Former Northern Michigan University President and 1973 NMU alumna Kerri Schuiling is one of two recipients of the 2024 Dorothea Lang Pioneer Award—the most prestigious honor presented by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Foundation. The award is named for the late past president of the ACNM and ACNM Foundation, who advanced the profession in countless ways for decades. It recognizes exceptional individuals in the field who have exhibited vision, leadership and innovation.
“I was completely surprised and truly humbled to receive the Dorothea Lang Pioneer Award,” said Schuiling. “Dorothea was one of my mentors when I was a young midwife. She'd say, ‘Go where the need is greatest and you'll do the most good.' She also sternly reminded us to never put ourselves on a pedestal, but to work with our patients as equals, learning from one another. Even after transitioning to university administration, her wise words guided my approach to management. I'm forever indebted to her.”
Schuiling was unable to attend the Oct. 19 ceremony, but participated via Zoom. The introduction read prior to the award presentation stated that her contributions to the research realm have been particularly notable.
“Dr. Schuiling's dissertation work focused on the concept of comfort to better capture the experience of labor. She evaluated a CNM/perinatologist partnership model demonstrating the cost-effectiveness and superior outcomes of midwifery-led care. She also led groundbreaking research on women surviving abusive relationships, leading to globally distributed multimedia materials. As the senior staff researcher for the ACNM from 2003-2015, Dr. Schuiling led crucial initiatives that have informed policy decisions and strategic planning in midwifery. Her analysis of workforce data provided essential insights into the profession's demographics, education, employment and compensation.”
Internationally, Schuiling chaired the International Confederation of Midwives' Research Committee, developing a global midwifery research agenda. She is the founding co-editor of the International Journal of Childbirth and has authored numerous articles, including contributions to a 2016 Lancet Global Health publication series on midwifery.
Schuiling brought her visionary leadership, scholarship and clinical expertise together to launch the Women 's Gynecologic Health textbook, addressing critical educational gaps in women's health. It received national recognition awards, and is now in its 4th edition as Gynecologic Health.
“Dr. Schuiling's career epitomizes excellence in midwifery practice, education, research and leadership,” the introduction continued. “From an early point in her career, in 2001, she was identified as an emerging leader honored with ACNM's Kitty Ernst ‘Whippersnapper' Award. Now, in 2024, Dr. Schuiling is being recognized for her pioneering career in midwifery, as a tireless advocate and leader in higher education, with unwavering dedication to the advancement of midwifery and women's health on a global scale.”
A graduate of the first distance education class at Frontier Nursing University (FNU), Schuiling went on to play a pivotal role in FNU's distance education program, demonstrating an early commitment to expanding access to midwifery education. This laid the foundation for her academic and higher education career.
She served in various capacities with NMU over the years, including director of the School of Nursing, dean of the College of Health Sciences and Professional Studies, and provost and vice president for Academic Affairs before her October 2021 appointment as president. She agreed to serve in the top leadership role until until a national search for a new president was completed, and continues to serve her alma mater as special assistant to the NMU provost.
Schuiling holds a master's degree from Wayne State University and a doctorate from the University of Michigan. She is certified as both a women's health nurse practitioner and nurse-midwife.
Find more information on the Dorothea Lang Award here.