Michelle Johnson, a University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing Ph.D. student, recently was selected as a 2012-2014 Jonas Nurse Leader Scholar. Johnson, of Lincoln, is the first UNMC student to receive the scholarship, which provides support for doctoral students who aspire to teach in nursing colleges.
She was one of 142 scholars chosen representing 50 states. The scholarship program provides $10,000 for two years with half matched by the college. The college matched with Who Will Care for You Fund through the University of Nebraska Foundation.
“I am honored to be a scholar in this prestigious program,” Johnson said. “I’m committed to mentoring nursing students and showing them how research can improve patient care and health outcomes.”
Ann Berger, Ph.D., director of the UNMC College of Nursing doctoral program, said the scholarship program helps address the critical shortage of nursing faculty in the United States. “Providing financial support and leadership development to Michelle will help her achieve her goal of becoming a PhD-prepared nurse scientist and educator.”
Johnson currently is an assistant professor at BryanLGH College of Health Sciences in Lincoln, where she teaches an undergraduate medical-surgical course. She received her master’s degree in nursing from Nebraska Wesleyan University and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from UNMC. She also received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
A shortage of faculty is a problem for all 15 nursing schools in Nebraska. Faculty shortages result in fewer nurses produced for the state.
Founded in 2006, the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence is supported by the Barbara and Donald Jonas Family Fund. Its mission is to advance professional nursing through grant making and programs that improve nurse recruitment and retention, increase ethnic and racial diversity among the nursing workforce, advance innovative practice models and improve practice settings.
Through world-class research and patient care, UNMC generates breakthroughs that make life better for people throughout Nebraska and beyond. Its education programs train more health professionals than any other institution in the state. Learn more at unmc.edu.
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