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Baltimore, Md. – Two University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) students have been named Jonas Scholars for the 2026 - 28 cohort by Jonas Nursing and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The prestigious program is designed to support doctoral nursing students who plan to pursue careers as future nursing faculty leaders to help address the national nursing faculty shortage. As scholarship recipients, Kristin Peacock, MEd, BSN ’22, RN, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student, and Jill Storer, MSN ’23, RN, CCRN, CNE-cl, a PhD student, will be provided with financial assistance, leadership development, and networking support. They join a cohort of 78 other doctoral nursing students from 30 states. Scholars are selected based on their passion for teaching, academic excellence, and research abilities. UMSON has been awarded a grant of $24,000 to support the two scholars.  UMSON has had 26 Jonas Scholars since 2012 when UMSON’s collaboration with the scholarship program began. “To be named a Jonas Scholar is an honor I accept with humility and gratitude,” said Peacock, whose research area of focus is rural health. “I look forward to the leadership opportunities and mentorship this prestigious program offers recipients." Added Storer, “Being selected as a Jonas Scholar is both an honor and a privilege. I am thrilled to join the 2026 - 28 cohort and eager to learn from and collaborate with other emerging nurse leaders as I continue my doctoral studies.” Her research area of focus is gerontology. This Jonas Scholar cohort consists of 59 PhD candidates and 21 DNP candidates representing 57 schools of nursing. The program will distribute nearly $1 million in scholarship support, which includes $12,000 for each scholar from Jonas Nursing with an accompanying school match. Upon completion of the two-year program, scholars who accept faculty positions are eligible for an additional $6,000 award. A hallmark of the 2026 - 28 cohort is the mentorship component, led by 10 Jonas Mentors, a group of nurse educators who have been selected to provide guidance and professional support to scholars throughout the two-year program. Mentors will meet monthly with their assigned scholars to discuss key topics relevant to nursing faculty roles. They will serve as trusted resources throughout the cohort experience and join the scholars at the Jonas Scholar Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., in spring 2027, fostering meaningful connections and collaborative learning opportunities. Jonas Nursing is an initiative of Jonas Philanthropies. Among its signature efforts is the Jonas Scholars program, which provides financial assistance, leadership development, and networking support to expand the pipeline of nursing faculty, researchers, and advanced practice nurses. AACN serves as the strategic partner and "home base" for Jonas Nursing, administering and executing the Jonas Scholars program by providing support in application management, educational programming, and mentorship matching. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.        

The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s (UMSON) former Community and Public Health Environmental Initiative (CPHEI) is marking its 10th anniversary with a new name that recognizes the program’s expanding work with children, families, and early childhood centers: the Children’s Wellness and Environmental Health Partnership (CWEHP). The program’s leadership proposed the new name to represent the broad work of UMSON faculty and nursing students with Early Head Start (EHS), Head Start (HS), and Patty Center children, staff, and families as well as their implementation of the Eco-Healthy Child Care Program, a national initiative to help childcare facilities reduce or eliminate environmental hazards. Helping centers create and maintain a healthy environment is a critical component of ensuring the physical, mental, and social wellness of the children and families CWEHP serves. (See video below to learn more about CWEHP.) “We believe that early identification of potential health issues and early intervention are key to ensuring children’s well-being and school readiness,” said Laura Allen, DNP '24, MA, MS '15, RN, NEA-BC, assistant professor and CWEHP director. She, along with Robyn Gilden, PhD '10, MS '01, RN, associate professor and director of the Environmental Health Certificate, commemorated the partnership’s 10th anniversary by formally announcing its new name at an event honoring 60 years of its Community/Public Health Nursing master’s specialty. Initially comprising three clinical groups of entry-into-nursing bachelor’s and master’s students, the program has expanded to include RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice students. The students provide hearing and vision screening, chart reviews, well-child exams and developmental screenings, as well as targeted health education and health screenings for staff and families. The partnership  is a collaborative effort with the Maryland Family Network (MFN), the largest grantee of EHS funds in Maryland, to improve overall health and environmental health for EHS center children from birth until age 3 through programs that support early literacy and life-long healthy habits, including nutrition, physical activity, quality family time, and mindfulness. Faculty, staff, and students will continue to provide the same high-quality health oversight, screening, and education as they have for the past 10 years.  Since the partnership’s start in 2016: 39 EHS, HS, and Patty Centers supported nearly 900 nursing students participated more than 1,700 hearing and vision screenings delivered more than 2,700 well child exams and developmental screenings conducted more than 2,800 health charts reviewed for up-to-date documentation. “We had to work very hard to build trust in the community and actually show what nursing students could provide,” Allen said. “We went from ‘What are you doing here?’ to ‘When are you coming back?’”. CWEHP recently partnered with the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD), assisting with dental screenings and fluoride treatments that dental students are providing to the EHS, HS, and Patty Center children. When it was established in 2016, funding for the then-CPHEI began with a $750,000 gift to the University of Maryland School of Nursing from the Mary Catherine Bunting Foundation in honor of Bunting, MS ’72, CRNP, RN. Since then, UMSON and the MFN, the largest grantee of EHS funds in Maryland, have worked in partnership to provide direct and indirect nursing services to EHS and HS centers in Baltimore City. In 2025, the Mary Catherine Bunting Foundation bestowed another $300,000 gift in the form of a three-year pledge to continue the work of the initiative. In total, Bunting and the foundation have contributed $1.55 million to UMSON in support of CWEHP. Additional funding comes from various current and past funders, including the Nurse Support Program II; The Richman Foundation; The Blanket Fort Foundation; alumni such as Loree LaChance, DNP, MHA, BSN ’89, RN, CNE, NCSN; UMSON; UMSOD; and the Maryland State Department of Education. For more information and to learn how you can help support this important work, please contact Stacey Conrad, MBA, associate dean for development and alumni relations, at sconrad@umaryland.edu.

Baltimore, Md. –Yvette Conyers, DNP, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS, CNE, FADLN, CWCN-AP, FNAP, FAAN, assistant professor and associate dean for strategic engagement and impact at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), and five UMSON alumni have been selected as 2026 Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN). The new fellows are recognized for their substantial contributions to improving health outcomes and advancing health and health care. The class of 275 new AAN Fellows represents 39 states, the District of Columbia, and 17 countries. They will be honored Oct. 10 at an induction ceremony held during the annual AAN Health Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. With the addition of the 2026 class, AAN fellowship will include more than 3,600 nurses worldwide recognized for leadership in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia. The five UMSON alumni joining Conyers as 2026 fellows are: Lauren B. Covington, PhD ’18, MS ’12, MS, RN, FAAN, associate professor, University of Delaware School of Nursing Mazen El Ghaziri, PhD ’13, MPH, RN, FAAOHN, FAAN, associate professor and associate chair, University of Massachusetts Lowell Susan and Alan Solomont School of Nursing Jennifer Saylor, PhD ’11, APRN, ACNS-BC, FAAN, professor (tenured) and associate dean for faculty and student affairs, University of Delaware School of Nursing Tania T. Von Visger, PhD, MS ’94, BSN ’90, APRN, ASTF, PCCN-K, FAAN, assistant professor, Medical University of South Carolina College of Nursing Qiuping Pearl Zhou, PhD ’01, RN, FAAN, associate professor (tenured), George Washington University School of Nursing. Inductees are selected following a rigorous review of applications by AAN’s Fellow Selection Committee and International Subcommittee. In addition, AAN will present two of its most significant individual honors to UMSON alumnae Visionary Pioneers during the Health Policy Conference: Patricia A. Grady, PhD, MS ’68, RN, FAAN, a nurse scientist and inaugural UMSON Visionary Pioneer, will receive the Rheba de Tornyay President’s Award, AAN’s highest individual achievement award. It honors an elected fellow for extraordinary lifelong contributions to community and individual health. Grady, former director of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) for more than 23 years, is an internationally known researcher. Under her leadership, NINR significantly increased the number of research and training grants awarded to nurse scientists. She initiated several major NINR research programs, including end-of-life, self-management of chronic illness, health disparities, and genetics. Ann Wolbert Burgess, DNSc, MS ’59, APRN, FAAN, a world-renowned expert in forensic and psychiatric nursing, will receive the Lifetime Legacy Award, which honors individuals who have dedicated their careers to sweeping health system changes, structural transformation, and policy reform. As a faculty member at Boston College, she has advanced the understanding of trauma’s psychological effects, particularly among victims of sexual violence and serial crime. Her groundbreaking collaborations with the FBI and her widely cited scholarship have earned her numerous honors. “We congratulate Dr. Conyers on the honor of being named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing,” said Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD' 11, MS '05, BSN '04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing. “It is a significant tribute to her commitment to excellence and her contributions to the profession through nursing practice and education and to her work in advancing understanding of the significant role nurses can play in policy advocacy.  “We also congratulate our five distinguished alumni for this important recognition of their leadership and many contributions to nursing research, education, and practice. We are particularly thrilled to see the recognition of Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess and Dr. Patricia A. Grady. Dr. Burgess’ contributions to understanding the impact of trauma on its victims and her pioneering work in developing assessment and treatment modalities has transformed care, while her study of the psychological background of perpetrators has guided profiling practices. Dr. Grady’s contributions as a neuroscientist and her exceptional leadership as director of the National Institute of Nursing Research for more than two decades elevated nursing research and fostered the careers of many of today’s preeminent nurse scientists.” Conyers, who joined UMSON in 2023, is a nurse practitioner, educator, and health equity advocate with more than two decades of experience in health care, academia, and community engagement. Specializing in wound and foot care nursing, she is nationally certified in both areas and focuses clinically on preventing amputation disparities among historically underserved populations. Her work advances health equity through culturally responsive care, policy influence, and restorative practices that foster trust and healing in marginalized communities. As associate dean for strategic engagement and impact, Conyers oversees strategic initiatives that provide individual and departmental support focused on relationship and community building and advocacy to advance equity in policies and practices. Her work is grounded in addressing structural inequities and social determinants of health to improve patient outcomes and advance justice in health care. She is committed to mentoring and preparing diverse nurse leaders to deliver inclusive, community-centered care. Through curriculum design, restorative practice, and advocacy-driven education, she creates learning environments where nursing students can examine their biases, engage in critical reflection, and become change agents in their communities. Earlier this year, Conyers established the UMSON Nursing Policy Academy with support from an American Association of Colleges of Nursing Faculty Scholars Grant, of which she was one of two recipients nationwide. Its first cohort of 15 students has gained firsthand exposure to the policymaking process; opportunities to engage with nurse leaders and legislators; and education on influencing health policy at local, state, and national levels. Conyers is also active in legislative advocacy. During the 2025 Maryland legislative session, she helped advance legislation requiring health professionals to complete training on structural racism as part of license renewal. The bill passed the Maryland General Assembly, and Conyers is now developing educational programs to help professionals meet the new requirement, supported by grants from the American Nurses Association and the Maryland Nurses Association. In April, Conyers was named a Distinguished Practitioner and Fellow of the National Academies of Practice. Conyers also serves as chair of the Health Policy Conference Planning Committee for the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, is a Fellow of the Academy of Diverse Leaders in Nursing and was a 2025 participant in the Healing Politics Campaign School for Nurses and Midwives. She was also named a George Washington School of Nursing Fellow in Health Policy and Media for the 2025 - 26 academic year. Conyers earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Family Nurse Practitioner post-master’s certificate from St. John Fisher College in New York; a master’s degree in nursing education from Roberts Wesleyan College in New York; a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Rochester in New York; and an Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing from Monroe Community College in New York. ### The University of Maryland School of Nursing, founded in 1889, is one of the oldest and largest nursing schools in the nation and is ranked among the top nursing schools nationwide. Enrolling nearly 2,100 students in its baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs, the School develops leaders who shape the profession of nursing and impact the health care environment.