NORTH EAST, MD — Dr. Rhonda Roxanne Rash, a nursing professor and assistant director of nursing at Cecil College, has been named a 2026 recipient of the Dr. Peg E. Daw Nurse Faculty Award by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the college announced Friday.
The award recognizes excellence in nursing education, including teaching, student impact, engagement, innovation, and contributions to the field, and includes a $10,000 stipend, according to the announcement.
Dr. Rash is one of 69 full-time nursing faculty members selected statewide from 28 Maryland schools of nursing for the honor in 2026, the college said.
She has spent 36 years at Cecil College, where she helped develop a winter-session clinical course in partnership with ChristianaCare that provides advanced nursing students with hands-on experience in high-need hospital settings. The program earned her the Nurse Support Program II Nursing Faculty Annual Recognition Award in 2022.
“I have been most fortunate. Having the opportunity to teach at Cecil College for 36 years with some of the most dedicated and inspirational faculty members has been the most rewarding thing I could ever possibly imagine,” Rash said in the announcement.
Beyond the classroom, Rash has participated in multiple Middle States accreditation assessment cycles, chaired Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing workshops, led NCLEX-RN reviews, and mentored students and colleagues, the college said.
The college said Rash is known for supporting students through personal challenges and maintaining relationships with graduates as they enter the nursing workforce.
Rash is scheduled to retire in May 2026 and plans to continue working as a consultant and guest lecturer.
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