Mary Sheldahl Supports Future Nurses at Mercy College of Health Sciences

Mary Sheldahl is a champion for the next generation of nurses to serve our community through her dedication to Mercy College of Health Sciences.

For more than a decade, Mary has been involved in a number of areas at Mercy College. In 2010, she joined the college’s Scholarship Committee and since then has served on the Mission and Community Committee, as Treasurer of the Mercy College of Health Sciences Board of Directors, as Mercy College Liaison to the MercyOne Des Moines Foundation Board of Directors and most recently as Chair of the College Board of Directors in 2020 and 2021.

“Mary has been extremely generous, given countless hours of service, and provided outstanding volunteer leadership for numerous years. We are grateful for her service,” said Shannon Cofield, President of MercyOne Des Moines Foundation.

In recognition of her retirement from the College Board of Directors, Mary established the Mary Sheldahl Endowed Nursing Scholarship. This scholarship will assist current Mercy College nursing students continue their education and become remarkable heath care professionals.

"We are so pleased to have a scholarship in the name of Mary Sheldahl to recognize her tremendous contributions to Mercy College through her service and financial support of students," said Dr. Adreian Henry, President of Mercy College of Health Sciences.

Prior to their passing in the 1990’s, Mary’s parents were treated by outstanding providers at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center. She and her sister, Loretta, were moved by the care and compassion of the nurses taking care of their parents. Mary and Loretta established the Carl and Mary Cacciatore Memorial Endowed Scholarship to honor their parents and to help future nursing students.

“My sister and I did not want a nursing student to stop studying at Mercy College because they could not find the money to do so,” said Mary.

She hopes students who receive either of these scholarships have the financial support they need to graduate and become leaders in health care.

Read more about Mary’s generosity at MercyOne.org/desmoinesfoundation/news/donor-spotlight-mary-sheldahl.

You can support the future of health care professionals at Mercy College of Health Sciences. Please contact MercyOne Des Moines Foundation Vice President of Philanthropy, Joan Bindel at jbindel@mercydesmoines.org or 515-643-8020.