Newswise — Major General Margaret C. Wilmoth, PhD, MSS, RN, FAAN, will deliver the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing commencement address on Monday, May 18, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.

Gen. Wilmoth is the Deputy Surgeon General for Mobilization, Readiness and Army Reserve Affairs in the Office of the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army. She is also professor at the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing & Health Professions at Georgia State University, where she previously served as inaugural dean from 2012-2014. An alumna of Penn Nursing's doctoral program (Gr'93), Gen. Wilmoth holds a master’s of Strategic Studies from the Army War College and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Maryland. She is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and was also a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy fellow in the Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Honorable Nancy Pelosi, during the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

“Gen. Wilmoth has been a pioneer in healthcare and a champion for women, nurses, and military personnel and veterans,” said Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, FAAN, The Margaret Bond Simon Dean of the School of Nursing. “We are honored that she is delivering this year’s commencement address, and proud that she is an alumnus of our School.”

During her illustrious and well-decorated Army service career, Gen. Wilmoth has held numerous leadership roles including: Assistant for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs; Commanding General of the 332nd Medical Brigade; and service on the Army Reserve Forces Policy Committee, the first nurse ever appointed to the Committee. It is particularly noteworthy that during this same time period, she built an equally impressive academic career. Dr. Wilmoth is an experienced educator, with 30 years of experience in higher education where she has taught across all levels of nursing education. In addition, she has built a highly regarded program of research in psychosocial oncology and is an experienced leader in interprofessional training and education in both the civilian and military communities.

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world’s leading schools of nursing and is ranked the #1 nursing school in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. Penn Nursing is consistently among the nation’s top recipients of nursing research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through research, education, and practice.

For more information, contact Siobhan Arnold, associate director of communications, 215-746-3562 or [email protected].