Lectureship News

The School of Nursing at Thomas Edison State College hosted the fourth annual Distinguished Lectureship on Diversity in Nursing on May 15, 2009.

The theme of the event, which promotes collaboration and provides networking opportunities for nurse educators, was Diversity in a Virtual World: The Transformation of Nursing Education. The 2009 event emphasized the newest technology that will transform nursing education now and in the future, as well as the significance of increasing the number and diversity of nurses, nurse leaders and educators to meet the changing demographic landscape of America.

The College’s Online Minority Nurse Educator program was established in 2005 with a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. In 2008, the College received a second three-year grant to continue funding and expanding the program, which provides experienced minority nursing faculty with the opportunity to enhance their skills and expand their expertise by preparing them for online teaching.

In year one, 15 participants completed the program and represented a diverse cross-section of backgrounds. Of the first-year cohort, 67 percent were African American, 13 percent were Asian, 13 percent were Hispanic and seven percent were American Indian. In year two, participation increased by 63 percent to 24 participants, of which 63 percent were African American, 18 percent were Hispanic, eight percent were Asian, four percent were American Indian and four percent were other ethnic backgrounds. 

The school is currently constructing a directory and database of grant participants who have completed the program. Information from this database will be shared with schools of nursing across the United States that are interested in utilizing experienced minority online educators to increase their faculty diversity.