Dr. Susan Stone | Frontier Nursing University

Dr. LaTonya Trotter Delivers FNU Commencement Keynote Address to Over 900 Graduates

October 21, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University celebrated the graduation of over 900 students during the 2021 commencement ceremony held on Saturday, September 25. Dr. LaTonya J. Trotter, Associate Professor of Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Washington, gave a poignant keynote address, encouraging the attendees to continue the good work in their communities and chosen professions.

Dr. Trotter was awarded a Bachelor of Arts from Williams College, majoring in Sociology and American Studies. She earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Washington, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology from Princeton University. Prior to her position at the University of Washington, Dr. Trotter was an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University.

Watch the 2021 Commencement Keynote Address:

FNU President Dr. Susan Stone also addressed the attendees with words of congratulations and encouragement during her opening address:

“Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to the 2021 Frontier Nursing University Commencement Ceremony! Welcome to our distinguished guest speakers, faculty colleagues, family members, friends, and, of course, our 2021 graduating class.

We are so proud of you and your dedication to complete your degree at FNU. We regret that we were not able to hold this year’s commencement in person, but we’re so happy that you were able to attend and enjoy the virtual ceremony. What you have achieved is an amazing accomplishment deserving of recognition and celebration, and we hope that you are able to share the special moment with your family, friends, and classmates.

The past two years have been incredibly difficult for so many people. I am very proud of the determination and desire you displayed in earning your degree, and urge you to take a moment to reflect on all that you have accomplished, the hurdles you have overcome, the sacrifices you have made, and take great pride in it. I also want to express appreciation too, for your friends and family who have supported you on this journey. It takes a team effort, and we extend our gratitude to your supporters as well.

You have come so far, but I don’t have to remind you that your journey is not over. In many ways, it is just beginning. As you are well aware, our country and our world are facing not only a pandemic, but also a host of other healthcare concerns including drastic healthcare shortages, healthcare disparities, the maternal mortality crisis, and psychiatric-mental health concerns. No one person has the answer to these problems, but rest assured, you are part of the solution. You have all the tools, all the training, and certainly the demonstrated drive and intellect to make a significant difference and contribution to your community. That is what Frontier Nursing University expects from all members of the FNU community. We make a difference by answering the call to serve.

Much like your life-long commitment to serve your community, FNU makes a life-long commitment to serve you. You are now and forever part of the FNU community. We will always be here to support you in any way we can. We love to hear from you and to share your stories of the great work you are doing in your community. Please remain in touch and never hesitate to contact us. We will answer your call.

Again, congratulations on your wonderful achievements -- past, present, and future. I know you will do great things in service to others. Thank you for representing Frontier Nursing University and continuing to make us proud.”

Watch the 2021 FNU Virtual Commencement Ceremony recorded event.

Congratulations, graduates!

Frontier Nursing University Named A “2021 Great College to Work For”

September 13, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to a new survey by the Great Colleges to Work For® program.

The results, released on September 13, 2021, in a special insert of The Chronicle of Higher Education, are based on a survey of 196 colleges and universities. In all, 70 of the 196 institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. Results are reported for small, medium, and large institutions, with FNU and its enrollment of 2,500 students included among the small universities (500 to 2,999 students).

Frontier won honors in 10 categories this year:

Job Satisfaction & Support
Compensation & Benefits
Professional Development
Mission & Pride
Supervisor/Department Chair Effectiveness
Confidence in Senior Leadership
Faculty & Staff Well-being
Shared Governance
Faculty Experience
Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

Frontier, which has 256 employees, was also named to the Great Colleges Honor Roll, a status granted to only 42 colleges each year who are highlighted most across the recognition categories.

“We are incredibly honored to be recognized as a Great College to Work For and to be named to the Great Colleges Honor Roll,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone. “This is a reflection of our commitment to value the needs and contributions of every individual at Frontier. It is a great place to work because we have outstanding people who are fully committed to our students and our mission.”

The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captured employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.

The employee survey underwent a number of changes this year, including the addition of 11 new survey statements, some of which are related to new survey themes around diversity, inclusion, and belonging, as well as faculty and staff well-being. New survey demographics related to gender identity and remote work were also included this year.

In accordance with the survey changes, the recognition categories for the program were also updated this year to better reflect current patterns and methodologies in employee engagement in higher education.

The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. For more information and to view all current and previous recognized institutions, visit the Great Colleges program website at GreatCollegesProgram.com and GreatCollegesList.com. ModernThink, a strategic human capital consulting firm, administered the survey and analyzed the results.

About Frontier Nursing University:

The mission of FNU 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. FNU offers graduate Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse-Practitioner distance education programs that can be pursued full- or part-time with the student’s home community serving as the classroom. Degrees and options offered include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Post-Graduate Certificates. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.

Dr. Khara’ Jefferson Named Director of Frontier Nursing University’s DNP Program

September 7, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University announced that Khara’ Jefferson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, will be the new Director of the university’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program beginning September 26, 2021. Dr. Jefferson replaces Dr. Jane Houston, DNP, CNM, FACNM, who has served as the DNP Director since 2019.

Dr. Jefferson, who is now an assistant professor at Frontier, obtained her DNP from FNU in early 2017 and began teaching quality improvement methodology in FNU’s DNP Program shortly thereafter.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Dr. Jefferson as the new Director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program,” said FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM. “She has proven to be an invaluable member of our faculty and is a strong voice and leader for the nursing profession. We are sad to say goodbye to Dr. Houston, who has been a tremendous asset to the university, but we are very fortunate to have someone like Dr. Jefferson ready to fill her shoes.”

Dr. Jefferson has a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She worked as a Registered Nurse in an emergency department for several years before obtaining her Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of South Alabama in 2011. She continued her work in Emergency Medicine as a Family Nurse Practitioner, where she precepted nurse practitioner students and worked in urgent care clinics, where she served on the executive leadership team. She is a certified life coach, energy healer, and has had HEART of a Leader training. Other leadership roles have included urgent care training development and coordinator for the Emergency Department Patient Experience Quality Impact Team and Right Care Alliance Chapter leader.

Currently, Dr. Jefferson is an active part-time clinician in EM, urgent care, and telehealth. She is an active member of the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners (LANP), American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF).

“I am very excited to embark on my new role as the DNP Program Director,” Dr. Jefferson said. “I am passionate about quality, equitable care for all, and engaging and empowering patients to have more control over their health and wellness. As DNP Program Director, I hope to impact change and prepare future leaders to provide evidence-based care.”

FNU to Hold Virtual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, September 25

August 9, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

University of Washington Professor Dr. LaTonya Trotter to Give Keynote Address

Dr. LaTonya Trotter to give FNU’s 2021 Commencement Keynote Address.

Dr. LaTonya J. Trotter, Associate Professor of Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Washington, will be the keynote speaker at Frontier Nursing University’s (FNU) 2021 commencement ceremony, which will be held virtually on Saturday, September 25 at 2:00 p.m.

A medical sociologist, ethnographer, and author, Dr. Trotter is the author of “More than Medicine: Nurse Practitioners and the Problems they Solve for Patients, Health Care Organizations, and the State.” The book, which was published in 2020, chronicles a group of nurse practitioners and the care they provide for four hundred Black older adults living with poor health and limited means. Dr. Trotter explores the care they provide and how it addresses medical, social, and systemic issues that are prevalent in underprivileged and underserved members of the community. Dr. Trotter has also been published in The Journal of Contemporary Ethnography (2020), Social Currents (2019), and Gender & Society (2017).

On her website LaTonyaTrotter.com, Dr. Trotter states, “As a scholar, I take the prominence of health care seriously, using its terrain to understand how regimes of inequality are reproduced through the social construction of problems, patients, and professionals.”

She is currently an Associate Professor within the University of Washington’s Department of Bioethics and Humanities. Prior to her position at the University of Washington, Dr. Trotter was an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Dr. LaTonya Trotter as our keynote speaker at this year’s virtual commencement ceremony,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “Dr. Trotter’s extensive research and study of our nation’s healthcare disparities and the role that nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives can play in alleviating those disparities is so expertly explained in her published works. Her message will undoubtedly inspire our new graduates as they continue to serve those in their communities across the country.”

FNU’s commencement ceremony honors the nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners who have completed the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, Master in Science of Nursing degree, or Post-Graduate Certificate.

FNU President Dr. Susan Stone’s Annual Address to the FNU Community

August 2, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

As everyone knows, 2020 was an incredibly eventful and often stressful year. With the pandemic, social justice and reform, and a volatile political climate, it was a year unlike any in recent memory.

It was an extremely eventful year at Frontier Nursing University (FNU) as well. FNU was impacted by each of these events as the university continued to strive to achieve its mission and accomplish the year’s strategic plan goals. Many Frontier students faced challenges that threatened to interrupt their academic progress. FNU alumni continued to serve their communities, many of them serving on the front lines during the pandemic. Frontier faculty found new and innovative ways to help students stay on track, and Frontier staff continued to provide support to both students and alumni while preparing for the move to the Versailles, Ky., campus.

In the video below, FNU President Dr. Susan Stone reviews the events of 2020 and provides an update on how the university performed during this challenging year. This 33-minute address also provides detailed data and updates on FNU’s strategic plan goals. We hope you will take the time to view this important message.

Thank you for joining us on this journey and for your impactful presence in the FNU community.

Over 100 Attend 2021 Diversity Impact Conference

July 19, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

The 11th annual Diversity Impact Conference 2021 was held as a virtual event, June 24-26. The theme of this year’s event was “Dismantling Systemic Racism and Discrimination in Healthcare: Our Roles and Responsibilities”. The overarching goal of the three-day conference was to explore the history of healthcare systems as a vehicle for promoting racism, sexism, and other forms of oppression.

A total of 112 attended the free, three-day conference, which was highlighted by a series of outstanding speakers. The conference opened with FNU President Dr. Susan Stone presenting “Decolonizing the Nursing Profession.” Dr. Menah Pratt-Clarke, JD, PhD, presented the keynote address on “Social Justice through Extraordinary Compassion”. Dr. Pratt-Clarke is the Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity, and Professor of Education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

The other featured speakers were:

Sarika Bhakta, CDE, President of Nikeya Diversity Consulting: “Effective Cultural Communications – Beyond Words”
Dr. Judy Myers, Phd, MSN, RN, Kentucky Foundation for Health advisory board member and FNU Trustee: “The History of Eugenics”
Kirsten Ivey-Colson and Lynn Turner, co-founders of The AntiRacist Table: “A Path to Healing: Cultivating AntiRacism as a Daily Practice”

In addition to the daily speakers, Thursday featured a social justice activity in which participants were asked to define social justice and social injustice. Further, they were encouraged to share their reactions to the social injustices that occurred in America over the last year. One participant wrote: “I feel a renewed interest in centering social justice in my professional and personal life.” Another said, “This work is not optional, it is essential.”

Friday included a roles activity in which participants were asked:

What role(s) do I feel comfortable playing related to social justice in healthcare?
Where can I take bolder risks related to social justice in healthcare, especially if I hold different forms of privilege? What support systems do I need to be able to take those risks?

The featured speakers and activities helped drive the conference toward its overall objectives to:

Identify ways to show compassion using diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Describe behavior changes essential to encouraging unity and improving the health outcomes of underserved and rural communities.
Identify strategies to dismantle racism, sexism, heteronormativity, and classism in health care.
Facilitate student confidence in their ability to find their place in the changing world.

FNU’s Spring 2021 Quarterly Bulletin Focuses on Stories of Impact

July 12, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

The Spring 2021 issue of the Frontier Nursing University Quarterly Bulletin takes a close look at the many ways that FNU alumni, students, faculty, staff, volunteers, and donors impact the university and its mission. Leading the way is a tribute to Kitty Ernst, who announced her retirement from FNU earlier this year. She looks back at her remarkable career, including her 70 years of involvement with FNU, in her own words, while President Dr. Susan Stone and others share their own thoughts and memories about Kitty.

Additional articles share news of incredible awards and honors, an amazing new scholarship, and faculty serving in leadership roles both in and outside of the university. Additionally, we feature two recent graduates, Dr. Rachel Sheman and Dr. Sybill Myers, who completed their final quality improvement projects during the heart of the pandemic.

For even more inspiration, please read the story about Patty Coldiron, who went from high school dropout and personal tragedy to opening her own urgent care clinic in rural Harlan, Kentucky, earlier this year.

We also mourn the recent passing and reflect on the impact of two FNU faculty members, Ruth Elsasser and Jan Weingrad Smith, as well as that of Judith Rooks, a nursing legend who was awarded an honorary doctorate from FNU in 2012.

These are just a few of the stories you will read in this issue, which also includes all the news, notes, and updates common to every issue of the FNU Quarterly Bulletin.

Read or download the Spring 2021 Quarterly Bulletin today!

The 2020 FNU President’s Annual Report: The Challenges and Triumphs of 2020

July 8, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

With the COVID-19 Pandemic, social justice and reform, political turmoil, and the completion of the move to the Versailles campus, 2020 was unlike any other year in the history of FNU. Still, the university maintained its course, relying on our strategic plan to guide our actions and measure our progress.

The 2020 President’s Annual Report takes a close look at each of the university’s six strategic plan goals and our progress toward achieving them. The Report includes feature stories on the people, events, and initiatives that impacted each of these strategic plan goals. For instance, read about the remarkable task of creating DNP quality improvement projects that students could complete virtually during the pandemic and hear first-hand from the students themselves.

This report also details the strategic goal to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at FNU and how the national movement for social justice and reform impacted that progress. Also included is a comprehensive list of the new and ongoing DEI initiatives and the purpose behind them.

In addition to the virtual DNP projects and coursework implemented due to COVID, the pandemic also brought about a national reliance on telehealth and other virtual technologies. Read in the Report about how telehealth impacted FNU’s Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner students and see how technology helped students find creative ways to connect with preceptors.

By being innovative and flexible, FNU worked hard in 2020 to ensure that students’ progress was not interrupted. However, some students were inevitably impacted by the pandemic and faced a variety of hardships. Read all about the unprecedented number of requests for aid and for the amazing number of students who were helped by our generous supporters via FNU’s Student Emergency Fund.

Learn all about the Versailles, Kentucky campus, which is now ready to host on-campus activities as soon as it is safe to do so. Read about FNU’s impressive data-collection and analysis capabilities and how this serves the university’s data-driven decision-making.

Data is also featured in an at-a-glance look at the university, including the latest numbers on enrollment, retention, graduates, diversity, and more. As always, the President’s Report features a photo-filled, comprehensive recap of the year’s major events, awards, and accomplishments.

Click here to read or download the 2020 President’s Annual Report today!