The Human Health Building is home to OU's School of Nursing.
July 28, 2021
Oakland University School of Nursing has been awarded a new grant of $15,000 from Jonas Philanthropies, a leading national philanthropic funder of graduate nursing education. Matched by $15,000 from OU, the grant will fund the scholarship of a doctoral nursing student in 2021.
As a grant recipient, Oakland University School of Nursing joins Jonas Philanthropies’ efforts to improve the quality of health care by investing in nursing scholars whose research and clinical foci specifically address the nation’s most urgent needs. The grant will empower and support nursing students with financial assistance, leadership development and networking to expand the pipeline of future nursing faculty, researchers and advanced practice nurses.
With 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 each day, an entire generation of the health care workforce is aging at a rapid pace. This, coupled with care for the 22.2 million veterans living across the country, means the United States is facing a dire need for a new era of highly educated nursing professionals. Oakland University School of Nursing and Jonas Philanthropies believe the investment in the education of nurse leaders is critically important to improve the health care system.
Aaronica Phommalee |
"We are so pleased that Aaronica Phommalee was selected for this prestigious scholars program," said Dr. Judy Didion, dean of OU’s School of Nursing. "As a DNP student and Jonas Scholar, she will be immersed in leadership development and nationwide networking. The goal of the Jonas Scholars program is to create a national pipeline of DNP-prepared nurses who will transform and improve health care."
The Oakland University School of Nursing Jonas Nurse Scholar is part of the new 2021-2023 cohort of more than 75 Scholars pursuing Ph.D., DNP or Ed.D. degrees at 49 universities across the country whose doctoral work will focus on such critical health priorities as environmental health, vision health, psych-mental health, and veterans health. They join more than 1,000 Jonas Scholar alumni representing 157 universities across all 50 states.
“Each year, we grow more in awe of all our Jonas Scholars have achieved. It is with great honor that we welcome and celebrate this new cohort of nurse leaders,” said Donald Jonas, who co-founded Jonas Philanthropies with his late wife Barbara Jonas. “With more than 1,400 Jonas Scholars to date who are committed to meeting the greatest health needs of our time, we look forward to continuing our work with our partner nursing schools and expanding our impact to advance care for the country’s most vulnerable populations.”
Previous Oakland University School of Nursing Jonas Nurse Scholars include Leslie Kearfott, TaSondra Foltz, Marta Wall, Cynthia Ulreich and Cheryle Nicholaou.
"What an esteemed honor it is to be representing Oakland University as a Jonas Scholar recipient,” said Aaronica Phommalee, DNP student. "This opportunity to enhance my leadership skills while connecting with other Jonas Scholars will be immensely important to my future in educating nurse leaders and addressing the emerging health care needs of our population."