Jonas Nursing & AACN Announce a Call for Applications for the New Cohort of Doctoral Nursing Scholars

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 8, 2024 – Today, Jonas Nursing, a leading supporter of doctoral nursing education in the U.S., and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announce the launch of the eighth cohort of the Jonas Scholars program. Nursing schools seeking support for exceptional doctoral students with an interest in teaching after graduation are encouraged to apply for funding. Under next-generation family leadership, Jonas Nursing will bolster this initiative with a redesigned curriculum focused on preparing future nursing faculty leaders through four key pillars: mentoring, leadership development, policy, and teaching. Jonas Nursing is the signature impact area of Jonas Philanthropies, whose other impact areas include Vision Health, Children’s Environmental Health, and Nature-Based Climate Solutions.

“By revamping the Jonas Scholars program with a greater focus on the skills that doctoral nursing students need to successfully transition into faculty roles, we will achieve real results that enhance the faculty pipeline and lessen the nursing shortage across the country,” said Lendri Purcell, Co-President, Jonas Philanthropies. “We are thrilled to partner with AACN to provide a comprehensive learning and leadership experience for tomorrow’s leaders in nursing education.”

“AACN commends the Jonas family for their continued support of doctoral nursing education and their commitment to addressing unmet needs in health care,” said Dr. Deborah Trautman, AACN President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our partnership around the Jonas Scholars program is critically important to supporting doctoral students who will transition to professional teaching roles, which will help to alleviate the nationwide faculty shortage. We are excited to roll out an enhanced leadership development program tailored to prepare nursing faculty with the expertise needed to teach, mentor, advocate, and inspire.”

The eighth cohort of Jonas Scholars will elevate the remarkable impact of Jonas Philanthropies, which has distributed over $27 million in scholarships since 2008 to doctoral nursing students. For the first time in the history of Jonas Nursing, upon completion of their doctoral program, Scholars will be eligible to receive an additional award after moving into a faculty role. “By increasing our investment in the Jonas Scholars program, we are able to reward the Scholars who successfully obtain faculty roles and expand the capacity of nursing schools to prepare more students,” Purcell said. “We are proud to offer continued financial support to our Scholars who are directly contributing to our mission of addressing the nursing shortage and expanding the population of doctorally-prepared nurse leaders.”

“We are committed to magnifying the beneficial impact we can have on the nation’s most vulnerable populations through increased healthcare access,” said John Jonas, Co-President, Jonas Philanthropies. “This meaningful work aligns with the legacy of Jonas Philanthropies’ founders, the late Donald and Barbara Jonas, and their dedication to creating positive social change. We are committed to ensuring the makeup of Jonas Scholars will continue to reflect historically underserved populations in nursing.”

Sixty doctoral nurse scholars will be selected to receive $12,000 each over two years, matched by the university, and an additional $6,000 award if they serve in a faculty role for at least a year post-graduation. With $1,080,000 in scholarship funds allocated to the upcoming cohort of students and supporting students for a national leadership conference from Jonas Nursing, those selected will join more than 1,400 distinguished Jonas Alumni Scholars across all 50 states who have achieved success as faculty, clinical leaders, and researchers.

Applications are open and will be accepted through May 17, 2024. The refreshed scholar experience will feature content in these focus areas: Environmental Health, Gerontology, Health Policy, Integrative Care, Psychiatric/Mental Health, Pediatrics, Preventative Care, Rural Health, School Nursing, Underserved Populations, Vision Health, Women’s Health, and Veterans’ Health. A technical assistance webinar will be offered on April 30, 2024 at 12:00 pm (ET), to help answer any questions you may have about the application. To register for this webinar, click here. For more details about the Jonas Scholars program, visit AACN’s website or contact Noah Brown, Jonas Grant Manager, at jonasnursing@aacnnursing.org.

About Jonas Nursing
The mission of Jonas Nursing is to enhance the nursing profession by developing nurse leaders who will address the nursing shortage by educating the future nursing workforce and by investing in the health and well-being of our most underserved communities.

About Jonas Philanthropies
Jonas Philanthropies is transforming our communities for the better by investing where it matters most, in solutions that can be scaled for the greatest impact. Its programs address high-need issues and audiences with high-impact solutions: promoting leadership in nursing, promoting vision health, protecting our children’s environmental health, and taking care of our climate. For more information about Jonas Philanthropies, visit jonasphilanthropies.org, follow us on LinkedIn, like us on Facebook, or follow us on X.

About the American Association of Colleges of Nursing
AACN is the national voice for academic nursing representing more than 875 schools of nursing nationwide. AACN establishes quality standards for nursing education, influences the nursing profession to improve health care, and promotes public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice. For more information about AACN, visit aacnnursing.org and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.

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