In June of this year, FNU launched five Student Interest Groups (SIGs). While additional groups might be formed in the future, the five initial groups and their facilitators are:
- International Students in Nursing (Regional Clinical Faculty Martha Harvey, CNM, MSN, and Delana Gardner, DNP, MSN, FNP-C)
- LGBTQIA+ Students in Nursing (Lee Moore, DNP, MEd, ARNP, PMHNP-BC, CARN-AP, Jennifer Parr, DNP, PMHNP-BC, and Rebecca Wagschal, CNM)
- Men in Nursing (Kevin Brunacini, DNP, APRN, and Thomas George, DNP, CRNP, FNP-C, NASM-CPT)
- Military/Veterans in Nursing (Joshua Faucett, DNP, FNP-BC, and Kelly Wilhite, DNP, CMN)
- Students of Color in Nursing (Dorsena Gayle, DNP, CNM, ARNP and Diane John, Ph.D., ARNP, FNP-BC )
“As I began this role, I had meetings with students, and I was hearing from them the need to have groups of likeness – affinity groups. I knew when I entered this role that would be one of my priorities,” Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Dr. Paula Alexander-Delpech said. “I attended all the first sessions of these groups, and I came away so satisfied and so proud. The students who participated were very vocal as to what it is that is needed. For instance, the LGBTQIA+ students want to meet with me because they want to advocate for curriculum change.”
The meetings are held monthly and are facilitated by faculty, but students drive the goals and purposes of each SIG. The meetings are not recorded, and minutes are not taken, allowing for free, open, and brave conversations. Approximately 50 students in total attended the initial June meetings. Dr. Alexander-Delpech intended to have one faculty facilitator per group, but her request for facilitators was met with enough interest to have two faculty facilitators per SIG.
“The students will drive all initiatives,” Dr. Alexander-Delpech said. “The SIGS all have different goals they want to achieve. For instance, one of the goals of the Men in Nursing SIG is to eventually have an FNU chapter in the American Association of Men in Nursing. The International Student in Nursing group wants to have an international trip eventually.”
To learn more about the Frontier student experience, please visit https://frontier.edu/student-experience/.
