Chair of UH Maui College Allied Health Program Receives Doctorate in Nursing Practice

Anne Scharnhorst. Photo Courtesy: University of Hawaiʻi Maui College

Anne Scharnhorst, Allied Health Department Chair and Professor in the Nursing Program at the University of Hawai‘i Maui College, has been awarded her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from UH Mānoa.

Like everything she does, this was more for the greater good than for her own advancement, said a news release from the college.

“The reason I went to get this degree is because I have had in my heart and in my sights for the last five years to see our Nursing Program here on Maui become a full
BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing) Program,” Scharnhorst said. “I’m happy to have been able to learn things to help the college and the community. This is what lifelong learning is all about – making you more effective at doing what you love to do.”

A native of Wisconsin, Scharnhorst earned her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison when she was 21. After graduation she moved to Seattle and worked at the University of Washington Medical Center for 25 years.

Her clinical experience is in acute and critical care, and clinical informatics. She earned her Master’s Degree in Nursing in Health Systems Management and a Post-Graduate certificate in Bioinformatics from the University of Washington when she was 41.

Scharnhorst moved to Maui in 2006 and began teaching at UHMC the following year. She was named Department Chair in 2012. And now, at age 61, she has earned her Doctorate.

“How’s that for lifelong learning?!” Scharnhorst said.

“Anne is an invaluable member of our UHMC ‘ohana and our Maui community at
large, especially during this challenging time of COVID-19,” UHMC Chancellor Lui Hokoana said. “It’s an honor and a thrill to call her ‘Dr. Scharnhorst’.”

For information about the UHMC Nursing Program, visit http://maui.hawaii.edu/nursing/.