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga plans to utilize her scholarship to marry her public health background with nursing to uphold high standards of care, focusing on postpartum support for mothers facing preventable complications.
- - Claudia Estefany Simental from Pepperdine University aims to use her scholarship to deepen her clinical training as she pursues a career in neonatal intensive care, emphasizing the need for culturally-responsive, bilingual care for vulnerable newborns and their families.
With an enduring legacy built since 1938, March of Dimes persists in advocating for the wellness of all moms and babies through research, education, and various supportive initiatives. Interested individuals seeking more information about the March of Dimes Nursing Scholarships can visit 'marchofdimes.org/nursingscholarships' for further details on this impactful program. Pampers, trusted by parents worldwide for over six decades, continues its mission toward nurturing every child's health, supporting their development with a wide range of products designed for protection and comfort. For more information, visit 'pampers.com'.
As the nursing workforce grapples with numerous challenges, initiatives like these reinforce the importance of commitment from both nonprofit organizations and commercial partners in nurturing a new generation of healthcare professionals committed to improving maternal and infant health across all communities.