Nursing Student Awarded Leading Women Scholarship

Michaela Cousins ’23 Honored as Top Student with Commitment to Healthcare
Michaela Cousins


BALTIMORE, Md. – A senior nursing major at Notre Dame of Maryland University was awarded the 2022 Leading Women Scholarship, honoring an excellent student for her community leadership and commitment to inspiring change in healthcare.

Representatives from The Daily Record and Keswick, an organization enhancing the quality of life for older adults, presented Michaela Cousins ’23 with the scholarship at the 2022 Leading Women Under 40 awards ceremony yesterday evening. The Daily Record’s Leading Women Under 40 awards honor the achievements of Maryland women under age 40. Dr. Jennifer Kerr, an NDMU associate professor of biology, was one of more than 40 women honored during the ceremony.


Michaela Cousins


A first-generation college student, Cousins is completing NDMU’s Bachelor of Science in nursing program and works as both a home health aide and a patient care technician in a specialized gerontology unit at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Since her senior year of high school, she has worked as a certified nursing assistant and geriatric nursing assistant, with a focus on older adults. After graduation, Cousins wants to continue her education and become an adult-geriatric nurse practitioner.

“I believe that Michaela is the epitome of what it means to be a caring and compassionate nurse who advocates for individuals’ overall well-being,” said Dr. Kathleen Wisser, dean of the NDMU School of Nursing. “Michaela is a shining example of the type of students we seek to graduate: students who create authentic relationships while providing competent and compassionate care.”

At NDMU, Cousins has earned a spot on the Dean’s List for two straight semesters and joined two honors societies, Phi Theta Kappa and Chi Alpha Epsilon. She also serves as a class representative on the Student Association of Nurses at Notre Dame, NDMU’s chapter of the National Student Nurses’ Association, the premier national organization for pre-licensed nursing students.


Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.

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