Shirley Nathan-Pulliam and family standing before living green wall at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

The University of Maryland School of Nursing honored the impact of two influential women as it cut the ribbon on a new expansion during a celebratory “Seeds of Change” event on Jan. 30.


Nightingale, Dix, Barton, Mahoney, Parsons, Wald, and Petry — the names of these seven influential nurses have been etched on the façade of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) building for more than two decades.

Now, the names of two trailblazing UMSON alumnae join them, women whose legacies have shaped not only the nursing field, but also the city, the state, and beyond.

Esther E. McCready, DIN ’53, the first African American to gain admittance to UMSON, and former state Sen. Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, MAS, BSN ’80, RN, FAAN, are highlighted on the front of the school’s recently opened expanded section, a recognition of their contributions to nursing, education, and public health.

UMSON honored these groundbreaking women’s impact as it cut the ribbon on the new space during a celebratory “Seeds of Change” event Jan. 30.

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