Husson nursing graduate receives prestigious award for service

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - Husson University announced Monday that Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduate, Madison Morano, Class of ‘22, a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army received the prestigious Colonel Tanya Wahlberg Nurse Cadet Excellence Award. Named in honor of a former second brigade professor of military science, the award is presented each year to individuals who demonstrate excellence through leadership, character, academics and physical fitness. Morano is from Walpole, Massachusetts.

Lieutenant Colonel Steven A. Veves, LTC, IN, a professor of military science at the University of Maine characterized this accomplishment as “a huge deal.” According to Veves, “Maine is traditionally one of the smaller programs and with that comes a smaller nurse population. Second Lieutenant Morano had to compete against larger schools, with more applicants, in order to win this award.”

After winning the Colonel Tanya Wahlberg Nurse Cadet Excellence Award, Morano took time to reflect on all of the hard work it took to earn this recognition. “As I pursued my degree, I kept putting pressure on myself to do better,” she said. “This award validated all of my hard work and I was honored to accept it.”

Ever since she was a little girl, Morano wanted to be a member of the U.S. Army. “I would see people dressed in uniform at the grocery store or in a restaurant and I was always fascinated by them.” Now an officer in today’s Army, she has no regrets about joining the armed services. “I love the camaraderie of the Army,” said Morano. “I always wanted to give back to my country and this is a great way to do it.”

Husson’s emphasis on experiential learning provided Morano with practical experience that supplemented her classroom and simulation laboratory learning. While she was at the University, she completed a Nurse Summer Training Program in Fort Wainwright, Alaska. “I was able to work in a military hospital and get a real feel for what my future would hold,” she said.

Following the completion of a basic course in San Antonio, Texas, Second Lieutenant Morano will be stationed at the Madigan Army Medical Center. This medical center is located on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, just outside Lakewood, Washington. It’s an integral part of the Madigan Healthcare System - one of the largest military hospitals on the West Coast. Morano’s goal is to specialize in labor and delivery nursing. She hopes to someday become a nurse anesthetist.