Honoring Dianne Ward’s Memory
Dianne Ward, Professor of Nutrition in the Gillings School of Global Public Health and a Research Fellow with the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, passed away on July 26, 2023.
In her nearly 25-year illustrious career at UNC-CH, her research promoting the health and wellbeing of young children gave rise to the Children’s Healthy Weight Research Group (now named the Community Health and Wellness Resource Team) and its flagship Go NAPSACC program, which has reached over 8,000 child care programs across 23 states.
Read Dianne’s Tribute here.
Read Dianne’s Obituary here.
The Ward Memorial Fund
To honor her legacy, Dr. Ward’s colleagues, friends, and family have established the Ward Memorial Fund. This fund supports project and professional development opportunities for early care and education professionals, students, and researchers from disadvantaged backgrounds including first-generation students. Rooted in the empowerment of aspiring researchers and early care and education professionals who share a commitment to nurturing and enriching young minds, the Ward Memorial Fund exemplifies Dr. Ward’s visionary spirit. Contributions will not only bolster a summer internship program initiated by Dr. Ward and our team in 2023 but will also provide crucial financial support and well-deserved recognition to individuals pursuing education and training within the area of early childhood education.
Make a Gift