Each year the School of Nursing honors an exceptional faculty member with the Caroline Pennington Award, which recognizes excellence and provides public acknowledgement of the qualities that define special teachers. Caroline Pennington graduated from the school in 1918 and was known for her dedication, hard work and innovation. Students are asked to nominate faculty members for the awards.

This year's recipient is assistant professor Rosemarie Brager, who has taught at the School of Nursing since 1987. She currently teaches Principles for Pathophysiology and Nursing for Adult Physical Health.

Rosemarie Brager

Brager says she tries to show her students that nursing can provide daily opportunities to make a difference in someone's life.

"Nursing has countless roads to explore," Brager says. "Nurses can work with the young or the elderly, in primary care or acute care, in cities or rural areas--the possibilities are countless. That is what I want my students to realize."

The comments students made in their nominations of Brager reveal the impact she has as a teacher. One student said she "portrays progressive, cutting-edge nursing and has a great teaching style." Another said, "She holds us to high expectations and is there outside the classroom to provide extra help." A third referred to Brager as "a no-nonsense person who encourages and inspires her students in an upfront and humorous way."

Brager received a bachelor's degree in nursing from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and a master's degree in nursing from the University of Maryland. She received a doctoral degree from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.
-- Kate Pipkin