Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Nursing and Midwifery

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) recognized the need to increase diversity within the nursing and midwifery professions, and in 2010, set out to increase enrollment of underrepresented students. In 10 years, FNU’s student of color population has increased from 9 to 24.06%.

FNU’s first step was developing the Diversity PRIDE Program which stood for Promoting Recruitment and Retention to Increase Diversity in Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse Practitioner Education. Today, the initiative is known as the Diversity Impact Program.

The Diversity Impact Program is designed to assist in promoting an inclusive learning and workforce environment at FNU, with a goal to increase diversity in the nursing and midwifery professions by recruiting and retaining underrepresented students.

The success of FNU's Diversity Impact Program has been nationally recognized for preparing nursing and midwifery students to meet the healthcare demands of an increasingly diverse patient population.

OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The Diversity Impact Program is now a part of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) which evolved in 2018. The goal of FNU’s Office of DEI is to ensure students, faculty and staff are provided with an environment that promotes DEI and encourages the success of all community members. Meet the team:

Dr. Geraldine Young

Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

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Dr. Geraldine Young holds a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (2010), an MSN from Alcorn State University (2005), and a BSN from the University of Mississippi Medical Center (2001).

Devon Peterika

Assistant Director of Diversity and Inclusion

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Devon Peterika is the Assistant Director of Diversity and Inclusion at Frontier Nursing University. She holds a Master’s of Science in HR Leadership and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Arts Administration with a minor in Dance.

Chris Turley

Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator

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Chris Turley is the Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator at Frontier Nursing University. He holds a Master’s of Science in Sports Administration and a Bachelor’s of Science in Sports Management.

The Office of DEI encompasses an atmosphere built on a culture of caring. The Office of DEI solicits the equitable perspectives of students, faculty and staff regardless of race, gender, sexual preference or identity, disability and/or religion. In congruence with FNU, the mission of the Office of DEI is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural and underserved populations.

"Diversity, equity, and inclusion are the keys to the future success of the health care delivery system."
- Dr. Geraldine Young,
Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer

​​​​​STUDENT ACTIVITIES

Diversity Impact Conference

FNU’s annual Diversity Impact Conference is open to all students and alumni who want to become a part of FNU's legacy of providing care to rural and underserved communities. This event helps jump-start nurses in preparing to enhance collaborative patient/provider relationships in the care of diverse patient populations. The event generally increases the awareness of DEI among the FNU community. The Diversity Impact Conference is free to all FNU students, alumnus, faculty and staff.

Click here for information on Diversity Impact 2020!

FNU’s  Office of DEI is hosting the 10th annual Diversity Impact Conference, “Year of the Nurse and Midwife 2020: Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” June 11-13, 2020, as a virtual event due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This year will mark a decade of bringing together national thought-leaders and speakers to engage with the FNU community on important topics facing the nursing and midwifery workforce.

Diversity Impact Meetings

FNU's Diversity Impact quarterly meetings open the door for our students to become global thinkers and healthcare leaders within their communities. The meetings include discussions on cultural awareness and inclusion to enhance each student's experience to better serve diverse populations with confidence and ease. The meetings offer a unique aspect of shared perspectives that promote cross-cultural learning among students and their peers, along with the overall pursuit of academic success as a student-learner. To keep abreast of the latest activities of the Diversity Impact Program and provide a voice in DEI at FNU, join the Diversity Impact Facebook Group.

National Diversity Conferences and Events

Each year, FNU’s Office of DEI - Diversity Impact Program represents the university at nursing events around the U.S. FNU highlights the diversity program at several professional conferences through presentations, networking and exhibits. Students are given the opportunity to attend conferences as Student Ambassadors, a role gained through essay contests hosted each year. Learn more here. With the availability of the Professional Organization Mentoring Program (POMP), the Office of DEI also provides mentoring services for students at professional conferences. These activities are intentional to bring awareness to the need for DEI in nursing.

"FNU emphasizes diversity and inclusion because patients are more receptive to care from a health provider who understands their culture and socioeconomic background."
- Dr. Susan Stone
President

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

FNU is a national leader in DEI and a two-time winner of the INSIGHT Into Diversity “Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, recognized in 2018 and 2019. FNU is also a recipient of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Nursing Workforce Diversity (NWD) Grant.

FNU is a Member of