UMSON Faculty Members Awarded $2.3 Million in State Grants to Enhance Nursing Education and Workforce Development

July 11, 2025
Clockwise from top left: Edwards, Fisher, Lucci, Hickman

Baltimore, Md. – Four University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) faculty members have been awarded Nurse Support Program (NSP) II grants totaling more than $2.3 million. NSP II grants aid in increasing nursing capacity in Maryland by implementing statewide initiatives to grow the number of nurses prepared to serve effectively in faculty roles and by strengthening nursing education programs at Maryland institutions.

Grants are funded through the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission and administered by the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

The NSP II grants awarded to UMSON beginning in Fiscal Year 2026 include:

  • Lori Edwards, DrPH, BSN '80, RN, CNS-PCH, BC, assistant professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program – Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Population Health/Public Health Nursing ($142,744 over two years)

This two-year planning grant will support development of a DNP specialty track in advanced public health nursing. The initiative addresses the urgent need for doctorally prepared nurses with expertise in population health, health equity, and policy development to lead transformative public health efforts. The program will offer a rigorous curriculum focused on advanced competencies and evidence-based projects in collaboration with public health agencies. Graduates will be prepared to reduce health inequities, lead population-level interventions, and drive system- and policy-level change. The planning grant supports workforce needs assessments, curriculum development, and the design of innovative courses and practicum experiences tailored to advanced public health nursing practice, reinforcing UMSON’s commitment to strengthen Maryland’s nursing workforce.

  • Cheryl A. Fisher, EdD, MSN, RN, associate professor and co-director of the MSN Nursing Informatics specialty – Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Maryland Higher Education: The AIM-High Program ($578,633 over four years)

The AIM-High Program is a statewide initiative designed to strengthen Maryland nurse educators’ capacity to integrate AI into nursing education. The program will train 100 faculty in foundational AI through webinars, mentorships, and a statewide symposium featuring 20 evidence-based AI projects.

AIM-High also establishes a sustainable network for collaboration and resource sharing to foster continued innovation. The AIM-High Program advances statewide goals to increase student enrollment and grow the nursing workforce to meet the demands of an evolving health care system.

This planning project aims to design a preceptor program that enhances support for staff nurse preceptors and strengthens the undergraduate student learning experience. Drawing on nearly 20 years of academic-practice partnership experience, the project will:

  • assess the current state of precepting and preceptor needs through surveys and interviews, focusing on role ambiguity, conflict, overload, burnout, and intent to stay
  • maximize preceptor effectiveness and student learning by convening a taskforce to develop a best-practice program informed by findings and strategies to reduce burnout and promote retention
  • pilot the program in partnership with two Maryland hospitals to evaluate outcomes and guide future implementation.

Process outcomes will be evaluated along with nurse well-being and intention to stay.

Building on a solid foundation in nurse educator preparation and professional development through UMSON’s Institute for Educators, the initiative will implement a comprehensive framework to cultivate the next generation of nursing faculty. The enhanced program continues a structured mentorship model to prepare Cohen Scholars for diverse academic and clinical teaching roles. Individualized pathways for master’s and doctoral students include coursework in educational pedagogy and targeted teaching practicums. Scholars will also receive training in financial literacy, attend professional conferences, and participate in specialized workshops and webinars. The initiative addresses Maryland’s critical nurse educator shortage and establishes a sustainable model to prepare faculty equipped to meet the evolving demands of nursing education and workforce development.

###

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 more than 2,000 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.