Warren, OH (Sept. 1, 2023) – The late Mary Ellen Patton advocated for nursing in the Mahoning Valley and nationwide. Now, her legacy will continue to inspire and support local students for years to come through District Three Nurses Association’s newly announced nursing scholarships for ºÚÁÏÍø and some of its regional campuses.
On Monday, August 28, the District Three Nurses Association presented ºÚÁÏÍø with a check for $400,000 to establish four new scholarships to support future nursing students across the region. The scholarships will be available at four separate ºÚÁÏÍø campus locations and dedicated to Trumbull, Mahoning or Columbiana county students.
The District Three Nurses Association Mary Ellen Patton Scholarship for Trumbull will support students from ºÚÁÏÍø Trumbull enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program.
Likewise, the District Three Nurses Association Mary Ellen Patton Scholarship for Salem will support students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program on the ºÚÁÏÍø Salem Campus.
The District Three Nurses Association Make a Difference Scholarship for East Liverpool will support students from ºÚÁÏÍø East Liverpool enrolled in the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, while the District Three Nurses Make a Difference Scholarship for Kent will support registered nurses enrolled in the RN-to-BSN program on the Kent Campus.
According to Jean Mulichak, BSN, RN, president of the District Three Nurses Association, the scholarships will continue the work that Patton started more than 60 years ago. 
"As a nurse, Mary Ellen was an advocate for safe, effective and quality patient care," she said. "As a leader, she ensured nurses were fairly compensated for their skills and given the respect in health care that they deserve. She was an inspirational role model and mentor to nurses across the United States." 
ºÚÁÏÍø's College of Nursing is one of Ohio's largest Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs and one of the nation's most respected nursing schools. 
Patton’s daughter, Rebecca M. Patton, DNP, BSN ’80, RN, CNOR, FAAN, and ºÚÁÏÍø BSN graduate, represented the Patton family and participated in the ceremony.  
"Our mom spent her life encouraging people to be the best they could be," Patton said. "Her legacy will live on through these scholarships and inspire and motivate the next generation of nurses and leaders."
In 2014, Mary Ellen Patton was inducted into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame. Along with many local and national awards, Patton led the District Three Nurses Association for more than 20 years.  
Registered Nurse members from Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana Counties make up the District Three Nurses Association, established in 1918 to advance professional nursing practice in providing quality healthcare for local citizens. 
The organization provides advanced educational opportunities to ensure the highest of professional nursing practice standards and to enhance members' participatory action in local, state and national healthcare issues. 
In addition, members volunteer countless hours in their local communities’ healthcare activities while serving as advocates for area citizens.
For more information about ºÚÁÏÍø's Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited nursing programs, visit .
ºÚÁÏÍø ºÚÁÏÍø’s College of Nursing
In existence for more than 50 years, the College of Nursing at ºÚÁÏÍø is one of the largest and most comprehensive nursing programs in the nation, with more than 16,000 alumni worldwide. As part of ºÚÁÏÍø’s eight-campus system, the college provides more than 2,000 nursing students courses of study at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels. To learn more about nursing programs at ºÚÁÏÍø, please visit www.kent.edu/nursing.
ºÚÁÏÍø District Three Nurses Association
For more information on the District Three Nurses Association, please refer to the following:
District Three Nurses Association Summary
Pictured, left to right: Curtis J. Good, Ph.D., assistant dean of Operations & Student Services at the College of Nursing; Bradley Bielski, interim dean and chief administrative officer at ºÚÁÏÍø Columbiana County Campuses, and dean and chief administrative officer at ºÚÁÏÍø Tuscarawas; Jean Mulichak, BSN, RN, president of the District Three Nurses Association; R. William Ayres, Ph.D., dean and chief administrative officer at ºÚÁÏÍø Trumbull; and Peggy Shadduck, Ph.D., vice president of ºÚÁÏÍø Regional Campuses and dean of the College of Applied and Technical Studies.