Anderson University to Receive HRSA Funding from ICN

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Indianapolis, Ind. — The Indiana Center for Nursing (ICN) is among 24 organizations throughout the nation that will receive significant federal funding for programming that addresses nursing’s role in building a culture of health and promoting health equity. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Diversity in Nursing recipients were selected based on submissions of replicable strategies that help nurses build a culture of health and promote health equity and well-being, while highlighting the importance of collaboration with diverse stakeholders. Through this grant, the ICN will receive $2,189,646 over the next four years to support the Nursing Education and Engagement in Diversity Statewide 2B (NEEDS2B) program.

The NEEDS2B program includes sub-awards given to eight schools of nursing in Indiana that are participating in the program, and Anderson University is one of them. Through the grant, AU will work collaboratively to achieve the following program goals:

• Increase diversity and inclusion in the Indiana nursing workforce by implementing the objectives that include: scholarships and stipends for students accepted into the program; holistic review and admissions to the school of nursing, mentoring programs; faculty recruitment and retention of diverse faculty; increased percentage of enrollment; retention and graduation of diverse students; and inclusion of cultural intelligence education.
• Expand implementation of the current mentoring programs of the schools.
• Address social determinants of health and education through a collaborative partnership representing academia, practice, and the community at large.

“We are honored to be selected for this prestigious grant and look forward to building on our work to create replicable strategies that help nurses build a culture of health and promote health equity and well-being,” said Kimberly Harper, MS, RN, FAAN, and CEO with ICN. “The work we are doing to transform the diversity, inclusion, and equity within the Indiana nursing workforce will improve health and healthcare for everyone. We are grateful to HRSA for selecting the ICN and our statewide partners for this grant opportunity.”

“As the U.S. population grows increasingly diverse, so must the nursing workforce,” said Lynn Schmidt, dean of the School of Nursing and Kinesiology at AU. “Increasing diversity in the nursing workforce can serve as a vital strategy to address health inequities. Nurses are called on to respond with sensitivity to everyone, regardless of race, disability, socioeconomic status, religion, or sexual orientation.”

The goal for this four-year award is to assist in the creation of replicable programs that diversify the nursing workforce and improve healthcare equity across all sectors, while highlighting the importance of collaboration with diverse stakeholders of all types.

Anderson University is on a mission to educate students for lives of faith and service, offering more than 60 undergraduate majors, 30 three-year degrees, 20 NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports, alongside adult and graduate programs. The private, liberal arts institution is fully accredited and recognized among top colleges for its business, computer science, cybersecurity, dance, engineering, nursing, and teacher education programs. Anderson University was established in 1917 in Anderson, Indiana, by the Church of God.