Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) has named Donna L. Evans, M.D., FAAP, the 2025 Sandra Dunagan Deal Rural Service Fellow. The award, presented on Oct. 2 during the Nathan Deal Scholars Luncheon, recognizes Dr. Evans’ extraordinary contributions to mentoring and inspiring future physicians to serve rural underserved communities in Georgia. The award was presented by Mercer’s vice president of external relations, Ember Bentley, who previously served as a special assistant to Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal.

Dr. Evans has been a cornerstone of MUSM’s Savannah campus since it opened in 2008, serving as an assistant clinical professor of pediatrics since 1995. After retiring from clinical practice at Memorial Health University Medical Center in January 2024, she joined MUSM’s faculty full time, continuing her dedication to mentoring and inspiring future physicians.

“Dr. Evans is an outstanding faculty member, teacher and mentor for our students,” said Jean Sumner, M.D., FACP, dean of MUSM. “Her concern for others, interest in rural Georgia and excellence in care of children is inspirational. We are honored to have her at Mercer.”

Dr. Evans earned her medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina, where she also completed her pediatric residency. She went on to complete a fellowship in ambulatory pediatrics at Memorial Health University Medical Center, where she practiced for more than 30 years. She served as the medical director of the child protection team for the Willett Children’s Hospital until 2021 and served on the Chatham County Child Abuse Protocol and Child Fatality Review committees for 30 years.

“I am honored to have been selected for the Sandra Dunagan Deal Rural Service award,” said Dr. Evans. “It has been my privilege to provide health care to the children of Georgia and to have had the opportunity to teach and mentor future physicians. I am most grateful to have been chosen, and I will continue to emulate Sandra Dunagan Deal’s commitment to lifelong education.”

Throughout her career, Dr. Evans has been a tireless advocate for children. As a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Child Abuse and Neglect, she focused on educating health care providers to recognize signs of child trafficking in clinical settings. She also developed and directed clinical rotations in Child Advocacy and Community Pediatrics, providing medical students with invaluable hands-on experience in these critical areas of care.

In 2021, Dr. Evans was honored with the HCA Health Care Frist Humanitarian Award for her compassionate patient care. She has been elected faculty teacher of the year by residents and medical students on numerous occasions, continuing to inspire and mentor future pediatricians as an exemplary advocate for children.

“The ripple effect of Dr. Evans’ tireless devotion is undeniable,” Bentley said. “Each student she mentors, each patient she serves, each colleague that she supports creates waves that extend far beyond one moment, one classroom or one clinic. She has shaped a legacy that will continue to touch lives for generations. Her warmth, her welcoming spirit and her willingness to pour into others around her reflect a servant’s heart in its very truest form, very much like that of Sandra Deal.”

The Sandra Dunagan Deal Rural Service Fellow award was established by MUSM in September 2022 to honor the former first lady of Georgia and her lifelong commitment to education, volunteerism and community involvement. This award recognizes a faculty member, community partner or volunteer who has made significant contributions to mentoring, inspiring and encouraging Mercer medical students to care for Georgians in rural underserved areas. Each year, Nathan Deal Scholars select a recipient who exemplifies Sandra Dunagan Deal’s selfless devotion, love for education and promotion of excellence.

Sandra Dunagan Deal taught language arts for over 15 years in Hall County. Her passion for quality education for all children was evidenced by incredible leadership throughout her life but especially during her tenure as Georgia’s first lady. She advocated for literacy and education throughout the state, personally visiting 159 counties and 181 school systems where she read to students. For her work, she was named Georgian of the Year in 2016. In 2017, the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy was founded at Georgia College & State University to promote universal literacy and ensure every child could read proficiently.