Gaughan family strengthens bond through scholarship

A week after delivering her second child, Mary Rose Gaughan returned to the classroom, her books in one arm and her son, Dennis, in the other.

Unwilling to miss the final few weeks of the semester, Gaughan took newborn Dennis to class every day as she earned her master’s degree in nursing from UB.

Now, more than 20 years later, she returned to UB this fall to earn a doctorate in nursing, pursuing her degree at the same time as her sons, Dennis and Charles Gaughan.

“Education has always been important to us. When my last son, Joseph, went to college, that’s when I said it was my turn,” says Gaughan, adding that Joseph opted to attend SUNY Purchase College.

An educator as well as a student, Gaughan, an assistant professor of nursing at Erie Community College, teaches in the morning, then travels to UB in the afternoon to meet with advisers and attend classes.

Her decision to attend UB was influenced by the inclusion of online courses in the program, allowing her to continue teaching full time. But the opportunity to study under Cynthia Stuhlmiller tipped the scales.

Stuhlmiller, professor and associate dean for academic innovations and community engagement, was a student of Patricia Benner, a renowned nursing theorist and author. By studying nursing theory under a faculty member who worked closely with Benner, Gaughan hopes to infuse those teachings into her own work and the lessons she shares with her students.

After earning her doctorate, Gaughan aims to become a nurse scientist and explore methods of improving access to care for low-income communities. She performed similar work as a “street nurse” for the New York State Department of Health, providing access to health insurance and services to Buffalo residents in their homes.

“When someone is sick, they go to the doctor. But vulnerable populations who don’t have a doctor get disconnected from the health care system,” she says. “We need to explore ways to help people and communities get healthier on their own turf.”

Like his mother, Dennis also will join the health care workforce. A senior biotechnology student, he plans to enter medical school with a desire to study genomics.

“My mother always placed a strong emphasis on education, encouraging us to excel in school to prepare us for the challenges she’s already experienced in life,” he says.

“She’s always been there for me in my childhood, and now she’s there for me in adulthood, which is an experience many people don’t get to have after they leave home to attend school.”

Charles, on the other hand, is a second-year law student, and will follow in the footsteps of his father, who practices as an attorney in Hamburg.

“I enjoy being at school at the same time as my mom because it gives me more motivation to do well and study harder,” Charles says. “She encouraged me to study and take school seriously since a young age. Without her, I would probably have never gone to law school.”

Dennis expects to graduate from UB in the spring with a bachelor’s degree, and Charles is on track to receive his law degree in 2018. They both look forward to watching their mother walk at graduation when she earns her doctorate in 2022.