UMSON Assistant Professor Selected for Fulbright Specialist Program

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Cory Stephens, DNP, Cert '24, RN, NI-BC, CPHIMS, FHIMSS, CNE, assistant professor, has been selected as a Fulbright Specialist, opening the door to future short-term collaborations with institutions around the world.

The Fulbright Specialist Program, a U.S. Department of State initiative, places awardees on a three-year roster for high-impact two- to six-week projects requested by foreign institutions in more than 150 countries. Selected projects focus on knowledge exchange, capacity building, and collaboration. Stephens joins PhD student Abaneh Ebangwese, Cert ’24, BSN ’15, RN, CCRN, who is also currently in the Fulbright program; Ebangwese was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program scholarship last year and is conducting research in Cameroon. Stephens’ Fulbright selection provides an opportunity to extend UMSON’s expertise in nursing informatics, education, public service, and innovation through international partnerships.

“Joining the Fulbright Specialist roster creates an opportunity to bring my expertise into international partnerships while also learning from colleagues and institutions around the world,” Stephens said.

Selection to the roster is based on peer review and recognizes demonstrated expertise, leadership, and the potential to contribute meaningfully to international partnerships. U.S. Fulbright specialists apply through a merit-based process, and once approved, become eligible to be matched with overseas projects. These engagements can lead to sustained relationships with partner institutions, promoting lasting collaboration between American and international institutions and advancing shared goals.

At UMSON, Stephens’ work focuses on the responsible integration of emerging technologies into nursing education. He co-created JAIMIE, a generative artificial intelligence (AI) virtual teaching assistant, with Charlotte A. Seckman, PhD '08, RN, NI-BC, CNE, FAAN, UMSON professor and co-director of both the Nursing Informatics master's specialty and certificate. Stephens has also helped advance broader applications of purpose-built generative AI personas in nursing education.

“Many of the most consequential questions surrounding artificial intelligence, informatics, health care, and education transcend national boundaries,” Stephens said. “The Fulbright Specialist Program offers an opportunity not simply to share expertise, but to learn with international partners, exchange ideas, and develop approaches that respond to local priorities and contexts.”

The Fulbright selection extends Stephens’ record of national and international service in nursing informatics. He spent five years in federal public service at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center as an informatics nurse specialist and served on the leadership team of the TIGER International Task Force, a global informatics initiative. A Fellow of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, Stephens currently serves on its Nursing Informatics Committee.

He is also a co-editor of the forthcoming textbook “Artificial Intelligence for Nursing Education,” with Seckman; Cheryl A. Fisher, EdD, MSN, RN, UMSON associate professor and co-director of the Nursing Informatics specialty and certificate; and Arpad G. Kelemen, PhD, UMSON professor. The book addresses the responsible integration of AI across nursing education and includes attention to global perspectives on AI.

In addition to serving on the faculty, Stephens earned a Certificate in Teaching in Nursing and Health Professions from UMSON. He began his nursing education at Ivy Tech Community College’s Madison, Indiana campus, earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Indiana University, and later earned his Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice from Walden University, in Minneapolis.

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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.