Donna Williams

Donna Williams worked at Montana State University for 10 years as associate dean for research and graduate education in the College of Nursing and became professor emeritus when she retired. Williams acted as a mentor to women, providing them additional financial support and educational opportunities. During her tenure, student enrollment in the nursing graduate program increased from 15 to nearly 100 students due, in part, to MSU becoming the first institution in the state to offer a doctoral degree in nursing. Williams was also instrumental in securing grants to support Montana nurses attending graduate school.  In addition, she began a research seminar series to showcase nursing research and was instrumental in forming a collaboration of nursing, engineering and statistics. As a member of the MSU Institutional Research Board (IRB), she assisted Bozeman Health Hospital nurses with developing an IRB process. While mentoring graduate students and faculty in their research, Williams had an active research program of her own and received a grant to deliver health care in a culturally sensitive approach to residents in sparsely populated areas.

Donna Williams devoted professional expertise, time and humanity into supporting and moving the nursing community and profession forward.