Franklin University Celebrated its Third Annual Alumni Award for Professional Excellence

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Sherry Mercurio
Executive Director, Office of Community Relations
(614) 947-6581
Email: [email protected]

Franklin University, one of the leading educators of working adults in central Ohio, celebrated its 177th Commencement on Sunday, September 15, 2024. Along with honoring the graduates, the University recognized Dorrie Dils with the Alumni Award for Professional Excellence.

Dorrie Dils is president and CEO of Gift of Life Michigan. As the leader of the nation's 11th-largest organ and tissue program, Dils oversees a staff of more than 400 professionals who work statewide to help fulfill the decisions of organ and tissue donors and their families. Dils also serves as president of the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations, which represents 48 of the nation's 56 organ donor programs. In that role, she works on national issues that impact organ donation to increase donation and save the lives of the more than 100,000 people waiting for an organ transplant.

Dils began her career at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, as a registered nurse in a busy Level-I trauma intensive care unit. She transitioned to organ donation in 1991, as a donation coordinator for Lifeline of Ohio, where she served in various capacities until eventually becoming the chief clinical officer.

Dils has been active nationally, serving on the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN) OPO, Thoracic and Transplant Administrators committees, as well as the OPTN Board of Directors. Previously, she served as vice chair of the University of Toledo Donation and Transplant Sciences program. She is a former chair of the AOPO Ethics Committee and served as vice chair of its Advocacy Committee.

Dils was a faculty member for the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) collaborative. She served as a board member for the National Kidney Foundation of Ohio and the Multiple Sclerosis Society. She was honored by Business First as part of the publication's 2004 Forty Under 40 class and in 2020, Dils was named a Notable Woman in Health by Crain's Detroit Business.

Dils has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Franklin University and a master's in healthcare administration from Ohio University.

Congratulations, Dorrie!

About the Franklin University Alumni Awards
The Franklin University Alumni Awards were created to recognize the many achievements of Franklin University alumni, both professionally and personally. The awards, open to all alumni, distinguish accomplishments in three categories: professional excellence, social impact, and alumnus of the year.

One of the three awards is announced at each of the University's Commencement ceremonies on a rotating basis. The Franklin University Alumni Advisory Council considers nominations and makes its recommendations to the University's president for approval.

About Franklin University

Accredited, nonprofit, and dedicated to educating adults since 1902, Franklin provides onsite course options at our Main Campus in downtown Columbus, Ohio, and is an innovator in providing personalized online education. The University offers applied in-demand undergraduate, masters, and doctorate programs that enable adult learners to achieve their educational and professional goals. Through agreements with partner institutions, the University also offers international academic programs, including its top-ranked MBA.

Franklin University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds specialized accreditations for specific academic programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education. The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated Franklin University as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE).

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