There currently is a nursing shortage in this country and after teaching nursing for 48 years, Dr. Betsy McDowell knows from experience how difficult it is to educate more nurses. One step in this process involves expanding the pool of available nursing faculty so more nurses can be educated and added to the workforce. With this objective in mind, she established an endowed award which is presented to graduating nursing students at the nursing pinning ceremonies of two schools. To be eligible, recipients must demonstrate outstanding ability to use the Neuman Systems Model in providing evidence-based care plus the potential for pursuing a doctoral degree, or an interest in conducting nursing research, and the goal of becoming a nurse educator.
The criteria for this award reflect Betsy’s interests. She was certified as a pediatric critical care nurse and worked part-time in various ICUs for 36 years. Her concern for children was also evident in her volunteer work in the community, assisting with the local Safe Kids organization, and conducting a weekly support group for children at the local domestic violence shelter for 9 years for example. Her research interests address the psychosocial needs of children and families, especially those experiencing critical illness, trauma, or domestic violence.
Dr. McDowell joined the Lander University (formerly Lander College) nursing faculty in 1971 as an assistant professor after receiving her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of South Carolina. She earned a masters degree in pediatric acute care nursing from the the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a doctorate in nursing science degree from USC.
During her 36 years at Lander, McDowell moved through the academic ranks and as a full professor became the chair of the nursing program. She retired from Lander in 2007 to become a professor of nursing and the inaugural chair of the baccalaureate degree program at Newberry College. She served in that role until retiring in 2019.
She currently is president of the Neuman Systems Model Trustees Group, which is the conceptual framework for both nursing programs where she taught. In her retirement, Betsy remains active on committees, reviews abstracts for presentation and manuscripts for professional journals, publishes nursing literature, and mentors other nurses.
McDowell has received numerous recognitions over her career including being named a fellow of the Academy of Nursing Education and then a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. She received the Margaret S. Miles Distinguished Service Award from the Society of Pediatric Nurses (SPN) in 2023 for her outstanding leadership, participation, and contributions toward achieving the goals of SPN. (This award has been given only 9 times since it was established in 2006.) She also received the Cockcroft Fellowship’s Excellence in Nursing Leadership Award from the USC College of Nursing in 2024.
Dr. McDowell is very proud of all that has been accomplished by Lander and Newberry nursing alumni. She is grateful she can support the future scholarly endeavors of additional nurses through active participation in the NEF.
Nurses Educational Funds, Inc. Scholarship for Leadership 