It is with great sadness that I share the message below from Maryland Higher Education Commission's Secretary, Dr. James D. Fielder, regarding the loss of one of our nurse leaders, Dr. Peg Daw. 

It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you about the loss of a valued and highly respected member of the MHEC family.

 

Peg E. Daw, our Nurse Support Program II (NSP II) Grant Administrator, passed away yesterday morning, December 18th, with her family at her side. No other information has been provided by the family. However, Dr. Daw’s funeral will be tomorrow, Tuesday, December 19, at 2 p.m. at the Paul Funeral home in Washington, North Carolina, with visitation at 1:00 p.m.  For more information, please call the Paul Funeral Home at 252-946-4144, which is located at 900 John Small Avenue, Washington, NC 27889.

 

During difficult times like this, I find some comfort in remembering all of the lives Peg touched and the immense impact she had on those she interacted with in the higher education nursing community she served.

 

Most recently, Dr. Daw was recognized as one of nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, practice, administration, and academia. She received National Recognition for Outstanding Contributions to Nursing Faculty by being selected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN). 

 

As the NSP II Grant Administrator, Dr. Daw represented the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) both nationally and internationally. She is credited with increasing the educational capacity of nurse educators and nurse faculty in the state, and for enhancing the pool of well-educated and qualified nurses serving Maryland residents.  She is also responsible for creating and implementing new and innovative ways to integrate proven statewide programs and for developing strategic partnerships, benefiting our healthcare professionals.

 

Peggy was also credited with developing the first-of-its-kind initiative to increase the number of Certified Nurse Educators (CNE) in Maryland, and for providing continuing recognition of CNE credentialed nurse faculty. Recent data reveals that the number of certified nurse educators in Maryland doubled since 2018.

 

While we mourn the loss of a consummate nursing professional, a teacher, a coworker, a mentor, and a friend, we acknowledge her countless contributions to nursing, and sincerely appreciate her desire to answer the call to action and bring the best-of-self to serve our higher education community.

 

Due to the time restraints regarding the funeral, I will make sure I follow up with mailing information regarding any personal notes or letters you wish to send to family members.

 

Respectfully,

Secretary Fielder