6.18 

The School of Nursing's first-ever embedded counselor, Amelia Walton, arrived in spring 2024, after two years in a private practice and after completing a residency and specialty training in trauma-informed care at UVA's Women's Center. 

Says Walton, a member of the Office of Admissions and Student Services and a staffer for UVA's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), "I take a holistic perspective, offer trauma-informed care, and, once therapy begins, look at skills that can be integrated into students’ routines. I focus on prevention, on off-setting anxiety and stress, and feel particularly attuned to and love caring for higher-risk populations (socio-economic, as well as ethnically and racially diverse groups) because it can be hard to find belonging and place at a predominantly white, high-achieving institution. I want all the pieces of these students’ identities to be known and cared for.

"I want people to know: all mental health questions are worth asking.”

7.27 

Associate dean for research, NIH grantee, and nurse scientist Jeanne Alhusen was one of 30 celebrated nurse scientists from around the world to be chosen for induction into Sigma's 2024 International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame in Singapore during the organization's 35th International Nursing Research Congress.

Alhusen was nominated by UVA dean emerita Pam Cipriano, president of the International Council of Nurses, and several other nurse leaders, all of whom cited the impact of her groundbreaking science and its "sustained impacts on improving the care provided to perinatal persons."

Alhusen is a family nurse practitioner who has earned more than $10 million in research grants as principal investigator or co-investigator across her career, and studies the experiences of women living with disabilities who are disproportionately impacted by violence, and, with their children, often suffer the ill effects of these factors throughout their lives.

"Jeanne's science is her powerful case for change," said Dean Marianne Baernholdt. "That her work shines light where there is little—people living with disabilities are often overlooked when it comes to research—makes it even more important, and me even more proud. There is no one more deserving of this honor." 

7.28 

Nurse scientist Randy Jones (BSN ’00, MSN ’02, PhD ’05), an NIH-funded scholar, associate dean for partner development and engagement, and an award-winning educator and leader, was inducted into the National Black Nurses Association’s inaugural Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing (ADLN) for his “demonstrated expertise in nursing education, research, practice, policy, [and] administration as it relates to issues of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

Jones was among 53 National Black Nurses Association ADLN Fellows chosen for the group's first cohort.

The new fellowship is the latest honor for Jones, who recently was also recently celebrated with the 2024 Armstead Robinson Award, is a Robert Wood Johnson Nurse Faculty Scholar alumnus, and a member of the National Cancer Policy Forum.

8.1 

A newly launched Graduate Student Ambassadors program has begun and the School's first-ever cohort of paid ambassadors has begun their work to connect with prospective students one-on-one, share stories and experiences at virtual and in-person recruitment events, and occasionally do posts and create content on the School's official social media pages.

As key members of the admissions and marketing team, Graduate Student Ambassadors—including DNP student and CNS/NP alumna Corrine Gogert, NP and DNP student Shaolin Mosely, Sandy Ting, a CNL student and former educator, and PhD in nursing student and future nurse scientist Molly Yeo, a class of 2024 BSN alumna—will be an important and critical part of showcasing UVA School of Nursing's key differences to nurses seeking to take their nursing to the next level to earn all the personal, professional, and financial benefits graduate nursing degrees bring. Meet the Grad Ambassadors here. 

8.3 

Faculty members from the School's INACSL-certified simulation learning center turned out in force for the Virginia State Simulation Alliance, or VASSA, the Commonwealth's premier simulation conference for healthcare professionals.

Across six separate presentations at the July 29-31 event, UVA School of Nursing faculty and staff members Bradley Accipiter, sim tech specialist, Ryne Ackard, director of the UVA Healthcare Simulation Collaborative, Gina DeGennaro, professor, Andrew Guertler, senior sim tech specialist, Samantha Hudgins, nursing instructor, Emma Mitchell, associate professor, and Tanya Thomas, clinical instructor, offered VASSA attendees a glimpse into new simulations, best practices, and expanding educational and professional opportunities for sim staffers.

8.5 

Professor Shelly Smith (BSN ’99, DNP ’12) was appointed in July by Gov. Glenn Youngkin to the 14-member Virginia Board of Nursing, a key group that oversees the regulation of nurses, prescriptive authority for nurse practitioners, and in-state education programs for nurses, nurses’ aides, and medication aides.

The year-long appointment comes just as Smith’s two-year term as a member of the Virginia Healthcare Workforce Development Authority ends, a nomination she earned from Gov. Youngkin in 2022.

8.10 

The fall 2024 cohorts of undergraduate and graduate students are strong, after a strong recruitment season across late 2023 and early 2024 that saw a 100% increase in the number of DNP applications, a 48% increase in PhD applications, and a 42% increase in RN to BSN applications.

Though the official fall census won't be finalized until October 2024, there are, as of August 20, 2024:

• 795 students (514 undergraduate and 281 graduate students)
• 33% are first generation college attendees
• 54% hail from under-represented, minority, and underrepresented backgrounds
• 13% are men
• Fall ’24 DNP cohort has grown by 57% over fall ’23
• Fall ’24 RN to BSN cohort has grown by 23% over fall ’23
• Fall ’24 CNL cohort has grown by 7% over fall ’23

9.1 

The School earned a trifecta of accolades this fall, including as the No. 8 public BSN program in the U.S. (no. 13 overall) from U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges Guide, as a “Best School for Men in Nursing” for 2024 from the American Association for Men in Nursing, and a fourth Insight Into Diversity in Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award for 2024. 

9.23 

PhD student Adam Mohammed, a mentee of professor Ishan Williams, earned a yearlong Virginia Alzheimer’s Disease Center fellowship that will connect him with mentors in UVA Schools of Data Science, Medicine, and Arts and Sciences to buttress his understanding of how to use the biological, behavioral., and pathological indicators of patients with dementia. As a VADC fellow, Mohammed will present his work at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Toronto in summer 2025.

10.1 

The Clinical Nurse Leader class of 2024 earned a 100 percent first-time NCLEX pass rate while the BSN class of 2024 earned a 96 percent first time NCLEX pass rate.

10.3 

The American Academy of Nursing’s immediate past president Kenneth R. White (ACNP-CERT ’13), MGHIHP School of Nursing dean emeritus, UVA professor emeritus, and an alumnus, presented the 2024 Bice Lecture, “Following What Matters.”

10.8 

The Diploma Class of 1968 established a Clinical Faculty Excellence Award, which was awarded to clinical instructor Laurel Geis (MSN ’08).

10.9 

Betty Norman Norris Professor Kimberly D. Acquaviva was inducted into the international, multidisciplinary scientific research honor society Sigma Xi, which celebrates science, technology, engineering, and math scholars around the world for excellence.

10.10 

Associate professor Malinda Whitlow (BSN ’07, MSN ’11, DNP ’13) was honored at the Cystic Foundation’s “Brewer’s Ball” for her work to support CF research. Whitlow, who grew up with a chronic lung condition, has worked with CF patients at UVA Health.

11.1 

Cathy Campbell, an associate professor, and Kathy Baker, UVA Health University Medical Center's chief nursing officer and the School's associate dean for clinical affairs, became Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing at the group's conference and ceremony in fall 2024.

Their induction into nursing's highest honor society brings the School's total number of FAANs to 37, and its total number of national academies fellows among active and emeriti faculty to 57.

The School is also pleased to salute its alumni for their induction into the American Academy of Nursing 2024 cohort of new Fellow inductees, including Thomas W. Barkley, PhD, ACNP-BC, ANP, FAANP (MSN ’89), Barkley & Associates, Nancy Crego (PhD ’13), Tina S. Gustin (MSN ’87), Danielle K. McCamey (BSN ’03), Karen Kane McDonnell (PhD ’13), Devon Noonan (PhD ’10), Jane R. von Gaudecker (MSN ’12, PhD ’15), Lisa A. Wiese (BSN ’84, MSN ’85), and Kenya D. Williams, (MSN ’13).