FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY | VOL. 96, NUMBER 2 | SUMMER 2021
QUARTERLY BULLETIN
DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION
Frontier Nursing University Named “A Great College to Work For”
Virtual Event to be Held in Conjunction with National Nurse Practitioner Week FNU will once again hold a virtual event in conjunction with National Nurse Practitioner Week (November 7-13). During this Empower 2021 Creating a Culture of Caring virtual event, attendees will hear from outstanding speakers and participate. The event is sponsored by Southern Cross Insurance Solutions. To learn more about the Nurse Practitioner Week Virtual Event, please visit: Frontier.edu/NPweek
President’s Cabinet Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FAAN, FACNM President Shelley Aldridge, BA Chief Operations Officer Angela Bailey, MA, CFRE Chief Advancement Officer Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN Dean of Nursing Michael Steinmetz, CPA, CMA, CSCA Executive Vice President for Finance and Facilities Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNPBC, CDE, FAANP Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Academic Administration Jess Calohan, DNP, PMHNP-BC FAAN Department Chair of PsychiatricMental Health
Alumni Collection Added to the Online Gift Shop! Great news, FNU alumni and students: our online gift shop is now officially open! We’re excited to finally have a virtual storefront offering a variety of apparel and accessories from t-shirts to cotton masks for you to show your FNU pride. Frontier.edu/FNUalumnigear
frontier.edu/FNUgear
What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) and a Certified Midwife (CM)? Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are educated in two disciplines: midwifery and nursing. They earn graduate degrees, complete a midwifery education program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME), and pass a national certification examination administered by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) to receive the professional designation of CNM. Certified Midwives (CMs) are educated in the discipline of midwifery. They earn graduate degrees, meet health and science education requirements, complete a midwifery education program accredited by ACME, and pass the same national certification examination as CNMs to receive the professional designation of CM.
Lisa Chappell, Ph.D., FNP-BC Department Chair of Family Nursing Khara’ Jefferson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C DNP Director Rachel Mack, Ph.D., DNP, APRN, C-FNP, CNE Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Eileen Thrower, Ph.D., APRN, CNM, CNE, FACNM Interim Department Chair of Midwifery and Women’s Health
From the President
Contents From the President
1
Diversity Impact Conference
2
What the Pandemic Taught
3
Dr. Rachel Sherman
4-5
Kimberly Jones-Beatty
6-7
Mentoring Programs
8-9
President’s DEI Task Force
10-12
FNU Awarded HRSA Grants
13
Advisory Council
14
Diversity and Inclusion
14
University’s Path to Antiracism
15
Grants Management
16-17
Board of Directors
17
DOIT 18 Impact Summit News and Notes
19 20-28
Trustees
23
Alumni Notes
23
Dear Friends, While the COVID-19 Pandemic has understandably consumed much of our time and attention the past 18 months, there are two other crises that have been plaguing our country for even longer. The murder of George Floyd and other incidents of racially motivated violence brought the United States’ longstanding issues with racial equity and social justice back into focus. The continued disparities in healthcare, including the disproportionate impact of the maternal mortality crisis on Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) women, have pushed us forward in our goal to create a health care system that provides equitable, respectful, accessible, and affordable health care for all. I’m proud of the strong leadership role that Frontier Nursing University has taken in addressing these national crises. For the past year, we have documented the brave and committed work of so many of our more than 8,000 graduates who are on the front lines of the pandemic and we remain committed to telling those important stories and honoring those often thankless efforts. In this issue, however, we turn our attention to the roles members of the Frontier community have taken in addressing social justice and disproportionate healthcare. Frontier began its intentional commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion more than a decade ago and that is reflected in our rising diversity enrollment from 9 percent in 2010 to more than 27 percent today. University leadership placed this emphasis on increasing diversity -- which extends to all levels of the university -- not only because it was empirically obvious that everyone should have equal treatment and opportunity, but also because the data clearly demonstrates the importance of a diverse healthcare workforce. Culturally congruent and racially concordant healthcare has proven to improve health care outcomes. Therefore, our intentional efforts to recruit a more diverse student body, faculty, and staff enable us to better prepare our students to care for our nation’s diverse population and reduce healthcare disparities. This issue of the Quarterly Bulletin focuses on the importance of our past, present, and future diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. We celebrate our advances while acknowledging our need for continuous improvement. There is always more work to be done. In this issue, we are proud to share some of that work via stories of our alumni, students, faculty, and staff. From the classroom to the lab, to the clinic, to the streets, their efforts are making a difference both within the culture of our university and the nation as a whole. We hope this issue inspires you to be a leader for change and makes you proud to be part of the Frontier Nursing University community. Sincerely,
2050 Lexington Road Versailles, KY 40383 FNU@frontier.edu - Frontier.edu
Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc., FACNM, FAA
Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 1
o F cus on Die v rsity, Equity, and Inclusion
Over 100 Attend 2021 Diversity Impact Conference
Dr. Susan Stone
Dr. Menah Pratt-Clarke
The 11th annual Diversity Impact Conference 2021 was held as a virtual event, June 24-26. The theme of this year’s event was “Dismantling Systemic Racism and Discrimination in Healthcare: Our Roles and Responsibilities.” The overarching goal of the three-day conference was to explore the history and role of healthcare systems as a vehicle for promoting racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression. A total of 112 attended the free, threeday conference, which was highlighted by a series of outstanding speakers. The conference opened with FNU President Dr. Susan Stone presenting “Decolonizing the Nursing Profession.” Dr. Menah Pratt-Clarke, JD, Ph.D., presented the keynote address on “Social Justice through Extraordinary Compassion.” Dr. PrattClarke is the Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity, and Professor of Education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The other featured speakers were: Sarika Bhakta, CDE, President of Nikeya Diversity Consulting: “Effective Cultural Communications – Beyond Words”
2 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Sarika Bhakta
Dr. Judy Myers
Dr. Judy Myers, Ph.D., MSN, RN, Kentucky Foundation for Health advisory board member and FNU Trustee:“The History of Eugenics” Kirsten Ivey-Colson and Lynn Turner, co-founders of The AntiRacist Table: “A Path to Healing: Cultivating AntiRacism as a Daily Practice” In addition to the daily speakers, Thursday featured a social justice activity in which participants were asked to define social justice and social injustice. Further, they were encouraged to share their reactions to the social injustices that occurred in America over the last year. One participant wrote: “I feel a renewed interest in centering social justice in my professional and personal life.” Another said, “This work is not optional; it is essential.”
Kirsten Ivey-Colson
The featured speakers and activities helped drive the conference toward its overall objectives to:
• Identify ways to show compassion using diversity, equity, and inclusion. • Describe behavior changes essential to encouraging unity and improving the health outcomes of underserved and rural communities. • Identify strategies to dismantle racism, sexism, heteronormativity, and classism in health care. • Facilitate student confidence in their ability to find their place in the changing world.
Friday included a roles activity in which participants were asked:
1. What role(s) do I feel comfortable playing related to social justice in healthcare? 2. Where can I take bolder risks related to social justice in healthcare, especially if I hold different forms of privilege? What support systems do I need to be able to take those risks?
Lynn Turner
Chris Turley
FNU Diversity Equity and Inclusion Coordinator Chris Turley was Chair of the Diversity Impact Program ad hoc committee that planned and organized the Diversity Impact Conference
What the Pandemic Taught Us About the Importance of Diversity in Health Care By Dr. Geraldine Q. Young, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CDE, FAANP Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Frontier Nursing University
Changes have occurred since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s to improve the treatment of Black people; however, the underpinnings of systemic and structural racism are alive and well in the United States. Through the inequitable outcomes of the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020 bestowed upon us an undeniable reality check on the national impact of systemic and structural racism in our healthcare delivery system. As of March 17, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) (2021) reported 533,057 COVID deaths in the U.S., 289,119 of which were reported by race. Of those 289,119 deaths in which the race was known, 14% of the victims were identified as Black, non-Hispanic. Although underrepresented in the U.S., Black people disproportionately led the death toll rates as they suffer from existing socioeconomic hardships in addition to the adversities brought on by the pandemic. The COVID-19 Pandemic has shone a light on the health disparities and inequalities that people of color suffer from daily. The lack of trust for the COVID-19 vaccine embodied within the Black community due to historical and current medical negligence and bias provided by a vastly white population of healthcare professionals compounds this problem. In November 2020, a survey conducted by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) revealed that only 14 percent of Black respondents trusted the vaccine, and only 18 percent indicated that they would definitely get vaccinated. Health care disparities extend beyond the pandemic, however. For example, according to 2017 data from the CDC, Black women are three to four times more likely to die of
pregnancy complications than white women. Contributing factors to these disparities are financial, bureaucratic, transportation, language barriers, and care that is not consistently culturally appropriate or respectful. To abate these tragic, disproportionate outcomes and build trust within the U.S. health care delivery system, the healthcare workforce must become more diverse. Our nation’s population is continuously changing and becoming more diverse. The healthcare workforce must change to match. The United States Census Bureau predicts that by 2045, over half of the U.S. population will consist of minority populations. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) stated, “with projections pointing to minority populations becoming the majority, professional nurses must demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of a variety of cultures to provide high-quality care across settings.” Culturally congruent health care providers representing racial, ethnic minority populations improve trust in the health care delivery system, quality of care, and outcomes of minority populations. A 2017 report by the National Institutes of Health determined that cultural respect was an essential factor in reducing healthcare disparities and improving access to quality health care for diverse patients. According to data from the National League of Nursing and the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 80% of registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and nurse-midwives are white. Schools of nursing must also develop strategies for increasing diversity within the nursing workforce. An example of this shift can be found at Frontier Nursing University, which,
over the past decade, has emphasized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), with a particular focus on increasing the enrollment and graduation rates of students of color. FNU included DEI in its strategic plan to address issues surrounding access to health care, health outcomes, health disparities, health inequities, and to increase diversity in nursing. These efforts will play a significant role in ameliorating health disparities and inequities. FNU’s SOC enrollment has grown from 9% in 2010 to over 25% in 2020. FNU is continuing on the trajectory of integrating DEI and antiracism throughout the university to support racial, ethnic underrepresented students. Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic permitted FNU to graduate 841 students, including 208 students of color, yielding an increased workforce diversity to care for diverse, rural, underserved populations. Additionally, FNU’s current retention rate for SOC is 84%, exceeding the university’s goal of 80%, and the number of faculty of color is on the rise, currently standing at 14%. FNU is an example of the intentional focus required to begin building a more diverse, culturally competent health care system. We have known and understood for a while now that the lack of diversity among primary health care providers was a contributing factor to the glaring disparities in health care outcomes among diverse populations. The past year only acted to exacerbate the problem and heighten our awareness of the need for immediate change and action. If we have learned anything from the pandemic, it is that diversity, equity, and inclusion are the keys to the future success of our nation’s health care delivery system. Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 3
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Dr. Rachel Sherman Takes to the Street to Heal Her Community shift, she would organize and attend daily social justice protests. The protests began in June 2020 in response to an incident in a local restaurant. The restaurant owner refused service to a Black customer wearing an “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirt. In addition to a boycott of the restaurant, daily protests were held, with Sherman serving as a leader and organizer. She used social media to inform the community about the demonstrations and their importance in bringing about change.
A portion of the Frontier Nursing University mission statement includes the phrase “to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals.” While that refers to a typical healthcare setting and caring for one’s patients, it also conveys a different, even deeper message -- a message about being an ethical and compassionate leader in one’s community and ensuring equitable care for all people. That’s a daunting task that no one can do alone, but it takes a leader to inspire and organize the goodwill and intent of others who share the same idea of “serving all individuals.” So it was, in the tumultuous spring and summer of 2020, that Dr. Rachel Sherman, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, Class 36, came to help heal a community by serving on the front lines of both the predominant battles facing the country. She worked 10- to 12-hour shifts at Prince George’s Hospital in Prince George’s County, Maryland, the hospital with the highest number of COVID-positive patients in the state. After long days where she might lose half a dozen COVID-19 patients in a single 4 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
“Initially, the goal was to be out there every day,” Sherman said. “We set a time to protest daily from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. I had a co-organizer, and then we formed a coalition with other groups in the area. For the first week, we were out there every day.”
As if the long work shifts and protests weren’t enough, Sherman also has two children who were homeschooling during the pandemic and was a student herself, working toward her DNP at Frontier. Organizing and prioritizing each of those significant parts of her life was seemingly impossible.
“I remember thinking, ‘How in the world am I going to implement my DNP project and do daily protests?’” -- Dr. Rachel Sherman
“I remember thinking, ‘How in the world am I going to implement my DNP project and do daily protests?’” she said. “We had an organizers’ meeting and came up with a schedule. I had Tuesdays and Saturdays and, because the days were longer and hotter, we changed the hours from 3 to 9 to 5 to 9 so we weren’t there in the dead of the heat. If it weren’t for my co-organizers, it really would have been a struggle. So we had this schedule, and then we had weekend events to blast the daily boycott. If it wasn’t for both my team on my project side and my team on the protest side, there’s no way I would have been able to keep that up.” While the daily protests ended after about five months, the work continues and includes what Sherman describes as occasional “pop-up protests.” “The protest is still ongoing,” Sherman said. “While we are not outside of the restaurant daily, we are using our social media platform to continue our demonstration.”
said Sherman, who was presented with the Rosa Parks Award for Excellence in Community Activism at the District 9 Prince George’s County Day of Service Awards in January.
It has been a long year since that initial protest, but the results, while slow at times, are encouraging. “We are seeing that local businesses are changing their poor practices,” Sherman said. “We have seen a sense of renewed ownership of the community. Churches, local leaders, and residents are showing that they care. The restaurant has reopened, but many patrons have not returned.” Building upon the momentum, Sherman and many others involved in the protests and local leadership are leaders for change in other areas of the community as well.
“We are using our advocacy group ‘We The People of PG County’ to bring awareness to the discriminative zoning laws, issues with the public school system, poor nutrition and health care services, and lack of access to economic resources.’”
Just like the community around her, Sherman’s life has changed in many ways in the past year. She completed her DNP and graduated from Frontier. She left the hospital and is now DNP clinical faculty at Frontier. It is a role that figures to suit her well as she can relate to students’ scheduling issues and their desire to serve their communities while caring for their own families. “I have a newfound appreciation for time management and having a strict schedule,” Sherman said. As she strives “to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals,” Sherman likely will point to her own DNP project and the lessons she learned from it. Her quality improvement project, which was converted to a virtual platform due to the pandemic, was “Advance Care Planning -- A Patient-Centered Approach to Community-Based Advance Care Planning.” Her social activism heightened her social media presence, and when she shared that she was offering a free advance care planning project, the volunteers rolled in. In total, 85 participants signed up for the project, via which Sherman intended to help educate the participants about advance directives. While it wasn’t the project she originally planned to do, it was quite fitting in
“One of the more recurring themes was patients did not trust the local medical system. They would say, ‘I don’t trust that hospital.’” -- Dr. Rachel Sherman
many ways. The findings were a powerful reminder of the importance of removing inequality in all aspects of society, including health care. “One of our questions was centered around trust,” she said; “One of the more recurring themes was patients did not trust the local medical system. They would say, ‘I don’t trust that hospital. If I go in and I don’t have this advance care plan, or I don’t have someone to speak for me, they’re just going to kill me.’ They didn’t trust the local medical system. We found that more in our Black population. Even our white population, who had Black family members or friends, commented about how they saw their loved ones of color treated in the medical system. That was a big recurring theme that I didn’t initially set out to discover, but it became very apparent.” The findings were a clearly stated need for ethical and compassionate leadership in health care. It’s a role Sherman understands and takes seriously, and she embraces the opportunity to inspire her students and community members to become leaders in their own right.
-- Dr. Rachel Sherman “We are using our advocacy group ‘We The People of PG County’ to bring awareness to the discriminative zoning laws, issues with the public school system, poor nutrition and health care services, and lack of access to economic resources,” Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 5
Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Kimberly Jones-Beatty Seeks Data-Driven Solutions to Maternal Mortality Crisis the Johns Hopkins Integrated Research Center for Fetal Medicine,” Jones-Beatty said. “As a clinical practitioner, I strive to provide evidence-based care. As a researcher, I see that we contribute to evidence-based care through translational research; by generating new knowledge or validating existing knowledge in both basic science and clinical research and applying it to clinical practice to improve patient care and outcomes. It’s the best of both worlds.”
It’s one thing to identify a problem. It’s quite another to find a solution. Yet that is what Kimberly Jones-Beatty, CNM, DNP, Class 37, is striving to do. The problem has become increasingly well known, as the alarming numbers depicting the maternal mortality crisis in the United States persist. In 2018, there were 17 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births in the U.S. — a ratio more than double that of most other high-income countries, and the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed countries.^ The data is even more concerning for Black and American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) women, who have pregnancy-related mortality rates that are over three and two times higher, respectively, compared to the rate for white women.* The data confirm the problem, but it does not offer a solution. Jones-Beatty, who works as a certified nurse-midwife within the OB/GYN department at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, has been practicing midwifery for 12 years. “I work in a dual clinical/research role through providing ambulatory obstetric care and overseeing clinical research in 6 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
“Maternal morbidity and mortality are at an all-time high in the United States, and research shows that the majority of cases occur within the postpartum period.” -- Kimberly Jones-Beatty
Jones-Beatty put her research passion and skills to work in her DNP project, which focused on learning more about the maternal mortality crisis and its potential solutions. “My DNP project focused on improving postpartum care,” she said. “Maternal morbidity and mortality are at an all-time high in the United States, and research shows that the majority of cases occur within the postpartum period. The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) has called for a paradigm shift in postpartum care by moving away from the single sixweek visit and instead incorporating an ongoing postpartum process beginning in the antenatal period to impact adverse pregnancy outcomes and maternal morbidity and mortality rates. The aim of the project was to increase effective postpartum care through patient preparedness, early one-to-three-week patient follow-up, and comprehensive postpartum visits from 0% to 80% in eight weeks.”
To implement the project, Jones-Beatty followed ACOG’s recommendations in creating a postpartum planning tool. The tool included reviewing the importance of postpartum care and postpartum warning signs that warrant further evaluation. It also incorporated a population health registry for early one-to-three-week postpartum follow-up to ensure that postpartum patients were recovering from childbirth as expected and a comprehensive postpartum note template to help provide complete documentation of recommended postpartum visit components.
“The planning tool effectively increased patients’ knowledge of postpartum warning signs.” -- Kimberly Jones-Beatty “The project aim was met at 88%,” Jones-Beatty said. “The planning tool effectively increased patients’ knowledge of postpartum warning signs. The registry was effective in obtaining postpartum right care scores, which translates into patients recovering from childbirth as expected. The note template was effective in guiding effective postpartum care office visits. Next steps will include reviewing the impact of the interventions on clinic-specific patient populations, overall maternal morbidity and mortality rates, and examining differences by race.” While more study and research are required to address maternal mortality, Jones-Beatty’s work was duly recognized for its significance. She recently presented her project as a poster presentation at the Society for Reproductive Investigation’s Annual Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts. “Attending the meeting was a great experience, with networking opportunities and the chance to hear about new practice perspectives, guidelines, and other original research within reproductive health,” she said.
Jones-Beatty’s love for research and information paired well with Frontier’s emphasis on data-driven analysis and decision-making. “I decided to pursue a doctorate in nursing practice at Frontier due to its strong reputation, online format, and faculty expertise,” she said. “FNU’s DNP curriculum provides instruction on leading quality improvement in the clinical setting, as well as exposure to evidence-based practice, health policy and advocacy, and system/ organizational leadership. Collectively, I feel prepared to impact any healthcare setting I choose to work in through a deep understanding of the education and skills that exemplify nurse leaders who are ready to change the landscape of the current healthcare environment.” Jones-Beatty is well-prepared to continue to excel as both a researcher and a clinician. Both roles hold equal value to her as she seeks to positively impact her current and future patients and colleagues. “I plan to continue working both clinically and in research, contributing to evidence-based practice, improving obstetric healthcare, and decreasing adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes,” she said. ^Roosa Tikkanen et al., Maternal Mortality and Maternity Care in the United States Compared to 10 Other Developed Countries (Commonwealth Fund, Nov. 2020). https://doi. org/10.26099/411v-9255 *Artiga, S., Pham, O., Orgera, K., Ranji, U. (2020). Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: An Overview. Issue Brief. Kaiser Family Foundation, November 10, 2020
Be a Leader for Change with the DNP Many who enter the healthcare field do so not only wanting to serve others but also to be a leader in improving quality of care as a provider and clinician. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), which is the highest degree for clinical nursing practice, helps prepare for this level of expertise. Simply put, the DNP is designed for registered nurses who want to take their nursing career, leadership skills, and clinical expertise to the next level. FNU’s DNP program helps students advance their skills as well as develop as leaders, researchers, and innovators. The DNP Program draws on the clinical expertise of the faculty and students to prepare nurses at the highest clinical level to use their knowledge and clinical expertise to impact the health care of not only the individual but also the health care of the community, the region, and the nation. FNU’s DNP curriculum provides education in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership; building on knowledge already acquired. As part of the curriculum, DNP students complete a Quality Improvement Project, generally in the hospital or clinic where they are currently working. This allows the student to tailor their project to their practice and the patient population which it serves. To learn more about the DNP, please visit https://frontier.edu/ doctor-of-nursing-practice/.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 7
o F cus on Die v rsity, Equity, and Inclusion
Mentoring Programs Seek to Improve Retention and Encourage Lifelong Learning
Lauren Arrington, DNP, CNM In an effort to create even stronger interaction and connection between students and faculty, the Professional Organization Mentoring Program (POMP) was created in 2018. POMP matches FNU faculty with underrepresented nurse practitioner and nurse-midwifery students to provide support and mentorship. The program allows students to join a professional organization in their field, as well as gives them the opportunity to attend a professional conference with their mentors. Conference registration and professional membership fees are covered for all students selected as mentees. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, POMP has been redesigned to allow participating students to attend conferences virtually with faculty mentor guidance. The implementation of mentoring programs at FNU has positively impacted the retention rate for students of color which is currently 84 percent, exceeding our goal of 80 percent.
8 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
“Being a mentor allows me to experience the brilliance and determination of our students in new ways,” said course faculty Lauren Arrington, DNP, CNM, “My mentee and I have discovered new approaches to navigate the challenging balance of
Student mentees are expected to:
“Being a mentor allows me to experience the brilliance and determination of our students in new ways.”
• Meet with the mentor at least once a month for 1 hour for 1 year
-- Lauren Arrington
work, life, and school. My mentee has already made valuable contributions to the field of nursing and community health and I find myself inspired and motivated to ensure her success. She embodies the innovation and love for humanity that our healthcare system needs. It’s an honor to be a mentor.” Frontier has also launched the Comprehensive Mentoring Program, a pilot program initiated via funds from the Nursing Workforce Diversity grant (see story on page 13). This program is designed to support and retain students from underrepresented groups, by meeting their specific professional and academic needs The goal of the program is to form an ongoing relationship between mentor and mentee and expose the mentee to other means of mentoring to continue support and lifelong learning. SOC and their faculty mentors. Expectations for both the mentors and mentees are well-defined and presented to all program participants.
• Create an essay to explicate their need for a mentor (no more than 500 words) • List at least 3 individualized professional and/or programspecific goals
• Complete an evaluation of the FNU Comprehensive Mentoring Program every 3 months Mentors will be expected to:
• Attend one mandatory professional mentor education and training session offered by FNU • Participate in the mentoring program for at least 1 year • Mentor at least 2 students • Meet with mentees at least once a month for at least 1 hour for 1 year • Document meetings and activities with mentees • Expose mentees to internal and external professional activities • Assist mentees with programmatic needs • Complete an evaluation of the FNU Comprehensive Mentoring Program every 3 months While the program is still being developed and evaluated, it is expected to be fully implemented beyond the NWD grant period.
Benefits of being a Mentee
• Gain practical advice, encouragement, and support • Learn from the experiences of others • Increase your social and academic confidence • Become more empowered to make decisions • Develop your communication, study, and personal skills • Develop strategies for dealing with both personal and academic issues • Identify goals and establish a sense of direction • Gain valuable insight into the next stage of your university career Benefits of being a Mentor
• Improve communication and personal skills • Develop leadership and management qualities • Reinforce your own study skills and knowledge of your subject(s) • Increase your confidence and motivation • Engage in a volunteering opportunity, valued by employers • Enhance your CV • Increase your circle of friends • Gain recognition for your skills and experience • Benefit from a sense of fulfillment and personal growth
The Benefits of Being a Mentor By Dr. Diane John, FNU Course Faculty and Mentor I am fortunate to be involved in the FNU mentoring program and to be partnered with mentees who come with varied knowledge, skill, and experience. Mentoring extends far beyond the traditional oneway model where the mentor predominantly serves as a role model, with the sole purpose to serve as the expert. It is my goal to meet mentees where they are, to listen, to collaborate, to guide, and to learn. This has certainly been the case with the FNU mentoring program that allows the mentor and the mentee to engage in an experience designed to meet individual goals and objectives.
The Benefits of Being Mentored By Dorcas Adeniyi BSN, RN, PMHNP Class 196 My name is Dorcas Adeniyi. I started the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Program in Summer 2020. I am in class 196. The day that I started the Frontier Bound orientation, I was full of excitement with a promising future ahead. All of the professors that did orientation for us on those three wonderful days were excellent, but there was a fear of survival. My heart was full of fear of the unknown, and how I will survive the program and be able to achieve my goals. To my surprise, I got an email from the University inviting me to join the mentoring programs. Having a mentor has given me assurance, served as a resource, exposed me to what I need to know about the program, and showed me the way to the future. Since I have been assigned to Dr. John, I have never regretted having a mentor. Dr. John has met with me several times to see how I am doing and to check if I have any difficulty with my courses. Dr. John has introduced me to the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) because I love serving the underserved such as the people who lack access to care and insurance and live in rural and remote areas. I was fortunate to attend the NRHA webinar and learn how to serve these people and how to establish my own private clinic in the future because these are my future goals. As a PMHNP student, I have been taught that PMHNPs are role models, educators, and leaders in the curriculum. Therefore, I have been exposed to preparing a poster for teaching and educating purposes by Dr. John. Dr. John and I are looking forward to presenting our poster titled “Traumatic Stress Prevention” in 2022. I am thankful for the privilege to have a mentor at Frontier Nursing University. I did not take the mentoring program for granted.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 9
Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Year One of the President’s DEI Task Force Follows a Road Map for Change In January of 2021, the President’s Task Force on DEI was assembled to further FNU’s mission to become an antiracist University. The Task Force is Chaired by Dr. Geraldine Young and is charged with identifying, implementing, and evaluating initiatives that will address DEI and antiracism within our community. The goal of the Task Force is to enhance FNU’s Culture of Caring to make equity, respect, and belonging a reality. The Task Force works collaboratively with the community at large and includes members from the administration, faculty, staff, and students. The Task Force is specifically charged with creating a comprehensive action plan and facilitating the implementation of each item on the action plan. To accomplish its many action items, the Task Force implemented a roadmap structure which was used to establish a set of subcommittees. The Task Force identified and recruited chairs and cochairs for each of the subcommittees. Faculty, staff, and students were then recruited to join those subcommittees. Once the committee rosters were full, the subcommittees each began meeting on a regular basis and set about creating a work plan and structure. “The President’s DEI Task Force is intensely focused on evaluating Frontier’s current policies and practices, and identifying areas in need of improvement,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. “Through data analysis and input from members of all factions of the FNU community, the Task Force and its subcommittees are making informed decisions to make immediate changes that will drive us toward our goal to become an antiracist University. In order for Frontier to fulfill its mission, this is a goal that we absolutely must and will achieve.”
As demonstrated below, each of the subcommittees has hit the ground running, defining goals and objectives that guide their current and future decisions and actions. The subcommittees take direction from the President’s DEI Task Force and report regularly to the Task Force on the progress toward the stated goals and objectives, many of which are already complete or in progress.
Subcommittee on Faculty, Staff, and Preceptor Development and Retention Purpose: In partnership with the
President Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Taskforce, the Faculty, Staff, and Preceptors Development and Retention subcommittee will: 1. Collaborate with the necessary stakeholders to plan and facilitate diverse training opportunities to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion at FNU. The training opportunities are to ensure that all FNU community members are informed and are poised to engage in equitable, safe, and brave dialogues related to DEI. 2. Provide a framework to guide faculty and preceptors on sound teaching principles on how to adopt an AntiRacist pedagogy in their courses.
Subcommittee on Curriculum and Learning Goal: Define, evaluate and refine the
components and barriers to an inclusive, diversity responsive curriculum, based on stakeholder responses.
10 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Objectives:
• Created a framework to guide the focus group discussions • Students, staff, and faculty focus groups hosted in the Spring 2021 term. • Evaluation of the identified themes from the focus group. • Evaluate the curricula for the identified themes. • Develop a plan to implement curriculum revisions. Who: Faculty, staff, students.
• Two sessions for each group [faculty (2), staff (2), students(2)] • Two different times for each group and hosted on two different days.
Subcommittee on Climate and Belonging Goal: Disseminate diversity, equity,
inclusion, and antiracism support throughout the University. Objectives:
• Determine the need for the most significant diverse Special Interest Groups (SIGs). • Create forum(s) held on anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusionrelated topics. • Provide diverse support groups and/or access to other educational programs through collaborative partnerships (local, state, and national organizations or SIGs). • Design and/or adopt climate surveys to assess for a safe culture of caring and belonging.
Subcommittee on Retention of Underrepresented Students Goal: Develop a comprehensive student
retention program Objectives:
• Establish a student self-assessment tool to identify personal barriers that potentially impact learning that can guide a success coordinator/coach to develop intervention strategies to mitigate the self-identified barriers. • Develop a robust mentoring program oriented around lifestyle attributes that impact student resilience to increase positive student help-seeking behavior. • Mechanism to intentionally root the foundations of the culture of caring and FNU’s commitment to integrating DEI into the clinical experience. For example: communicating expectations with preceptors, strengthening assignments regarding systemic racism in the clinical setting, professional reporting of incidents of racism, bias, and power imbalance. • Financial aid resources that assist all students to identify scholarship opportunities that reflect their individual financial needs
Subcommittee on Policies, Statements, Reports, Reviews, Planning, and Evaluation Goals:
• Review existing policies/statements and identify new policies/statements using a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens where needed to advance DEI at FNU.
• Develop an evaluation process to assess FNU’s progress toward improving diversity, equity, and inclusion. Objectives:
• Review the university mission and vision statement. • Work with appropriate committees and units to identify and create new institutional policies where needed to advance DEI at FNU. • Identify changes needed in current policies/handbooks. • Review the existing DEI Dashboard metrics and formalize a process for communicating the DEI scorecard data with the FNU community on a regular basis. • Create a DEI evaluation plan for the task force to assess progress toward improving diversity, equity, and inclusion for students, faculty, and staff • Create and implement a standard set of diversity, equity, and inclusion questions for routine student and employee surveys
Subcommittee on Infrastructure, System Strengthening, and Capacity Building Goals:
• Identify and develop financial and organizational resources to support the work of the Task Force. • Recognize the work of individuals or groups who have made outstanding contributions toward the achievement of Task Force objectives.
Objectives:
1. Identify alternative funding for DEI initiatives. (S&L) a. DEI focused grants b. DEI donor opportunities 2. Develop a proposal for an ombudsman-type of service for faculty/staff/students (L) 3. Develop staff mentoring program(s) 4. Evaluate web/portal/documents for ADA compliance 5. Develop a plan for Equity Awards
Subcommittee on Recruitment across the Entire University Goal 1: Increase the number
of faculty and staff of color and other underrepresented and rural groups by December 2022 focusing on the following: a. American Indian or Alaska Native b. Asian c. Hispanic or Latino d. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander e. Black or African American Objectives:
1. Select committee members that will consist of two faculty members, two staff members, and two students. 2. Committee members will identify graduate nurse practitioner programs to proactively recruit faculty and market FNU focusing on underrepresented groups. 3. Committee members will identify 3-5 job fairs to proactively recruit staff and market FNU focusing on underrepresented groups.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 11
Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 4. Create a faculty and staff hiring committee to develop an evaluation/ screening process to identify underrepresented and rural applicants. (i.e. Applicant Screening and Interview training) 5. Create a strategic plan to move recruiting for faculty and staff to Human Resources. Potential outcomes will be establishing a hiring committee to review self-identified underrepresented and rural applicants and/or hiring an HR recruiter to review self-identified underrepresented and rural applicants and proactively search for underrepresented applicants.
DEI Task Force Members Chair: Geraldine Young
Curriculum and Learning Subcommittee
Paula Alexander-Delpech
Chair: Rachel Mack
Dionisia Anderson
Co-Chair: Audrey Perry
Angela Bailey
Tanya Belcheff
Stephanie Boyd
Shailah Bevan
Co-Chair: Charlotte Morris
LaToshia Daniel
Mary Ellen Biggerstaff
Siana Brown
Elliott Fields
Amanda Carstens
Andrew DeZarn
Abby Hollander
Nikita Garrett
Jan Engstrom
Brittney Kinison
Loy Watson
Bridgett Lyall
Marilyn Lyons
Kate Woeber
Niessa Meier
Rachel Mack
6. Increase print and digital advertising targeting to promote a diverse culture of FNU employees to post on FNU career pages by December 2021.
Linda McDaniel
Goal 2: Increase the number of students
Susan Stone
Charlotte Morris Audrey Perry
Chair: Geraldine Young
Joan Slager
Co-chairs: Chris Turley and Elliot Fields
Tamra Geryk
Chair: Joan Slager
Kristin Gianelis
Co-Chair: Angie Bailey
April Haneline
Katheryn Arterberry
Faculty, Staff, and Preceptor Development and Retention Subcommittee
Mary Jones
Lisa Chappell
Robyn Roche-Paull
Cynthia Edwards-Tuttle
Chris Turley
Michael Steinmetz
Chair: Paula Delpech
Tia Andrighetti
Retention of Underrepresented Students Subcommittee
Erika Campos
Chair: Linda McDaniel
Audra Cave
Co-chair: Abby McCarthy
Kathy Gardner
Bunmi Akinmowo
Dwynn Golden
Parris-Marie Cannon
Andrea Hiles
Autumn Grace
Jennifer Howard
Abdoulie Jallow
Subcommittee Members
4. Include diverse imagery of underrepresented and rural groups used across all university communications 5. Updated frontier.edu external website to reflect over-arching DEI efforts
12 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Kayla White
Elliott Fields
Objectives:
3. Increase print and digital advertising targeting diverse students (at least 2 new ad campaigns placed)
Sydney Oliver
Infrastructure, System Strengthening, and Capacity Building Subcommittee
Chris Turley
2. Focus recruitment at conferences, events, and undergrad universities (especially HBCUs) targeting nursing programs and health career fairs (at least 2 new events selected and plan developed)
Chair: Marilyn Lyons
Janice Ponstein
Climate and Belonging Subcommittee
of color and from other underrepresented and rural marginalized groups.
1. Provide new scholarship opportunities targeting students of color for both prospective and current underrepresented and rural students (include in marketing efforts)
Policies, Statements, Reports, Reviews, Planning, and Evaluation Subcommittee
Co-Chair: Stephanie Boyd
Jeneen Lomax Erin Tenney Heidi Loomis Laura Manns-James Samana Upadhyaya
Millicent Edgar
April Tabor Madeleine Wentzel
Recruitment across the Entire University Subcommittee Chair: Brittney Kinison Co-Chair: LaToshia Daniel Vicky Burslem Jelena Djuricic Keife Earley Sydney Oliver Jennifer Rockwern Doreen Thomas-Payne
Frontier Nursing University Awarded HRSA Grants Totaling $4,140,000 The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded Frontier Nursing University (FNU) two grants totaling $4,140,000. The HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training grant totals $1,920,000 and the Nursing Workforce Diversity grant totals $2,220,000. HRSA, which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will award the funding for both grants in annual installments over the next four years.
“These funds will enable us to expand on the important work we are already doing to address two glaring needs in our nation’s healthcare system: a shortage of psychiatric-mental health nurse providers and a lack of diversity among healthcare providers.” -- Dr. Susan Stone “We are so thrilled and thankful to have been awarded these grants by the Health Resources and Services Administration,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “These funds will enable us to expand on the important work we are already doing to address two glaring needs in our nation’s healthcare system: a shortage of psychiatric-mental health nurse providers and a lack of diversity among healthcare providers. We have been dedicated and intentional in our efforts to prepare our students to fill these needs, and the HRSA grants are verification of our leadership in these areas of focus and of our potential to make substantially more progress in the years ahead.”
The Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) grant project will be led by Dr. Jess Calohan, DNP, PMHNP-BC, Chair of FNU’s Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Department. The project period extends from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2025, with the award for the first year totaling $480,000. The goal of the project is to increase the number of psychiatricmental health nurse practitioners who are diverse in race, ethnicity, and other underrepresented populations serving in rural and medically underserved communities through collaboration with clinical Experiential Training Site partners. The grant project will support curriculum development related to child/adolescent care, interprofessional team-based trauma-informed care, and additional telehealth simulations. Importantly, this grant will provide $290,000 annually in scholarships for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner students. The Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) grant will be led by FNU Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNPBC, CDCES, FAANP. The project period extends from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2025, with the award for the first year totaling $555,000. The overarching goal of the NWD program is to increase the
number and diversity of certified nursemidwives across the United States who serve in rural and underserved areas in an effort to prevent and reduce maternal mortality. Central to this is the need to increase nurse-midwifery education and training opportunities for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and see them through to success. The grant provides $166,500 annually for scholarships for nurse-midwifery students of color. FNU’s objectives of the project are to increase its percentage of students of color (SOC) enrolled in the certified nursemidwifery program to 30% by 2025, to retain at least 85% of nurse-midwifery SOC, and to graduate a total of 75 nursemidwifery SOC every year during the grant period (2021-2025). Additionally, FNU aims to increase the percentage of its faculty of color to 20% by 2025 and to retain at least 85% of faculty of color during the grant period. “Research has shown that healthcare outcomes improve when culturally concordant care is provided,” Dr. Stone said. “These grant projects align with our own strategic plan goals to increase the diversity of our student body, our faculty, and our staff, with the understanding that doing so will improve the health care system in the U.S.”
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 13
Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
FNU Introduces the Antiracism and Bias Advisory Council The Antiracism and Bias Advisory Council (ABAC) is a diverse group of Frontier employees who will serve as an advisory board for the antiracism policy and the employee and student bias reporting policies. The advisory council reports to FNU’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO). The Council members include four faculty and staff volunteers and two alternates with evidence of DEI education, training, and/or experiences, as well as the CDIO, who serves as the executive sponsor. The members may serve on the council for a total of one year. Members of this council may be removed and replaced by an alternate if they are involved in a bias incident. The executive sponsor member of the ABAC is responsible for senior management accountability for the University DEI goals. The executive sponsor, who also serves on the Council for one year, acts as coach, facilitator, and tiebreaker. The goals of the ABAC are:
• Align their actions with the University and the Office of DEI goals;
ABAC Council Members
April Dobroth, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC Clinical Director, PMHNP Program Joshua Faucett, DNP, MBA, FNP-BC, CNE Assistant Professor, Course Coordinator PC705 Advanced Pathophysiology Mickey Gillmor, MN, CNM Course Faculty and Co-Chair of Admissions Charlotte Morris, DNM, CNM, FACNM Assistant Professor Course Faculty PC 713, and NP 703 April Tabor, BBA, MS ETM Senior Grants Management Officer Tawny Tseng, DNP, PMHNPBC, FNP-BC Assistant Professor, Course Coordinator MH707, MH717 PMHNP program Chris Turley, MS, BS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Coordinator
• Upon submission of a bias reporting form, determine if acts of racism and/ or bias have been committed; • Recommend a potential plan of action to the human resources director and the appropriate supervisor (department chair, program director, chief operating officer, dean, and/or president).
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The Diversity and Inclusion Committee Seeks to Enhance Diversity Throughout the University and Healthcare Workforce Created in 2015, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee is a part of Frontier’s shared governance model. Currently led by Co-Chairs Chair Assistant Professor Charlotte Morris, DNP, CNM, FACN, and Co-Chair Marketing & Student Recruitment Coordinator Rosalie Seitz, MA, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee meets monthly and includes 15 faculty and staff members as well as five students. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee develops, promotes, and provides programs and resources to enhance diversity throughout the university and healthcare workforce. The Committee also supports and expands upon the efforts of the Diversity Impact Program and ensures that faculty, staff, and students are involved in the diversityrelated efforts at FNU. Additionally, the Committee is responsible for overseeing the goals and initiatives contained with the Nursing Workforce Diversity grants (see story on page 13). To support Frontier’s goal to become an antiracist university, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee has developed a Diversity and Inclusion Statement that promotes creating an inclusive and safe environment for students. This statement is in every course at Frontier.
“Our committee works alongside the Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion,” said Dr. Morris. “We are working with them to support other initiatives that promote a sense of belonging. An example of this is the development of the Special Interest Groups (SIGs). These are individual support groups to allow persons with common interests to have the opportunity to come together to encourage, support, and engage with one another. Some of the SIGs that are being developed are a parenting group; a Diversity Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Group; a Faculty Group; an LGBTQ Student Group; and a Student of Color or BIPOC Student Group. These groups will help us build a stronger sense of community at Frontier.” In addition, the Diversity and Inclusion Committee plans to use self-reflection as its members participate in a fourmonth antiracist training facilitated by the developers of the “Antiracist Table”, a podcast, and an online community group. “It is the hope of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee to help support our university’s goal to become an antiracist institution one step at a time,” Dr. Morris said. “What took decades to build will take a lifetime of work and commitment to dismantle.”
“What took decades to build will take a lifetime of work and commitment to dismantle.” -- Charlotte Morris
The Board of Directors Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee Oversees University’s Path to Antiracism In January 2021, the Frontier Nursing University Board of Directors created a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. The DEI Committee is responsible for working with the Board of Directors and the administration in eradicating systemic racism, bias of any kind, and ensuring that Frontier strives to be an antiracist university. The Committee performs this task by overseeing the University’s policies, initiatives, and strategic goals related to DEI and guides the Board of Directors’ own DEI own work. The DEI Committee includes FNU Board members Dr. Jean Johnson (committee chair), Ph.D., RN, FAAN; Dr. Peter Schwartz, MD; Dr. Maria Small, MD, MPH; Dr. Nancy Fugate Woods, Ph.D., RN, FAAN; and Dr. May Wykle, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FGSA, along with FNU President Dr. Susan Stone and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Dr. Geraldine Young. The committee holds quarterly meetings and reports to the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis.
“The Board of Directors DEI Committee is fully committed to making Frontier Nursing University an antiracist institution and an example for others to follow,” said Committee Chair Dr. Jean Johnson. “We are proud of the work that Frontier has done and continues to do in order to emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion among
“The Board of Directors DEI Committee is fully committed to making Frontier Nursing University an antiracist institution and an example for others to follow.” -- Dr. Jean Johnson
all components of the FNU community. We have made tremendous progress, but we recognize that there is more work to be done and that the Board of Directors must take an enhanced leadership role via the vital work of this committee. The Committee is off to a great start and we are excited to see and share our progress in the coming months.” Among the first items of business have been drafting a formal document outlining the responsibilities of the committee, reviewing the Mary Breckinridge Task Force report, discussing the University’s goals of increasing faculty diversity, and recommending increased scholarship funding for students of color. Dr. Young provides quarterly updates on the University’s Office of DEI initiatives, including a review of the Diversity Impact Conference, diversity policies and training, grant-funded projects, and recruitment and retention efforts and results.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 15
Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Grants Management: Looking Past the Headlines at a Labor of Love In June Frontier shared the news that the Health Resources and Services Administration had awarded FNU two grants totaling $4,140,000. HRSA, which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will award the $1,920,000 HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) grant and the $2,220,000 Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) grant in annual installments over the next four years. While an enormous amount of work goes into researching and applying for these grants, the work does not end when the grants are awarded. It is just the beginning. Grants come with objectives and expectations and the progress made toward those goals must be reported on a regular basis.
“If grant objectives are not met without providing justification, budget requirements are not followed, or required documents/reports are not supplied in time, your grant may not be renewed for the following year.” -- April Tabor “If grant objectives are not met without providing justification, budget requirements are not followed, or required documents/reports are not supplied in time, your grant may not be renewed for the following year,” said FNU Senior Grants Management Officer, April Tabor. “Before grant funds are
16 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
issued for the first time, HRSA carefully reviews the budget submitted with the application. Funds will not be issued until any and all budget questions have been answered. For example, if you submitted “X” $ amount for travel, you may be asked to provide documentation to justify the number of travelers, the distance for each trip, airfare and rental car expenses, and a rationale as to why each trip is required. Similar data is requested on the financial reports that are submitted throughout the year once funds have been awarded. Should you need to move funds from one budget category to another, depending on the amount being moved, you may have to request approval from HRSA to make that switch. Rationale must also be provided if you are unable to expend the grant funds in the year they were issued. A request to carry over funds and or a nocost extension may need to be submitted to HRSA.”
does the data collection and reporting. There are at least three major reports for each federal HRSA grant. The Noncompeting Continuation (NCC) report is due in March of each year and requires a written progress update on each of the grant objectives set forth in the work plan. The Federal Financial Report (FFR) is an annual report due in October that captures the financial progress of the grant. In addition to the annual financial report, less detailed financial reports are submitted each quarter in HRSA’s Payment Management System. Finally, the Annual Performance Report (APR), is due no later than July 31st each year.
Tabor is one member of FNU’s team that is heavily involved in grant management, which includes grant applications, implementation, and reporting. Grants may be federal grants, like the HRSA grants, or private foundation grants. Each has its own unique set of criteria for not only the application process but also the reporting. Tabor estimates that FNU currently applies for one or two private foundational grants per month, a number that she hopes to increase in the coming year. Frontier seeks grant funding for a wide range of needs, including student scholarships; software licensing; diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; simulation equipment; and capital projects.
“We are required to report on whether or not the scholarship and stipend recipients have received training on any of the HHS priority topics.”
Once a grant is awarded, implementation of the funded projects begins and so too
“The APR is the most data-intensive progress report of all,” Tabor said. “We must report on any and all individuals who received funds from the grant or participated in a grant-funded activity. Scholarship and stipend recipients
-- April Tabor are assigned a unique identifier and we report 40-plus data points on each person. Data points include demographic information such as age, race, ethnicity, and whether or not the student lives in a rural or disadvantaged area. We must also report on the students’ clinical site hours including the number of hours in rural, medically
Board of Directors underserved, and primary care settings. A new component was added this year in which we must report the number of hours a student spends in a telehealth setting. There are also specific HHS Priority Topics. We are required to report on whether or not the scholarship and stipend recipients have received training on any of the HHS priority topics. For this, we must research the specific courses that each recipient has completed.” Examples of HHS priority training topics include health equity and the social determinants of health, opioid use treatment, integrated behavioral health in primary care, and substance use treatment. The data collection includes reporting one-year post-graduation statistics on any individuals who received scholarships so HRSA can report on whether or not the student went on to serve the patient population set forth in the grant.
“In addition to current data, we must also report the same individualized data about the scholarship and stipend recipients and their employment status one year after they have graduated.” -- April Tabor
“In addition to current data, we must also report the same individualized data about the scholarship and stipend recipients and their employment status one year after they have graduated,” Tabor said. “This requires cooperation from the program directors, who keep track of grant recipients upon graduation.” Each grant has a program director who is an FNU faculty or staff member. The program director carries out all grant activities, collects data, and reports on
the status of grant objectives for the NCC report. FNU Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Geraldine Young is the program director for the NWD grant, while FNU Department Chair of Psychiatric-Mental Health Dr. Jess Calohan is the program director for the BHWET program, with assistance from PMHNP Clinical Director Dr. April Dobroth. Data for the APR is compiled by FNU Data Reporting Administrator Debi Mincks. Coursework data is supplied by Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Rachel Mack, and Associate Professor Dr. Tia Andrighetti. Additional reporting is completed by FNU Director of Enrollment Management and Financial Aid Rainie Boggs and Tabor, while FNU Senior Accountant Starla Selby maintains all the federal grant budgets and submits all financial reports to HRSA. For each grant, the team works closely together. For both the NWD and the BHWET grants, a committee of staff and faculty meets regularly to discuss, implement, and track all grant activities to ensure that the goals and activities outlined in the grant are being met. Some of these team members also meet with HRSA representatives on a quarterly basis.
CHAIR Michael Carter, DNSc, DNP New Orleans, LA VICE CHAIR Michael T. Rust Louisville, KY SECRETARY Wallace Campbell, Ph.D. Berea, KY TREASURER Emma Metcalf, RN, MSN, CPHQ Louisville, KY Board Members Carlyle Carter, Evanston, IL William (Bill) Corley, MHA, Carmel, IN Nancy Hines, Shepherdsville, KY Jean Johnson, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Cabin John, MD Marcus Osborne, MBA, Bentonville, AR Kerri Schuiling, Ph.D., CNM, FAAN, FACNM, Marquette, MI Peter Schwartz, MD, Port St. Lucie, FL Maria Small, MD, MPH, Durham, NC Nancy Fugate Woods, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, Seattle, WA May Wykle, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FGSA, Cleveland, OH Foundation Board Members
“Grant reporting is a labor of love that requires cooperation from many people throughout the university.” -- April Tabor
Peter Coffin, Chair, Frontier Nursing Service, Inc Foundation, Chestnut Hill, MA Derek Bonifer, Louisville, KY Peter Schwartz, MD, Port St. Lucie, FL Board Members Emeritus John Foley, Lexington, KY Marion McCartney, CNM, FACNM, Washington, DC Kenneth J. Tuggle, JD, Louisville, KY
“Grant reporting is a labor of love that requires cooperation from many people throughout the university,” Tabor said. It can be painstaking work, but the impact of grants such as those awarded by HRSA and the important work they fund makes it all worthwhile.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 17
Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Recognized By Diverse Organizational Impact and Transformation (DOIT) Certification Program events, messages, symbols and values that impact the degree to which all students, faculty, and staff experience a welcoming environment.” FNU was recognized as one of only two universities that received an “A” in Pillar III grading. The article states, “In March 2020, Dr. Geraldine Q. Young became the university’s chief diversity and inclusion officer. Her impact has been decisive, and Frontier received the grade of A.”
Diverse: Issues In Higher Education and Coop Di Leu have partnered to create the DOIT (Diverse Organizational Impact and Transformation) certification program. According to the program’s website, “DOIT is a mechanism that will certify an institution’s progress on diversity and inclusion — specifically related to how diversity professionals are attracted, onboarded, retained and promoted.” DOIT ultimately seeks to recognize institutional efforts by learning what institutions are doing or not doing
to transform everyday experiences for their students, faculty, and staff. As a part of the DOIT certification process, a series of surveys have been designed to reveal levels of intentionality by institutions in four areas. These areas are collectively referred to as Institutional Pillars for Transformation (IPTs). In July, FNU was one of five universities recognized by DOIT for their progress in Pillar III: “Cultivating Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Institutional Climates With Intentionality.” According to DOIT’s criteria, Pillar III involves “the intentional creation, publicity, and enforcement of
“DOIT is a mechanism that will certify an institution’s progress on diversity and inclusion — specifically related to how diversity professionals are attracted, onboarded, retained and promoted.”
18 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
“It is my job to ensure the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion, and antiracism,” Dr. Young said. “It is promoted throughout the university and to ensure the success of all community members.”
“It is my job to ensure the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion, and anti-racism,” Dr. Young said. “It is promoted throughout the university and to ensure the success of all community members.” -- Dr. Geraldine Q. Young
Do You Have a Suggestion about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion? Let us know! We are happy to announce that the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion now has a Suggestion Box. To share your anonymous suggestions and ideas, simply find the Suggestion Box on the Office of DEI portal page. We look forward to hearing from you!
FNU Recognized for Participation in Diversity Impact Summit In June, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Dr. Geraldine Young represented Frontier at the Advancing Nursing Workforce Diversity Impact Summit, a national event that included more than 900 attendees. During the Impact Summitt, she and FNU Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Coordinator Chris Turley were part of a panel discussion in which they presented on mentoring programs. Dr. Young, who also presented “Enhancing Organizational Capacity for DEI: Creating a Culture of Belonging”, also completed the inaugural AACN Diversity Leadership Institute. The summit explored evidence-based strategies for increasing diversity, equity, andinclusion in schools of nursing from faculty and nurse leaders who described the impact and learned outcomes following the implementation of the four-year grant funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Thirty-two nursing schools participated in the summit, sharing the opportunities, challenges, and benefits of implementing holistic admissions review process, academic innovations, and a climate and culture assessment of their learning environments. American Association of Colleges of Nursing Chief Diversity Officer Vernell P. DeWitty, Ph.D., RN, presented FNU Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Geraldine Young, DNP, APRN, FNPBC, CDE, FAANP, with a Certificate of Acknowledgment accompanied by the following letter: “Thank you for helping to make the AACN Impact Summit so wonderful! We valued the collaboration with your school over the past 4 years to implement holistic admission practices, increase diversity and inclusion, and the identification sustainability strategies. We wish you continued success as we move forward to increase the diversity of the nursing workforce.”
Leaders for Change Health Leaders Media entitled “How Frontier Nursing University Has Pioneered a More Diverse Healthcare System.”
Dr. Nikia Grayson
Dr. Geraldine Young
Increasingly, members of the FNU community are being recognized as leaders for change in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the U.S. healthcare system. Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Geraldine Young was featured on a recent episode of The Nurse Practitioner Podcast to discuss her role at FNU and within other nursing organizations. She was also featured in an article published by
FNU graduate Nikia Grayson, DNP, MPH, CNM, FNP, Class 142, was recently featured in a documentary produced by The New Yorker entitled “Black Mothers Face Dangerous Health-Care Disparities. Can Midwives Bridge the Gap?” She also was interviewed for a story in The Lily entitled “Home Birth Request ‘Went Through the Roof ’ When the Pandemic Hit. Are They Here to Stay?” A product of The Washington Post, The Lily is an online destination for stories central to the everyday lives of millennial women.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 19
News and Notes
Versailles Campus Welcomes Its First Students Like virtually all aspects of life, the COVID-19 Pandemic has delayed the opening of Frontier’s Versailles campus. Finally, during the first week of August, FNU welcomed the first students to campus during a trial Clinical Bound during the second week of August. In the fall term, all Clinical Bounds will be held on campus, which Frontier Bound will continue to be held virtually. The university will continue to monitor the pandemic and follow CDC guidelines regarding vaccinations, social distancing, and mask mandates, with the ultimate goal for everyone to enjoy a safe and healthy return to on-campus activities and events.
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Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 21
News and Notes
Frontier Nursing University Named A “2021 Great College to Work For” • Shared Governance • Faculty Experience • Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Frontier, which has 256 employees, was also named to the Great Colleges Honor Roll, a status granted to only 42 colleges each year who are highlighted most across the recognition categories.
FNU is one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to a new survey by the Great Colleges to Work For® program. The results, released on September 13, 2021, in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education, are based on a survey of 196 colleges and universities. In all, 70 of the 196 institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. Results are reported for small, medium, and large institutions, with FNU and its enrollment of 2,500 students included among the small universities (500 to 2,999 students).
“We are incredibly honored to be recognized as a Great College to Work For and to be named to the Great Colleges Honor Roll,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. “This is a reflection of our commitment to value the needs and contributions of every individual at Frontier. It is a great place to work because we have outstanding people who are fully committed to our students and our mission.” The survey results are based on a twopart assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captured employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.
Frontier won honors in 10 categories this year:
• Job Satisfaction & Support • Compensation & Benefits • Professional Development • Mission & Pride • Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness • Confidence in Senior Leadership • Faculty & Staff Well-being
22 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
The employee survey underwent a number of changes this year, including the addition of 11 new survey statements, some of which are related to new survey themes around diversity, inclusion, and belonging, as well as faculty and staff wellbeing. New survey demographics related to gender identity and remote work were also included this year. In accordance with the survey changes, the recognition categories for the program were also updated this year to better reflect current patterns and methodologies in employee engagement in higher education. The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all current and previous recognized institutions, visit the Great Colleges program website at GreatCollegesProgram.com and GreatCollegesList.com. ModernThink, a strategic human capital consulting firm, administered the survey and analyzed the results.
Trustees
Student Scholarship Created in Memory of Dr. Jan Weingrad-Smith growth mindset, scholarship, and passion for learning. Her educational expertise was teaching, application of knowledge, and critical thinking. Jan demonstrated her passionate advocacy for women not only in her academic work in midwifery and women’s health but also as a practicing certified nurse-midwife. She was a staunch supporter of breastfeeding and created innovative programs to enhance women’s health, birth, and postpartum experience in her community. She was deeply invested in serving and giving voice to the marginalized, including incarcerated mothers.
In memory of our dear friend, Jan Weingrad Smith, Ph.D., CNM, MPH, Frontier Nursing University, in collaboration with Jan’s daughter, sister and father are creating a scholarship to be awarded to a student who embodies Jan’s love of learning, concern for others, and commitment to midwifery and education. Jan was a Frontier faculty member from 2015 until her untimely passing in May 2021. Jan served the FNU community as Regional Clinical Faculty for Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island where she enjoyed mentoring clinical CNM and WHNP students and networking with preceptors. Jan always focused on holistically and innovatively meeting her students’ needs; to that end, she invested in the development, implementation, and evaluation of innovative virtual clinical simulations during the pandemic when clinical learning for students was abruptly stopped. Jan also served as Course Faculty and contributed her educational expertise,
Jan was an engaged member of the FNU faculty. Jan attended and actively participated in meetings, generously providing keen input. She built community with her students and preceptors by regularly holding in-person Case Days. Jan’s devotion to her clinical students was boundless, even talking to some while leaving the hospital in her final days. They needed her, and she wanted to be there for them. Jan’s “midwife hands” were used in so many ways and touched the lives of so many future midwives and the individuals they serve. She truly understood and shared the influence, power, and privilege inherent in midwifery. We hope you will join us in celebrating the life and legacy of Jan by making a donation to the scholarship established in her honor. All donations are tax-deductible and can be made at www.frontier.edu/smith.
Mrs. Tia Andrew, Hamilton Parish, Bermuda Ms. Sarah Bacon, Brooklyn, NY Mrs. Andrea Begley, Hyden, KY Dr. Heather Bernard, Hamilton, NY Gov. Steven Beshear, Lexington, KY Mrs. Betty Brown, Louisville, KY Mrs. Amy Pennington Brudnicki, Richmond, KY Dr. Timothy Bukowski, Chapel Hill, NC Dr. Wallace Campbell, Berea, KY Miss Anna Carey, Hyden, KY Mrs. Jean Chapin, Oldwick, NJ Mrs. Lois Cheston, Topsfield, MA Bill Corley, Indianapolis, IN Mrs. Julia Breckinridge Davis, Winston-Salem, NC Mrs. John Dete, West Liberty, OH Mrs. Selby Ehrlich, Bedford, NY Mrs. Robert Estill, Raleigh, NC Mrs. Noel Smith Fernandez, Pomona, NY Ms. Mary Ann Gill, Versailles, KY Mr. John Grandin, Chestnut Hill, MA Dr. Joyce Fortney Hamberg, Southgate, KY Dr. Horace Henriques, Lyme, NH Mr. & Mrs. John Hodge, Berwyn, PA Mrs. Robin Frentz Isaacs, Lincoln, MA Mrs. Rosemary Johnson, Versailles, KY Mrs. Mary Carol Joseph, Hyden, KY Ms. Deborah M. King, Westport, MA Mrs. Patricia Lawrence, Westwood, MA Mrs. Marian Leibold, Cincinnati, OH Dr. Ruth Lubic, Washington, DC Mr. William Lubic, Washington DC Mr. Robert Montague, JD, Urbanna, VA Mr. Wade Mountz, Louisville, KY Dr. Judy Myers, Ph.D., RN, New Albany, IN Ms. Barbara Napier, Irvine, KY Ms. Sandra Napier, Stinnett, KY Dr. Spencer Noe, Lexington, KY Mr. Dean Osborne, Hyden, KY Mrs. Helen Rentch, Midway, KY Mrs. John Richardson, Washington, DC Mrs. Linda Roach, Lexington, KY Mrs. Georgia Rodes, Lexington, KY Mrs. Sandra Schreiber, Louisville, KY Maria Small, MD, MPH, Durham, NC Mrs. Sherrie Rice Smith, Franklin, WI Mrs. Austin Smithers, Lyme, NH Mrs. Robert Steck, Arlington, MA Mrs. Mary Clay Stites, Louisville, KY Mr. Richard Sturgill, Paris, KY Ms. Mary Frazier Vaughan, Lexington, KY Mrs. LouAnne Roberts Verrier, Austin, TX Dr. Patience White, Bethesda, MD Mr. Harvie Wilkinson, Lexington, KY Ms. Vaughda Wooten, Hyden, KY
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 23
News and Notes
Planned Giving Overview TYPE OF GIFT
DESCRIPTION
ADVANTAGES
Bequest
Include a gift in your will.
• Allows you to make a gift at no immediate cost to you.
Retained Life Insurance
Contribute your residence, vacation home, farm, etc. while retaining the right to occupy the poperty for life.
• Current income tax deduction.
Life Insurance
You can name FNU as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy.
Retirement Plan
You can name FNU as a beneficiary of your retirement account
• Charitable deduction for taxable estates
Future Gifts
• Potential estate savings
• Allows you to make a gift at little cost to you. • Avoids double taxation of assets. • FNU receives the full amount of the plan assets. • Current income tax deduction.
Charitable Gift Annuity
In exchange for a gift of cash, stocks, or bonds, FNU will pay you and/or another a fixed income for life.
Gifts That Pay You Back
• Payments never change. • At death, remaining assets benefit the university. • Current income tax deduction.
Charitable Remainder Trust
Gifts That Help The University Now
• Portion of payments may be tax free.
You contribue assets to the trust and FNU manages the trust for your benefit. You receive income annually for life or a term of years.
• No capital gain recognition on gifts of appreciated assets. • Diversification of investments • At death, remaining assets benefit the university.
Outright
Includes gifts of real estate, securities and closely held stock, a paid lifeinsurance policy, or other property of value.
• Current income tax deduction.
Personal Property
Gifts such artworks, books, manuscripts, boats, or airplanes.
• Current income tax deduction.
Bargain Sale
You can sell an asset such as real estate to FNU for less than its current fair market value.
• Current income tax deduction.
Charitable Lead Trust
A lead trust makes payments to FNU for a designated period of time. When the trust ends, the remaining assets are paid to you orother beneficiaries.
24 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
• Potential gift tax savings on transfer of assets to family members. • FNU reserves income during the trust’s term.
Frances Elizabeth Kramer Establishes Scholarship established to support students in Eastern Kentucky, specifically in Leslie and Clay Counties who intend to practice in those counties upon graduation.
Frances Elizabeth Kramer, who passed away on January 11, 2021, has left a gift that will benefit future FNU students for decades to come. Ms. Kramer left a $50,000 bequest to the university to establish the Frances Elizabeth Kramer Scholarship. “We are honored to establish the Frances Elizabeth Kramer Scholarship at Frontier Nursing University,” said FNU Chief Advancement Officer Angela Bailey,
“As a member of the FNU Leadership Council, she helped guide the future of the university, which she supported with remarkable generosity.” -- Angela Bailey
MA, CFRE. “As a member of the FNU Leadership Council, she helped guide the future of the university, which she supported with remarkable generosity.” Per Ms. Kramer’s wishes, The Frances Elizabeth Kramer Scholarship has been
Ms. Kramer was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution for more than 70 years, the Merry Wives of Greenbriar Club for 57 years, and the Kentucky Mountain Club for over 50 years, serving as its President for eight years.
Kentucky Mountain Club for over 50 years, serving as its President for eight years. A proud Kentucky Colonel, Ms. Kramer was passionate about teaching others to invest in themselves and the stock market. She encouraged people to get as much education as they could. She established several scholarship funds to help students from Leslie and Clay Counties in eastern Kentucky, including the Frances Elizabeth Hensley Kramer Endowed Scholarship at Eastern Kentucky University. She also established a scholarship fund at the First Presbyterian Church of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, giving preference to students attending Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, and Stetson University in Deland, Florida.
Ms. Kramer was born on April 24, 1931, in Heidelberg, Kentucky, to Harvey H. and Maude Hyden Hensley. Soon thereafter, they moved to Hyden, in Leslie County, Kentucky. Ms. Karmer graduated 9th grade from Cardome Academy in Georgetown, Kentucky, and high school from Nazareth Academy in Nelson County, Kentucky, in 1949. She earned an associate’s degree in art from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, in 1951 and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio, in 1953. Ms. Kramer was a schoolteacher in Ohio before moving to Lexington, Kentucky, in the early 1960s to enter the real estate business. She owned and developed residential real estate for over 60 years. Ms. Kramer was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution for more than 70 years, the Merry Wives of Greenbriar Club for 57 years, and the
Photo caption for the group photo. L-R David Kramer (center), his wife Martha (left), and daughter Lynn ( far left) present a check to FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager and FNU Chief Advancement Officer Angela Bailey ( far right) Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 25
News and Notes
Dr. Khara’ Jefferson Named Director of Frontier Nursing University’s DNP Program FNU announced that Khara’ Jefferson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, will be the new Director of the university’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program beginning September 26, 2021. Dr. Jefferson replaces Dr. Jane Houston, DNP CNM FACNM, who has served as the DNP Director since 2019. Dr. Jefferson, who is now an assistant professor at Frontier, obtained her DNP from FNU in early 2017 and began teaching quality improvement methodology in FNU’s DNP Program shortly thereafter. “We are extremely excited to welcome Dr. Jefferson as the new Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “She has proven to be an invaluable member of our faculty and is a strong voice and leader for the nursing profession. We are sad to say
goodbye to Dr. Houston, who has been a tremendous asset to the university, but we are very fortunate to have someone like Dr. Jefferson ready to fill her shoes.” Dr. Jefferson has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She worked as a Registered Nurse in an emergency department for several years before obtaining her Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of South Alabama in 2011. She continued her work in Emergency Medicine as a Family Nurse Practitioner, where she precepted nurse practitioner students and also worked in urgent care clinics, where she served on the executive leadership team. She is a certified life coach, energy healer, and has had HEART of a Leader training. Other leadership roles have included urgent care training development and coordinator for the Emergency Department Patient
Experience Quality Impact Team and Right Care Alliance Chapter leader. Currently, Dr. Jefferson is an active part-time clinician in EM, urgent care, and telehealth. She is an active member of the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners (LANP), the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF). “I am very excited to embark on my new role as the DNP Program Director,” Dr. Jefferson said. “I am passionate about quality, equitable care for all, and engaging and empowering patients to have more control over their health and wellness. As DNP Program Director, I hope to impact change and prepare future leaders to provide evidence-based care.”
FNU Bids a Fond Farewell to DNP Program Director Dr. Jane Houston For the past six years, Frontier Nursing University faculty and staff have had the good fortune to have worked alongside Dr. Jane Houston, CNM, DNP, MSN, FACNM. Dr. Houston, who departs the university at the end of September 2021, joined FNU in 2015. She held the rank of Assistant Professor and served as the Clinical Director for Midwifery and Women’s Health. In 2019 she was appointed Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program. “Dr. Houston has always been a staunch supporter of midwifery and our students,” said FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN.
“Since she first joined us six years ago, she has inspired students and has been an active voice for them throughout her career. We wish her continued success and a very fond farewell.” Dr. Houston was born in Scotland and she completed her original nursing and midwifery education in Glasgow. She has been a midwife since 1992 and lived and worked in Musami, Zimbabwe, and Wellington, New Zealand, before coming to Gainesville, Florida, in 1996. She worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery at the North Florida Regional Medical Center and later as a certified nurse-midwife in a private
26 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
practice. Her expertise and dedication led her to be nominated for Nurse of the Year in Gainesville and she received the Jeanne Raisler International Award for Midwifery from the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) in 2014. She was honored with the ACNM Excellence in Teaching Award in 2015. As a member of ACNM, the National League for Nursing, and the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing, Dr. Houston is a distinguished leader in her field. She has published numerous articles and has been a frequent presenter on a variety of topics.
Dr. Jess Calohan Selected as American Academy of Nursing Fellow Meritorious Service Medals, and eight Army Commendation Medals. Dr. Calohan’s professional activities include memberships in the American Association for Men in Nursing, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, and the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. He is also a member of the editorial board of the Journal of American Psychiatric Nurses Association.
The American Academy of Nursing (Academy) announced that Frontier Nursing University Department Chair of Psychiatric-Mental Health Jess Calohan, DNP, PMHNP-BC, has been selected to be inducted into the 2021 Class of Fellows. Dr. Calohan is one of 225 distinguished nursing leaders selected by the Academy who will be formally inducted into the 2021 Class of Fellows during the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, October 7-9. A retired Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army, Calohan served the military in a variety of medical positions for 20 years. Before coming to Frontier in 2017, he was the Program Chair and Assistant Professor of the PMHNP program in the Graduate School of Nursing at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md., from 2013-2017. His distinguished military record includes a long list of awards, including a Bronze Star, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two
“We are very pleased to have Dr. Calohan, who chairs the Department of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, at Frontier,” said Dean of Nursing, Dr. Joan Slager. “The program continues to develop innovative teaching strategies and expand the enrollment guided by his exemplary leadership.”
“The Academy is an important and influential leader in the promotion of nursing leadership and advancement, and I am delighted to be part of such a distinguished organization.” -- Dr. Jess Calohan “I am incredibly honored to be selected for induction as a Fellow into the American Academy of Nursing,” Dr. Calohan said. “The Academy is an important and influential leader in the promotion of nursing leadership and advancement, and I am delighted to be part of such a distinguished organization.”
The Academy serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 2,800 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia. “I am thrilled to welcome another exceptional class of Fellows to the American Academy of Nursing during a momentous time of change and progress in our collective efforts to fulfill the organization’s vision of healthy lives for all people,” said Academy President Eileen Sullivan-Marx, Ph.D., RN, FAAN. “The Academy aims to improve health and achieve health equity through nursing leadership, innovation, and science. The Academy’s Fellows embody our values of equity, diversity and inclusivity, inquiry, integrity, and courage, which enable us to achieve new heights of impact that advance health policy across the globe. Congratulations to this dynamic cohort of leaders who bring diverse experience and expertise to the Fellowship.” Through a competitive, rigorous application process, the Academy’s Fellow Selection Committee, which is composed of current Fellows, reviewed hundreds of applications to select the 2021 Fellows based on their contributions to advance the public’s health. Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in a nurse leader’s career, in which their accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within and outside the profession.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 27
News and Notes
Alumni Notes
Faculty Published Articles and Chapters: Following is a list of articles and chapters recently published by FNU faculty members: Associate Professor Megan Arbour, Ph.D., CNM, CNE, FACNM
Arbour, M.W., Stec, M., Walker, K.C., Wika, J.C. (2021). Clinical Implications for Women of a LowCarbohydrate or Ketogenic Diet With Intermittent Fasting. Nursing for Women’s Health. 25(2), 139151. https://doi.org/10. 1016/j. nwh.2021.01.009. Course Faculty Lauren Arrington, DNP, MSN
Arrington, L.A., Edie, A.E., Sewell, C.A., & Carter, B. M. (2021). Launching the reduction of peripartum racial/ethnic disparities bundle: A quality improvement project. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. 15269523/09/$36.00 doi: 10.1111/ jmwh.13235
Instructor Meghan Garland, MSN, CNM
Garland, M., Wilbur, J., Fogg, L., Halloway, S., Braun, L., & Miller, A. (2021). Self-Efficacy, Outcome Expectations, Group Social Support, and Adherence to Physical Activity in African American Women. Nursing Research. Assistant Professor Nena Harris, Phd, FNPBC, CNM, CNE
Assistant editor: Tharpe, N.L., Farley, C.L., & Jordan, R.G. (2022). Clinical practice guidelines for midwifery and women’s health (6th edition). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Assistant Professor Nicole Lassiter, DNP, CNM, CNE
Lassiter, N. & Stevens, A. (2020, October). Communication and Disclosure. In ACNM Member Resource Series: Professional Liability (3rd ed., pp. 23-28). American College of Nurse-Midwives. Course Coordinator Linda McDaniel, DNP, MSN
Professor Anne Cockerham, PhD, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE
Cockerham, A.Z. (2021). Babies aren’t rationed: World War II and the Frontier Nursing Service. Nursing History Review, 29, 13-38.
Tharpe, N., & McDaniel, L. (in press). Using a harm reduction model to reduce barriers to vaccine administration. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health.
28 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
Jessica Williamson Joins Harris Women’s Care Jessica Williams, MSN, CNM, DNP Class 29, recently joined Harris Women’s Care in Sylva, North Carolina. Williams, who previously practiced in Asheville, North Carolina, specializes in high-risk pregnancy care. Harris Women’s Care is part of Harris Medical Group.
Magnolia Obstetrics and Gynecology Welcomes Jennifer Bonaventure Jennifer Bonaventure, CNM, DNP Class 27, recently joined Magnolia Obstetrics and Gynecology in Hammond, Louisiana. “Taking time to build relationships with my patients and anticipating their needs before they arise define my approach to patient care,” she told The Advocate (Baton Rouge).
Take A Moment to Stay in the Know FNU alumni, we know you want to stay informed about all that is happening at FNU. To make sure you don’t miss communications such as the Quarterly Bulletin or our monthly e-newsletters, please take a moment to make sure we have your updated contact information. Please send your updated contact information, including preferred email address, phone number, and mailing address to alumniservises@frontier.edu. Thank you!
Daniel Stec Named Damien Cares Clinic Director Daniel Stec, DNP Class 31, Daniel Stec recently joined Damien Cares as the Clinic Director in Indianapolis, Indiana. Previously, he worked as the Director of Title X, School-Based Clinics, and HIV Services for HealthNet.
Clarice Tannebaum Joins Garrett Regional Medical Center Garrett Regional Medical Center has welcomed Clarice Tannebaum, MSN, FNP, Class183, to Garrett Family Medicine in Oakland, West Virginia. Tannebaum provides advanced level care, including diagnosis, treatment, health promotion, health prevention, and disease management. She is certified in pediatric advanced life support and is a certified trauma nurse.
Cape Care for Women Adds Meredith J. Gruenwald Meredith J. Gruenwald, FNPBC, CNM, Class 169 recently joined Cape Care for Women in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Previously, she worked at Perry County Women’s Care in Perryville, Missouri, where she practiced as a family nurse practitioner
and certified nurse-midwife. Gruenwald served on an active duty Air Force base for five and a half years with a rank of Captain, also serving as a registered nurse at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia and Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.
Wilson Health’s Family Birth Center Welcomes Danielle Allen Wilson Health Center recently hired Danielle Allen, MSN, CNM, Bridge 171, to join their Family Birth Center in Sydney, Ohio. The Birth Center is affiliated with the Wilson Health Medical Group ObGyn. “The goal is to offer patients a natural hospital birth experience with peace of mind that comes with knowing medical backup is just outside the door if it’s needed,” Allen said.
Bridget Quinn Joins Women’s Way to Wellness Bridget Quinn, MSN, CNM, DNP Class 43, recently joined Women’s Way to Wellness in Carthage, New York. Women’s Way of Wellness is part of the Carthage Area Hospital system. Previously, Quinn worked at Samaritan Medical Center, Henderson Hospital, St. Luke’s Wood River in Indiana, and Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, New York.
Wentworth-Douglas Hospital Welcomes Emily Orlowicz Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, New Hampshire, recently welcomed Emily Orlowicz, MSN, CNM, Class 163, to their medical staff. Orlowicz cares for women of all ages by providing routine gynecologic care and prenatal care for expectant women at the Wentworth-Douglass Center for Women’s Health & Wellness in Portsmouth and Wentworth Health Partners OBGYN & Infertility in Dover. Orlowicz previously worked as a clinical nurse for the United States Air Force and as a pre-anesthesia testing nurse at Exeter Hospital in Exeter, New Hampshire.
Simpson General Hospital Adds Michelle Windham Michelle Windham, MSN, APRN, CNM, FNP, Class 188, recently joined Simpson General Hospital’s Medical Clinic in Mendenhall, Mississippi. A Mississippi native, Windham previously worked as a travel nurse and nurse-midwife across the country and the U.S. Virgin Islands, most recently practicing in Alaska. “My desire has been to return home to provide care to my home community. I look forward to providing comprehensive, compassionate care to the community we serve,” Windham told the Magee (Mississippi) News.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 29
Alumni Notes
Frontier Courier Program Set for 2022 Restart “I am so excited to get to know everyone involved with the Courier Program and build new partnerships in Central Kentucky,” White said. “I know that, together, we can establish a Courier Program in Versailles that provides great service-learning opportunities to students and creates wonderful community partnerships.” For the past several months, White has been meeting with local organizations and leaders in and around Versailles and Woodford County to develop the plan for the restart of the Courier Program. With the completion of the Versailles campus and the hopeful end to the pandemic, the Frontier Courier Program is set to relaunch in 2022. Once again, every summer, FNU will give college students from around the country an opportunity to participate in the Courier Program. This service-learning experience is an opportunity for students interested in public health, health care, or related fields to see what it is like to provide medical care to rural and underserved populations. Leading the program is Courier Program Coordinator Kayla White, EdS. Born and raised in Kentucky, she graduated from Lindsey Wilson College with a BA in Human Services in Counseling. White then completed her MA in Human Development and Family Studies and EdS in Mental Health Practices in Schools at the University of Missouri. She also has a graduate certificate in nonprofit management. Before coming to FNU, White’s experience included working in state agencies, such as public assistance, disability, and child protective services. She has also worked with Kentucky’s Family Resource and Youth Service Centers. 30 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
“I know that, together, we can establish a Courier Program in Versailles that provides great servicelearning opportunities to students and creates wonderful community partnerships.” -- Kayla White
“The essence of the Courier Program will remain the same as we restart the program in Versailles,” White said. “It will look a bit different, as we will be creating partnerships with new clinical sites and community sites in Central Kentucky. But, I am very optimistic that our Couriers will be placed in clinics and agencies that will provide them with great experiences and learning opportunities. The Courier Advisory Committee is excited about restarting the program, and they are all eager to help in any way possible. Having former Couriers involved will be incredibly helpful to our future Couriers and to me.”
About The Frontier Courier Program The Courier Program is an eightweek rural and public health servicelearning program with a rich and adventuresome history that targets college students with an interest in public health, healthcare, or a related field. The Courier Program offers a unique opportunity for students to gain insight into the challenges and opportunities of providing healthcare in rural and underserved areas. Throughout this eight-week program, Couriers become immersed and engaged through their Courier Clinic Site. These sites will be in rural areas and/or in areas with mental health or primary care shortage areas serving medically underserved areas/populations. Couriers will also complete an online learning component during their internship, and serve the local community. During their time on-site, Couriers will shadow a variety of clinicians and provide leadership on special projects, as well as other avenues of community participation. Courier’s experiences help them to fully comprehend the complexities of rural and underserved communities and healthcare, as well as grasp the compassionate and caring legacy established by our founder, Mary Breckinridge, which is carried on by FNU students, alumni, Couriers, and faculty. Learn more at https://portal.frontier.edu/web/ fnu/courier-program
As in the past, Breckinridge Capital Advisors has made a generous donation to fund the Courier Program. “I would like to thank Laura Palermino and Christina Lynch at Breckinridge Capital for their time and interest in the program and for being so supportive of me as the new Coordinator,” White said. Recently, White took the time to answer a few questions about the plans for the Courier Program in its new Versailles location. What is your vision for the Courier Program?
“The Courier Program will contain the same essence of exposing college students to rural public healthcare through internships at clinical sites and volunteering at community sites of their choice. However, it may look a little bit different as we establish new sites and partnerships in and around the Versailles area. We are excited to add some new elements to provide a bit more of an academic component to the program, and I’m really excited to see how everything comes together on our new campus.” What collaborations or partnerships have been created or are in the works?
“We are in the process of researching clinical sites in the area to make sure that our Couriers will have quality experiences and be exposed to rural public healthcare. There are so many great agencies and clinics around the area, and I am really excited about the possibilities.” What is the timetable for restarting the Courier Program? Who should apply and when?
“The Courier Program is still in the planning phase, but we are making progress and are excited to move forward. The Courier Program is open to all college students aged 20 to 25 who are interested in a rural public health internship program that is also focused on service learning. Students from all majors are encouraged to apply, and no formal medical training is needed. The
Courier Program will begin accepting applications in mid-November, and we are anticipating having Couriers on campus from June to August of 2022. We hope to accept 8 to 12 Couriers into the program for the 2022 year. I encourage everyone interested in the program to keep an eye out on the Courier website, as lots of updates are coming soon.”
Care to tell us a little bit about yourself?
“I am a born and raised Kentucky girl. I have a wonderful family, including an almost 8-year-old niece who is the light of my life. I’m an avid reader, a big hockey fan, and I absolutely love baking cookies.”
Graduation Has Its Rewards! The support you enjoyed as a student doesn’t end with graduation -- it’s only the beginning. Now that you are a member of the Frontier Nursing University Association, the Office of Alumni Relations is here to find meaningful ways to support you — from graduation and beyond. Because you demonstrate the excellence of FNU in everyday practice, you are an integral part of FNU. Alumni are also our most effective recruiters and most loyal donors. We appreciate your commitment to FNU, and we hope our alumni programs will be of help wherever life takes you.
• Access to FNU’s Job Board as well as those of the American College of Nurse-Midwives, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, and the Health Resources and Services Administration • Quickly request a transcript • Monthly e-newsletter with the latest news from FNU • Quarterly Bulletin with stories about FNU programs, faculty, and graduates • Easy access to share your news The Office of Alumni Relations stands ready to answer your questions and provide assistance. Contact Linda Barnes, Senior Development and Alumni Relations Officer at Linda.Barnes@Frontier.edu and (859) 251-4592.
Listed below are just a few of the resources you will find on the Banyan Tree Portal, which is accessible using your Frontier email account. • Access to many of the FNU Library publications and reference sites • Free Continuing Education courses
FNU Alumni Association The Frontier Nursing University Office of Alumni Relations is here to support YOU! Our purpose is to find new and meaningful ways to engage and support Alumni — from graduation throughout your career. Alumni are an integral part of FNU’s development because you demonstrate the excellence of FNU in everyday practice and because you are our primary recruiters and most loyal donors. We appreciate your commitment to FNU, and we plan to offer additional rewarding programs in return soon. Services are open to all graduates of FNU. We currently have more than 8,000 alumni in all 50 states and many countries around the world. We encourage you to explore the services, programs, and activities offered and to become involved. There are several wonderful ways to stay in touch with friends and connected to FNU including; reunions, conference receptions, case days, eNews, and our very active Facebook Group. To take advantage of all member services, please make sure we have your updated contact information by emailing us at alumniservices@frontier.edu.
Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 31
Alumni Notes
FNU Donates Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center to Leslie County (Ky.) Betterment, Inc. On June 30, Frontier Nursing University announced that Leslie County Betterment, Inc., had accepted the university’s offer to donate the Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center to them for the benefit of the people of Leslie County. The gift includes all the property and buildings that make up the Wendover Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center. The total value of the donation is estimated at just under two million dollars. The transfer of the property was completed on June 30, 2021. The decision to donate the property was made by the FNU Board of Directors at its meeting on April 29, 2021. The property was the home of Mary Breckinridge and the Frontier Nursing Service. The centerpiece is the “Big House,” which was built in 1925 and is a National Historic Landmark.
“While we are sad to say goodbye to such a significant part of our history, we are extremely happy that the residents of Leslie County will be able to continue to enjoy the beauty of Wendover,” FNU
“While we are sad to say goodbye to such a significant part of our history, we are extremely happy that the residents of Leslie County will be able to continue to enjoy the beauty of Wendover,”
32 Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin
-- Dr. Susan Stone
President Dr. Susan Stone said. “We are thankful for the wonderful home that Wendover provided us for so many years and for the memories we will carry with us always. We know that many more fond memories will be created there and that Leslie County Betterment will put the property to continued good use for the benefit of the county and its residents.” FNU has completed construction on its new campus in Versailles, Kentucky. The land, which was purchased in 2017, was the former home of The United Methodist Children’s Home. The new 217-acre campus maintains FNU’s presence in a rural county while providing more space to serve FNU’s more than 2,500 students.
Memorial Donations The following people gave contributions to Frontier in memory of their friends or loved ones. The names in bold are the deceased.
Sandra Taylor Bernasek
Dr. Noelle N. Jacobsen
Mr. Steven Bernasek
Pauline Ladds
Former FNU Board Member Dr. Charles Mahan Named 2021 ASPPH Welch-Rose Awardee The University of South Florida College of Public Health’s (COPH) Dr. Charles Mahan, a former member of the FNU Board of Directors, was honored with the 2021 Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) Welch-Rose Award for academic public health service.
Mr. Norm Leferman Jean Byrne
Ms. Heidi M. Loomis
Mr. and Mrs. Jim and Bev Latorraca
Ms. Abigail McCarthy
Ms. Mary Alice Rudolph
Dr. Trish Ann McQuillan Voss
Mr. Winthrop Southworth III
Dr. Angela Renee Mitchell
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Ms. Patricia Murphy
Jan Weingrad Smith Dr. Jill K. Alliman Mrs. Angela Bailey Dr. Laura Kim Baraona Lois and Rudy Beserra
Ms. Roseann Myers Dr. Audrey Joyce Perry Ms. Michelle Perry Ms. Dee J. Polito Ms. Jamie Rodin
Mr. James Campbell
Dr. Ann Meredith Schaeffer
Ms. Sara Church
Dr. Joan Slager
Dr. Heather M. Clarke
Dr. Susan Stone
Dr. Linda Jo Cole
Dr. Vicky Ann StoneGale
Mr. Michael Dannenberg
Ms. Lisa Summers
Ms. Dolores Matsek Deteresi
Caroline Temlock Teichman
Dr. Jana Esden
Ms. Jeanne Vogt
Ms. Jean Ewan
Charlotte Wunderlich
Dr. Rebecca Ann Fay
Ms. Lorraine J. Bell
Ms. Roselea Fisher Ms. Meghan Elizabeth Garland
Photo courtesy of USF Health
Dr. Mahan, who served on the FNU Board of Directors for more than a decade, gave the commencement address during FNU’s 2013 commencement ceremony.
The ASPPH Welch-Rose Award recognizes the highest standards of leadership and scholarship in public health and honors individuals who have made significant lifetime contributions to the field of public health. Mahan was presented with his award during the virtual 2021 ASPPH Annual Meeting in March. The former dean and professor emeritus of the COPH, Mahan was recognized for his contributions as a physician, educator, leader, advocate, and lifelong champion of public health. Mahan is also known for professionalizing public health by creating the National Board of Public Health Examiners and the Certification in Public Health exam.
Coming Soon: The Frontier All-Access Podcast! Frontier Nursing is launching its first podcast!. The Frontier All-Access Podcast, which will be available beginning this fall, will provide a closer look at the university through lively and entertaining discussions with a wide variety of guests and topics. After the launch, you will be able to find the Frontier On Call podcast on Google Play, Apple Podcast, or wherever you find your podcasts.
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Frontier Nursing University • Quarterly Bulletin 33
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