The Service to Society Award is presented to a graduate who best exemplifies the ideals of a º£½ÇÉçÇø education through the application of their education, initiative and humanity to socially useful ends in the community, nation or world.

In 1999, the Alumnae and Alumni Association established the Service to Society Award. All graduates are eligible.

Nominate An Alum For This Award

2024 Award Winner

President Marylou Yam and Kay Pitts

Frances ‘Kay’ Pitts '96

Frances Kay Pitts has dedicated her career to excellence in healthcare for women and children as an advocate, registered nurse and certified nurse midwife. She received an associate degree in nursing from Essex Community College and a bachelor’s degree from º£½ÇÉçÇø, where she learned the value of being a fearless leader.

Pitts lobbied for nurses’ rights at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, where she worked for 27 years in maternal child health. After earning a master’s degree in nursing and certificate of nurse midwifery from Georgetown, she joined St. Paul Place Specialists at Mercy Medical Center as a certified registered nurse midwife in 1999.

The mother of a son, Michael, with special needs, Pitts previously advocated for and helped to enforce PL 94-142, also known as the Education for all Handicapped Children Act, with the Carroll County Board of Education. At age 3, Michael was the first child in the county to attend public school and ride a school bus in a car seat. Pitts was a founding member of Target Community and Educational Services, which provides group homes for clients with special needs.

Also, a founding member of Carroll Hospital Center, Pitts educated emergency room and critical care staff about clients with special needs and developed funding resources for nurses. She was an active member of the hospital auxiliary, worked as a nurse and served on the Infant Mortality Health Department Committee. The Frances Kay Pitts Center for Nursing Leadership opened in 2023.

The Pitts Family Foundation established the Frances Kay Pitts ‘96 Endowed Chair for Nursing Leadership in Women and Children’s Health at NDMU. As co-chairs of the NDMU Go Beyond Campaign, Pitts and her husband, Jim, helped to raise $50 million for the University. The Gathering Place  on the first floor of the Knott Science and Innovation Center is named in honor of their foundation.

Past Winners
Year Winner
1999 Patricia Fosarelli ’73, M.D., Ph.D.
2000 Diana Mand ’69
2001 Sue Ford Patrick ’67
2002 Retta Blaney ’78
2003 Diane Roberts McGlinchey ’59
2004 Carole Artigiani ’62
2005 Margaret M. Wintz ’45
2006 Susan Mueller Aumann ’83
2007 Mary Ellen Vanni ’69
2008 Mary Ellen Dougherty, SSND ’58
Kathleen Marie Engers, SSND ’47
2009 Mary Gabriel Roeder, SSND ’59
2010 Christopher L. Benzing, M’05
Virginia Bartlett Rugemer, C’91
2011 Susan Love, M.D. ’70
2012 Judy Geilfuss Dobson ’62
2013 Margaret O'Connor Markovic '82
2014 Andrea Bowden '69, Ph. D. 
Betty Contino W'89
2015 Susan Gardiner Larkin '65 Ph.D.
2016 Sr. Patricia McLaughlin, SSND '66
2017 Mary Ellen McFadden '67, MSN '85
2018 Nancy Ruiz Lee '91
2019 Sara Martinelli de la Guardia '69
2020 Veronica Walker Hackett '67
2021 Natalie Mistichelli Ramirez ’94
2022 Dorothy Pula Strohecker '52
2023 Amy Rosenkrans '93, PH.D.'16