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Baltimore, Md. – Six University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been awarded Nurse Support Program (NSP) II grants totaling more than $6.03 million to strengthen nursing education and workforce development across Maryland. The grants support initiatives focused on faculty preparation, leadership development, student enrollment, clinical education, workforce infrastructure, and doctoral education. Funded through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission, NSP II grants support statewide efforts to increase nursing capacity by expanding the number of nurses prepared for faculty roles and strengthening nursing education programs. The NSP II grants awarded to UMSON beginning in Fiscal Year 2027 include: Susan L. Bindon, DNP ’11, MS ’96, RN, NPD-BC, CNE, FAAN, ANEF, professor, associate dean for faculty development, and director of both the Institute for Educators and the Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions Certificate  - “Preparing Clinical Nurse Faculty Across Maryland Continuation Grant” ($894,124 over five years) This project will expand UMSON's efforts to prepare clinical nursing faculty across Maryland through workshops, professional development, and certification support. The initiative is expected to prepare 525 additional clinical instructors and support national certification for eligible participants, ultimately benefiting thousands of nursing students statewide. Clinical faculty play vital roles in students’ real-world learning experiences, and hundreds are needed across Maryland’s nursing programs. Unlike full-time faculty peers, adjunct clinical faculty may not be educated in how to teach. Lynn Marie Elizabeth Bullock, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, assistant professor and director of the Office of Professional Education - “Nurse Leadership Institute 3.0 Continuation Grant” ($1,756,581 over five years) Building on the success of the Nurse Leadership Institute (NLI), which has trained more than 200 fellows and nearly 200 mentors, this statewide initiative will continue developing nurse leaders in academic and practice settings. The project will expand recruitment to non-acute care environments, strengthen mentor development, and increase statewide engagement through regional networking opportunities Over the past five years, participation in NLI has been broad and inclusive, with fellows drawn from 30 academic institutions and 174 practice organizations across Maryland. The newly funded NLI will remain nurse led and practice and academia centric. It will also ensure representation across diverse practice environments and strengthen mentor development through structured training, resources, and evaluation. The grant will also support designing and implementing annual regional networking events in Eastern and Western Maryland and underserved communities to promote statewide engagement and equitable access. Lori Edwards, DrPH, BSN '80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, FAAN, associate professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program - “Expansion of Enrollment Post-COVID Continuation” ($1,165,289 over five years) This project seeks to address Maryland's nursing workforce shortage by expanding enrollment in entry-into-nursing programs while strengthening the clinical education infrastructure needed to support growth. Key strategies include targeted recruitment, student support services, and expansion of the Practicum-to-Practice Program mentorship model. The initiative builds on UMSON’s longstanding partnership with the University of Maryland Medical System and the success of the Academy of Clinical Education to increase the supply of practice-ready nurses statewide. Linda J. Hickman, PhD '98, MBA, RN, FACHE, assistant professor - “Supporting and Retaining Undergraduate Nursing Preceptors” ($1,100,329 over three years) The project will strengthen undergraduate nursing preceptorship by redesigning UMSON's clinical practicum resources and establishing the Maryland Clinical Preceptor Academy. Working with six Maryland hospitals, the initiative aims to prepare and support more than 400 clinical preceptors while improving clinical education capacity and student readiness for licensure. Clinical preceptorship is a critical part of undergraduate nursing education and workforce sustainability, yet staff nurse preceptors often report lack of preparation, limited support, and high workload, contributing to burnout and reduced clinical education capacity. The project proposes to strengthen undergraduate nursing preceptorship by linking two aims: to redesign UMSON’s clinical practicum course, focusing on resources to support preceptors disseminated as a standardized model, and to establish the Maryland Clinical Preceptor Academy, combining accredited preceptor training, recognition, practical benefits, and rewards while promoting professional advancement and lifelong learning through statewide development models. Danielle McCamey, DNP, CRNP, ACNP-BC, FAAN, FAANP, FCCP, FADLN, assistant professor and associate dean for clinical partnerships and innovation - “Maryland Clinical Placements Collaborative Infrastructure Initiative” ($661,479 over three years) This project will transform the Maryland–D.C. Clinical Placements Collaborative pilot into a formal statewide infrastructure. Through stronger education-practice partnerships, data-driven planning tools, and professional development opportunities, the initiative will improve access to clinical placements and support enrollment growth across Maryland nursing programs. Maryland faces a critical nursing workforce shortage, with hospitals reporting RN vacancy rates as high as 25.4% and a projected need for 13,800 additional RNs by 2035. Although nursing programs have academic capacity to enroll more students, fragmented and competitive clinical placement processes constrain enrollment growth and workforce supply. The Maryland Clinical Placements Collaborative Infrastructure Initiative (MCPC) will establish statewide governance for education–practice partnerships; develop a data-driven dashboard to improve transparency, capacity planning, and equity; strengthen professional development for clinical placement professionals; and create a sustainability plan. MCPC will enable nursing programs to maximize utilization of clinical sites, expand enrollment capacity, and ensure equitable access to clinical training across program types and geographic regions. Eun-Shim Nahm, PhD '03, RN, FAAN, FGSA, professor, associate dean for the PhD Program, and co-director of the Real-World Data and Pragmatic Research Certificate - “Innovative Pathways Expanding MD PhD Workforce” ($456,915 over three years) This project will address declining PhD enrollment and shortages of qualified nursing faculty by creating innovative educational pathways for future nurse scientists. The overarching aim is to implement innovative pathways to expand Maryland’s Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)-prepared nursing workforce. The project addresses two critical nursing challenges: declining enrollment in PhD programs and the rapidly increasing shortage of qualified nursing faculty. It also promotes the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)-to-PhD pathway to reduce time to degree completion. Through this project, UMSON will establish and implement PhD research focus areas in education and clinical practice by integrating existing nursing education and the Real-World Data and Pragmatic Research certificate programs, enabling students to earn both the PhD and the certificate without increasing credit requirements. The project also aims to build a supply of PhD applicants to increase admissions to the BSN-to-PhD track through innovative recruitment and academic support strategies and to promote practice-to-PhD pathways through collaboration with hospital nurse leaders. ### 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.

Baltimore, Md. - Eun-Shim Nahm, PhD '03, RN, FAAN, FGSA, professor, associate dean for the PhD Program, and co-director of the Real-World Data and Pragmatic Research Certificate at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON), has been named a Distinguished University Professor by the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), the University’s highest academic honor bestowed upon faculty members. Nahm is one of six faculty members named to the 2026 cohort of Distinguished University Professors, a designation recognizing faculty members whose accomplishments have significantly advanced their disciplines and brought distinction to the University through excellence in teaching, research, clinical care, and service. “I am deeply honored and humbled to be named a Distinguished University Professor,” Nahm said. “I am profoundly grateful to the mentors, colleagues, and collaborators who have guided and supported me throughout my career. I also feel incredibly fortunate to work with exceptional students whose curiosity, dedication to research, and commitment to the nursing profession inspire me every day.” A nationally and internationally recognized leader in nursing informatics, Nahm joined UMSON in 2003 as an assistant professor and was subsequently promoted to associate professor and then professor. Beginning in 2010, she served as the director of the Nursing Informatics master’s specialty, and from 2012 - 22, she served as co-director of what is now the Building Healthy Behaviors Across the Life Span Organized Research Center. Nahm has spent more than two decades advancing the use of technology to improve health outcomes, particularly for older adults and individuals living with chronic conditions. Her pioneering work in gerontology informatics has helped shape how nurses, patients, and health care organizations use digital tools to support care, communication, and self-management. Her research has focused on harnessing technology to improve patient care and engagement. Long before digital health tools became commonplace, she recognized their potential to help older adults better manage their health and connect with health care providers. Her studies have explored the use of patient portals, electronic health records, online communities, digital learning programs, and other technology-supported interventions designed to improve communication, medication management, care coordination, and quality of life. Her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the Maryland Higher Education Commission, among other funding agencies. “Dr. Nahm is nationally and internationally recognized as a leader in nursing informatics education, research, and practice,” 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 and professor, wrote in her nomination letter. “She has made significant and sustained contributions as a teacher and mentor, overseeing the development of more than 1,000 nurse informaticians and ensuring the preparation of informatics nurses for leadership in academic and clinical settings. “As an educational leader and innovator, she has developed new courses and programs to prepare nurses for utilizing health information technology effectively in a rapidly evolving health care environment,” the letter continues. “And, as a leading researcher in gerontology informatics, she is harnessing the collection, analysis, and utilization of data to improve patient care, whether delivered in the community or in major clinical facility.” Nahm’s contributions have helped strengthen UMSON’s longstanding reputation as a leader in nursing informatics education. UMSON launched the first master's program in nursing informatics in the nation in 1988 and the first doctoral program in the world in 1991. While Nahm served as specialty director for the nursing informatics graduate program at UMSON, it was consistently ranked No. 1 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. Nahm is widely regarded as a dedicated educator and mentor. She has chaired or co-chaired numerous doctoral dissertation committees, advised more than 75 nursing informatics master’s students, mentored junior faculty members, and guided visiting scholars and researchers from around the world. Many of her former students and mentees now hold leadership positions in nursing education, research, and practice across the United States and internationally. Nahm earned her PhD from UMSON, focusing on nursing informatics; a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Hawaii; and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea. She is a member of the Southern Nursing Research Society, the American Academy of Nursing, the American Medical Informatics Association, and the American Nursing Informatics Association. She is also a member of the Alliance for Nursing Informatics Policy Committee. Her contributions to nursing and health care have earned widespread recognition, including election as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the Gerontological Society of America. “Through her teaching and mentoring, her research and scholarship, and her service, she has brought national and international recognition and distinction to the University,” Ogbolu wrote. “I believe that she is highly deserving of the honor of being named Distinguished University Professor.” Nahm will be formally recognized during UMB’s Faculty Convocation in September. ### 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.

Baltimore, Md. – Seven University of Maryland School of Nursing faculty members have been recognized with Academic Nurse Educator Certification (ANEC) Awards from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) through the Nurse Support Program (NSP) II. The faculty were each awarded the maximum amount of $5,000 for demonstrating excellence as an academic nurse educator through achieving the National League for Nursing’s Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) credential, either through initial certification or recertification. The faculty are: Jennifer Fitzgerald, DNP ’15, MS ’00, NNP-BC, CNE, assistant professor and director, Doctor of Nursing Practice Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty Maranda Jackson-Parkin, PhD ’13, MS ’06, CRNP-BC, ACNP, CCNS, CCRN-K, CNE, assistant professor Tabitha Legambi, DNP '19, BSN '02, RN, CEN, CNE, assistant professor and vice chair, Department of Organizational Systems and Adult Health Regina Phillips, PhD, MS ’79, RN, CNE, assistant professor Kaitlin Shapelow, MS '13, CRNP, AGNP-PC, CNE, clinical instructor Lyn Starrs-Zorn, PhD, CRNP (A/AC), CWS, CNOR, CNE, assistant professor Marleen Thornton, PhD, RN, CNE, associate professor The CNE credential establishes nursing education as a specialty area of practice and creates a means for faculty to demonstrate their expertise in this role. It communicates to students, peers, and the academic and health care communities that the highest standards of excellence are being met. By becoming credentialed as a CNE, faculty serve as leaders and role models. “We are very grateful for the generous support provided to our nurse faculty through the Academic Nurse Educator Certification Awards offered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission’s Nurse Support Program II,” 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. “This award program encourages nurse faculty to achieve or maintain the National League of Nursing Certified Nurse Educator credential. The study and preparation that goes into achieving or maintaining the CNE designation speaks to the deep commitment to teaching excellence evidenced by these faculty members. Among this year’s awardees we had four individuals receiving the CNE credential for the first time and three individuals renewing their certification. I congratulate each of them on their accomplishment.” Developed under the NSP II, which is funded by the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by MHEC, the ANEC award program recognizes professionalism in support of ongoing faculty development requirements necessary to maintain the CNE credential. The award is intended to reinforce the use of the CNE as one measurement of excellence in nursing programs and to support the retention of outstanding academic educators. The award funds may be used to supplement the awardee’s salary; to pay for activities for professional development, including conference fees, travel, and expenses for speaking engagements; to pay professional dues, CNE examination fees, and continuing education expenses; or to assist with graduate education expenses, such as loan repayment. ### 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.