Celebrating 50 Years of Nurse-Midwifery Education at Georgetown
In 2023, Georgetown University School of Nursing celebrated five decades of training nurse-midwives to provide primary care to individuals across the lifespan as well as during the labor, birth and postpartum periods; manage sexual and reproductive health and gynecologic health; provide family planning services and preconception care; and manage the care of newborns up to one month. This page commemorates that celebration.
On This Page:
50th Anniversary of Midwifery Education Symposium and Celebration
Support a NM/WHNP or WHNP student with a donation to the student emergency fund.
Commemorative News Stories
School of Nursing Alum Speaks About Justice and Joy at Midwifery Anniversary Celebration
In celebrating 50 years of the nurse-midwifery program at Georgetown, the School of Nursing chose to honor one of their own, Ebony Marcelle (N’04), CNM, MS, FACNM, with the event’s keynote address. Marcelle, who has dedicated her career to confronting racism within health care systems, focused on the role of midwives in addressing maternal health disparities in her remarks titled “Midwifery, Justice, and Joy.”
Read More About Ebony Marcelle
History of Nurse-Midwifery Program Reveals a Lasting Commitment to Community Care and Political Advocacy
In its first two decades of existence, Georgetown University School of Nursing Nurse-Midwifery Program achieved remarkable success in providing perinatal care to the D.C. community and advocating for the profession of midwifery.
Read More About the Program’s Early Years
School of Nursing Graduate Student Embraces Yupik Lifestyle While Serving Underserved Populations in Rural Alaska
Lindsey Wagner (G’24), who worked as a clinical instructor and nurse in a small city in western Alaska, looks forward to having new experiences serving Native peoples as she completes her graduate degree in the School of Nursing’s Nurse-Midwifery/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Program.
Read About Lindsey Wagner’s Experiences
Nurse-Midwifery Alumna on a Mission to Improve Maternal Health in Zanzibar
Driven by the belief that women should not have to risk their lives if they become pregnant, nurse-midwifery alum Nafisa Jiddawi (NHS’14) returned to her home country, Tanzania, to establish the nation’s first holistic wellness center dedicated to women’s health promotion and disease prevention.
Read More About the Center She Founded
A Labor of Love
The first of its kind in the DC area and one of only 10 in the country when it launched in 1973, Georgetown’s renowned nurse-midwifery program continues as it began: emphasizing holistic care, patient autonomy, and support for healthy births without unnecessary medical intervention.
Read More About the Nurse-Midwifery Program at Georgetown50th Anniversary of Midwifery Education Symposium and Celebration
View the Details of This Event
Read a Special Message of Thanks From GUSON Dean Roberta Waite, EdD, RN, PMHCNS, ANEF, FAAN
Sunday, October 8, 2023, at the Healey Family Student Center
- Hybrid (virtual and in person) half-day symposium from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. with 3 podium presentations and 3.0 CEs. View Symposium Information
Keynote Speaker Ebony Marcelle
- Evening celebration from 6 to 9 p.m. ET: The evening celebration featured keynote speaker Ebony Marcelle, DNP, CNM, FACNM, the Director of Midwifery at Community of Hope, speaking to “Midwifery, Justice and Joy” during her talk.
- View a video of the slide presentation highlighting Georgetown midwifery “change-makers,” who have had extraordinary influence on midwifery practice, research, education and/or policy.
Finding this after the event? You can still connect with us:
- Update your contact information using this contact information form.
- Reach out to nmwhnponline@georgetown.edu.
Join us on the School of Nursing’s social media channels:
Webinar Series
This two-part webinar series situated the program in time and historical context as past and present. Program Directors shared their challenges and contributions to midwifery education, practice, and science during their tenure at Georgetown. View the recordings in the descriptions below for CE credit.
“The Legacy and Currency of Midwifery Education at Georgetown University: Legacy”
“The Legacy and Currency of Midwifery Education at Georgetown University: Legacy”
Recording: View a recording of this webinar here.
Description: Featuring Program Directors from 1973 to the 2011 online transition, note the similarities to today’s struggles for midwifery’s place in health care and academia. We stand on the shoulders of the giants who paved the way for the growth and development of midwifery practice, education, and science. This webinar has been approved to award 1.5 CEs (ACNM #2023-018SAE).
Panelists:
Marilyn Schmidt
Judy Melson Mercer
Deborah Bash
Carolyn Gegor
Elaine Germano
“The Legacy and Currency of Midwifery Education at Georgetown University: Currency”
“The Legacy and Currency of Midwifery Education at Georgetown University: Currency”
Recording: View a recording of this webinar here.
Description: Featuring Program Directors from the 2011 online transition to the present, hear stories of the expansion of Georgetown’s reach as the hybrid distance education model was established. This change led to current accomplishments and sets the stage for a bright future for the profession of midwifery at Georgetown and beyond. This webinar has been approved to award 1.5 CEs (ACNM #2023-019SAE).
Panelists:
Kim Trout
Karen Grace
Kelley Walker
Julia Lange Kessler
Melicia Escobar