College of Nursing Celebrates 2019 Gold Nugget: Carolyn Moody Drake
When Carolyn Moody Drake was a 14-year-old candy striper at Hotel Dieu – El Paso’s first general hospital – Sister Aloysius Williams, the institution’s venerable nursing school administrator, told Moody Drake she was a born nurse.
Taking those words to heart, Moody Drake earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 1975 from what now is the UTEP School of Nursing. For decades – as an RN, then as a volunteer – she has tirelessly devoted herself to patients, family and community, from children to people who need end-of-life care.
In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the nursing profession, UTEP and the community, will honor Moody Drake with the 2019 UTEP Gold Nugget Award for the School of Nursing.
For more than 30 years, UTEP has recognized exceptional graduates from each of its colleges and schools who have excelled in their professions, give back to their communities and alma mater, and serve as an inspiration for future generations of Miners.
She will be honored during the school’s Homecoming reception on Thursday, Oct. 3.
Among a wide range of community service, Moody Drake has focused much of her energy on the PARTNERS organization, which supports The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Cizik School of Nursing by raising funds for nursing scholarships and faculty research grants. She was the chair of PARTNERS in 2012-’13 and continues active involvement as a lifetime member.
A popular presenter on health care topics, Moody Drake ebulliently shares her knowledge and passion about nursing with others. She also drives, cooks and opens her home for those in need – most recently in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey flooding in 2017 in southeast Texas.
A lifetime member of the UTEP Alumni Association, Moody Drake said: “UTEP taught me to value a high-quality education in a multicultural environment, and it solidified an ideology based on caring and kindness.”