Mary Ellen Hatfield School Nursing Scholarship Awards
The MaryEllen Hatfield School Nursing Scholarship was established as a memorial to a former state School Health Nurse Consultant. MaryEllen Hatfield served South Carolina from 1980 until her retirement in 1997. She was passionate about her work on behalf of children. When confronted with decisions, she consistently asked herself and others, “Is this in the best interest of the children?”
Hatfield knew that requiring licensed nurses for the provision of school health services was in the best interest of children. She worked hard to increase the number of school nurses in state schools. She also worked to build administrative systems to support a competent and well-informed school nursing work force. MaryEllen was successful in both of these areas. At the beginning of her tenure as School Health Nurse Consultant, South Carolina had 180 school nurses. Upon her retirement, there were more than 450. Thanks to Hatfield’s leadership, manuals outlining standards for school nursing practice were developed; an annual orientation program for school nurses was launched; and the Annual School Nurse Conference became the premier source of continuing education for South Carolina’s school nurses. She helped construct a solid foundation that continues to support innovative school health services programming.
MaryEllen Hatfield died on March 31, 2004. Her death brought sadness statewide. The MaryEllen Hatfield School Nursing Scholarship was established in her honor and memory to encourage school nurses to seek higher educational levels and to remind us all to constantly ask, “Is this in the best interest of the children?”
Scholarship awards will be provided annually, as funds are available. The scholarships will go to two nurses practicing in a school setting who are pursuing higher educational degrees. One award will be given to a licensed practical nurse, the other to a registered nurse. The first set of awards will be presented at the 2006 Annual School Nurse Conference.
To make a tax deductible donation to the MaryEllen Hatfield School Nursing Scholarship fund, send your check, made payable to the South Carolina Nurses Foundation, to:
MaryEllen Hatfield School Nursing Scholarship
c/o SC Nurses Foundation, Inc.
1821 Gadsden Street
Columbia, SC 29201
If you have questions or comments about the information found on this page, please contact S.C. DHEC’s Division of Women and Children’s Services. Phone: (803) 898-0767