“
My Mercy education really opened my
eyes to how much we can help within our
nation, how much we can serve within our
Philadelphia area, and on a global scale.
”
MAGGIE WALSH
Nursing
From an early age, Maggie Walsh ‘19 always knew she wanted
to help people. It’s no surprise that she, like the Sisters of
Mercy founder Catherine McAuley, faces challenges with
incredible grace and uses them as motivation to give back to
others with mercy and compassion.
Maggie’s long history of service and compassion began with one
of the biggest challenges she’s ever faced: losing her father.
Eleven years ago, Maggie’s father lost his battle with brain
cancer. In order to cope with their grief and motivate each
other to carry on, her family created “Team Walsh” which
participates in the Race for Hope to unite and fight against
brain cancer. Her struggles made Maggie embrace her passion
for giving back to others who are in need of support, which
encouraged Maggie to pursue a nursing career at Gwynedd
Mercy University.
“My Mercy education really opened my eyes to how much we
can help within our nation, how much we can serve within our
Philadelphia area, and on a global scale,” Maggie said.
Her passion for helping others continued to grow during her
years here.
At GMercyU, she was a member of the National Mercy
Honor Society, Sigma Phi Sigma, and a three-year captain
of Gwynedd Mercy University’s field hockey team, earning
the distinction in her sophomore year. Maggie led the team to
four-straight Conference Championship appearances, winning a
Conference Title in 2017.
calendar — for people with special needs, as witnessed by her
involvement with Athletes Helping Athletes and Camp PALS.
She is a true student-athlete who became a mentor and leader
both on and off the field for her teammates and coaches.
Even while balancing her nursing studies, field hockey, and
service activities, Maggie still found time to give back to those
in need on a global scale with GMercyU’s annual nursing
mission trip to the Dominican Republic. There, she assisted in
delivering health care to more than 350 people in the Bateyes.
When she returned home, she immediately began looking for
ways to continue that work and incorporate it into her life back
home.
“She has been giving back for her entire life. She sees helping
others as a way to make her community and world a better
place,” said her mentor and Field Hockey Coach, Laura-Ann
Lane. “She does all that she does because it is the right thing
to do. Wouldn’t we as a society and world be better if everyone
had the same thought process and values?”
Given her extensive background in service and commitment,
Maggie was honored with both the Catherine McAuley Award
and the President’s Scholar Award for 2019. In addition, she
recently accepted a position with Bryn Mawr Hospital where
she will be working on a medical-surgical telemetry unit.
Her ultimate goal is to pursue a neurological or critical care
specialty.
“What I’ll take with me is that there are so many ways to serve
and so many ways to help others. There are always things we
can and should do,” Maggie said.
She has a special place in her heart— and on her busy
TODAY
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