“Each year the pool of applicants becomes stronger and it becomes more difficult for our National Nurse Advisory Committee to select the recipients. These outstanding nurses offer the highest quality of care to mothers and babies,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes.  “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 second consecutive year, the March of Dimes awarded six scholarships instead of the traditional four because of a generous contribution from Proctor & Gamble Company.

The March of Dimes annual Graduate Nursing Scholarships were 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 2006 are:

Kate E. Becker, of Philadelphia, PA, a nurse who is studying at the University of Pennsylvania to become a nurse midwife. Ms. Becker works as a neonatal intensive care nurse.  She is a National Health Service Corps scholar and will work with underserved communities after her graduation.  She also holds a master's degree in theological studies from Harvard University. 

Mary A. Dominick, of Mentor on the Lake, Ohio, a nurse for more than two decades who is studying to become a neonatal nurse practitioner at Case Western Reserve University Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing. She is a member of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses and works at the Cleveland Clinic in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. 
Dawn Kingston, of Ontario, Canada, a nurse who is pursuing her doctorate at McMaster University where she is studying precursors to preterm birth. Ms. Kingston is focusing on the negative and protective effects of the family socioeconomic environment in childhood and its implication for future risk of preterm birth.

Gwen Latendresse, of West Jordan, Utah, a certified nurse midwife who is a doctoral candidate at the University of Utah School of Nursing.  Ms. Latendresse is investigating the relationship between chronic stress and adverse reproductive outcomes, especially premature birth. She has spoken about chronic stress and childbirth at professional research conferences.

Jody Lori, of Ann Arbor Michigan, a certified nurse midwife, who is pursuing a doctorate in nursing at the University of Arizona. Ms. Lori is concentrating her research on the issue of health disparities, and has published several articles in professional journals about poverty, and discrimination in the lives of African-American women. She recently spent time in Liberia teaching life saving skills to local midwives.

Nicole Rouhana, of Vestal, New York, a certified nurse midwife who is studying for a doctorate in rural health nursing at Binghamton University.  Ms. Rouhana also serves as program director at the Stonybrook University Midwifery and Perinatal Women's Health Program. After  17  years  in  clinical  practice and 12 years in midwifery,  she intends to continue to study rural (health) care, as well as to research and study its provision in innovative ways. She also plans to work with the American College of Nurse Midwives to help expand its capacity in rural settings.

Qualified applicants for the March of Dimes 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 2007 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 2007 scholarships are due January 15, 2007.