May 23, 2019 | By Hibah Ansari
Before Earlise Ward’s days as a psychologist, researcher, and now, Morgridge Center for Public Service Faculty Director—she grew up in a family where “public service,” was just a supermarket trip away.
Ward, an associate professor in the School of Nursing, serves on a variety committees in the School of Nursing, while also holding leadership roles in national organizations like the American Psychological Association.
Now, she’s applying that same commitment to advance the Morgridge Center mission. In the future, Ward hopes to see a strengthening of relationships with underserved communities. She also hopes that the Morgridge Center becomes a leader on campus in developing an infrastructure to support community-based researchers.
“I believe in the mission of the Morgridge Center because it is so closely aligned with the Wisconsin Idea, and I believe the Morgridge Center embodies and activates the Wisconsin Idea, basically putting it in action. I just love being in a place where I see that commitment and passion in our team—staff and students.” —Dr. Earlise Ward