Outstanding Alumni - 2009
Dr. Ranae (Erickson) Womack
Bemidji State University Graduate 1979 and 1987
Dr. Ranae Womack received bachelors' degrees from BSU in health education (1979), and nursing (1987). She worked as a nurse in the emergency room and surgery. In 1985, she came to BSU to implement the Native American's into Medicine program. She also spent a year as the Acting Director of Indian Student Services. She received a Master's in Nursing degree (1990) and a PhD in Higher Education Administration and Statistics (1993) from the University of North Dakota. Dr. Womack joined the faculty of the BSU Department of Nursing in 1992. Her research and publication areas include diabetes related to Native Americans, leadership and management, and recruitment and retention of Native American students. She served as Department Chair (1995-1999) and as the Dean of the College of Social and Natural Sciences (1999-2007). She retired from BSU this past May. During her career at BSU, she was instrumental in acquiring funds from private foundations, the State of Minnesota and federal sources for projects including the BSU 4-year nursing program, recruitment and retention of Native students, a wetlands ecology endowment, and culturally appropriate science education for Native American elementary school children. Dr. Womack also served on Board of Directors for North Country Health Services, the Northwest Minnesota Foundation, the Northwest Minnesota Women's Fund, the BSU Foundation, and Beltrami County Health Services. Dr. Womack and her husband, Dr. Larry Womack, have four grown children, Erica and Brent Bohan, Katherine and Kristopher Womack, and live in Ashland, Oregon.