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MILLIGAN, Tenn. (Aug. 11, 2021) – Milligan University Campus Nurse Karen Maughon was selected by The Business Journal as a “2021 Healthcare Hero” for the Appalachian Highlands.
Over the past year, healthcare providers have served on the frontlines fighting a global pandemic. At Milligan, Maughon played an integral role in the development of the university’s initial COVID response plan, plans for students’ return to campus in the fall of 2020 and a campus-wide vaccination clinic in April 2021.
“Karen always provides quality service, advice and assistance to the Milligan community,” said Milligan President Dr. Bill Greer. “While Karen’s service is always appreciated, her compassion, talent, dedication and hard work have been even more obvious and invaluable during the pandemic.”
Throughout the 2020-2021 academic year, Maughon worked tirelessly to ensure the university community received the best information, guidance and care. Each week, she attended meetings with the Tennessee Department of Health and remained in frequent contact with leaders at Ballad Health. Through her contacts in the public health community, she was also able to develop and implement a testing program through a validation study of the Abbott BinaxNOW rapid antigen, allowing the Milligan health clinic to provide free COVID-19 testing. This process greatly improved the ability to identify and isolate positive cases on campus and quarantine close contacts. At the time of implementation, Milligan was the only college or university in Tennessee participating in the study. Coming full circle in April 2021, Milligan’s health clinic, under Maughon’s leadership, began a vaccination program, and provided vaccines to students, faculty and staff during the last weeks of the school year.
“As Milligan’s faculty, staff and students faced challenges, doubts and fears throughout the entire pandemic, Karen provided love, encouragement and remarkable service to the campus community,” shared Greer. “Milligan’s institutional mission statement is to honor God by educating men and women to be servant-leaders. I can think of no better example of living out that mission than Karen Maughon, who is truly a healthcare hero.”
To read the full list of “Healthcare Heroes,” click here.
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MILLIGAN UNIVERSITY is a Christian liberal arts university in Northeast Tennessee whose vision is to change lives and shape culture through a commitment to servant leadership. The university offers more than 100 majors, minors, pre-professional degrees and concentrations in a variety of fields, along with graduate and adult degree completion programs. To learn more about Milligan University, visit www.milligan.edu or call 800-262-8337.