Retired ULM Professor of Nursing Nancy Albright Lowery was the guest of honor at an event announcing the establishment of a scholarship dedicated to her.

Hosted by the ULM Foundation at the Laird Weems Center, Lowery was surrounded by family and friends gathered to celebrate the occasion.

Lowery taught nursing at ULM for 40 years, including the first class of graduates from what is now the Kitty DeGree School of Nursing. Susan Chappell, executive director of ULM Advancement, Foundation and Alumni Relations, welcomed those attending and spoke about Lowery’s life and career.

She was an award-winning professor and an expert witness in malpractice cases. She was president of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing in the 1980s. A native of Monroe, Lowery earned a nursing degree from Northwestern State University and a master’s from Emory University. Her daughter, Kate Lowery, decided to honor Lowery for her 80th birthday – Dec. 14 – with the scholarship.

The first recipient of the scholarship is Nancy Ragona, who is a licensed practical nurse working on a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The scholarship was endowed with an initial gift of $25,000. Scholarships of $500 will be awarded each semester.