The theme of the Spring 2022 issue of the Frontier Nursing University (FNU) Quarterly Bulletin is “The Power of Perseverance”. Everyone has faced challenges and hurdles in their lives. Everyone has experienced personal loss and tragedy. Not everyone responds to these life events the same way. The stories in this issue of the Quarterly Bulletin include three different FNU alumni who have very different stories to tell. The circumstances and challenges vary for each story. The common thread, however, is the remarkable perseverance displayed by all three women, and how their stories can inspire others.
You will meet Holly Howell, MSN, CNM, who shares her story of personal loss and how it continues to inspire her to be “a better, more empathetic provider.” She also demonstrates her commitment to being a strong advocate for “empowering women, natural childbirth, breastfeeding, women’s reproductive rights, and health equality for the LGBTQIA+ community.”
We then share the story of Dr. Stephanie Mitchell, DNP, CNM, CPM. Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Dr. Mitchell recently moved to a very small town in rural Alabama. There, she is determined to open the state’s first birth center, despite the legislative and economic challenges she faces in doing so. “There is no competition in Alabama, and people deserve to have options,” Dr. Mitchell said. “To not have it as an option is unconscionable.”
The third in this issue’s “Power of Perseverance” stories features Dr. Crystal White, DNP, MSN, FNP-C. Dr. White practices in rural Illinois. At a time of personal loss and tragedy, she was tempted to delay or outright cancel her plans to pursue her DNP at Frontier, but the Frontier student she precepted and her FNU mentor Dr. Charlotte Swint inspired her to keep going. “In an extremely emotional and stressful time, she (Dr. Swint) was the kindest, beyond belief, just way beyond what would be expected of her,” Dr. White said.
Joining these three inspiring stories in this issue of the Quarterly Bulletin are the amazing accomplishments of the many members of the FNU community. As always, we share the latest news, awards, accomplishments, publications, presentations, and professional advancements of Frontier alumni, students, faculty, and staff. Further, we introduce you to our new Chief Advancement Officer Bobbi Silver.
The Spring Quarterly Bulletin also explains how you can support the Kitty Ernst Scholarship Fund. Just as she foresaw the need for community-based advanced practice nursing, Kitty also recognized the need to assist our students. She knew that minimizing student debt would enable graduates to focus fully on their call to serve. Frontier worked with Kitty to create this endowed scholarship fund to support Frontier nurse-midwifery students. All fund donations help provide a boost for our future midwives.
To read these stories and more, view the Spring 2022 Quarterly Bulletin today!
Dr. Tia Brown McNair is the Vice President in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Student Success and Executive Director for the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Centers at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in Washington, DC. She oversees both funded projects and AAC&U’s continuing programs on equity, inclusive excellence, high-impact practices, and student success. McNair directs AAC&U’s Summer Institutes on High-Impact Practices and Student Success, and TRHT Campus Centers and serves as the project director for several AAC&U initiatives, including the development of a TRHT-focused campus climate toolkit. She is the lead author of From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Expanding Practitioner Knowledge for Racial Justice in Higher Education (January 2020) and Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success (July 2016 and August 2022 Second edition).