UMSON Faculty Selected to 2021 Diversity Leadership Institute by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing

Institute designed for academic nursing leadership committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion 

Baltimore, Md. – The University of Maryland School of Nursing’s Bimbola F. Akintade, PhD ’11, MS ’05, MBA, MHA, BSN ’03, ACNP-BC, NEA-BC, FAANP, associate professor and associate dean for the Master of Science in Nursing program, and Vanessa P. Fahie, PhD ’94, BSN ’76, assistant professor, have been selected to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s 2021 Diversity Leadership Institute.

The Diversity Leadership Institute provides an overview of diversity and inclusion efforts and the role of diversity officers in academic nursing and nursing practice. It frames diversity within the context of higher education and academic nursing while presenting high-involvement diversity practices for teams and leaders. The institute’s program, offered virtually, started at the end of January and will conclude on June 17, 2021.

Akintade, who was appointed to the DNPs of Color inaugural board of directors in 2020, has 19 years of clinical experience in trauma and critical care and is aware of how serving the health care needs of diverse patients requires a diverse nursing workforce.

“This experience will help maximize my potential as I provide vision and leadership for academic excellence in a collegial atmosphere within the context of UMSON’s mission and strategic initiatives; mentor faculty members in their role as educators; and demonstrate sound decision-making, strong managerial and effective communication skills, and a commitment to diversity,” he said. 

Fahie has 26 years of experience designing and managing pipeline programs to increase the number of nurses from backgrounds underrepresented in the nursing workforce. She has created partnerships with educational institutions at all levels as well as professional nursing organizations to prepare the next generation of nurse leaders and scholars. She has mentored numerous faculty and students who have earned graduate degrees and are nurse educators, advanced practice nurses, nursing and public health administrators, and researchers.   

“As I continue my diversity, equity and inclusion journey, knowledge gained from the Diversity Leadership Institute affords me the opportunity to build skills and capacity to engage stakeholders in crucial conversations; share strategies for promoting equity for faculty, staff, and students; and make excellence inclusive at the UMSON,” she said 

The institute aims to enhance professional knowledge and experience to stimulate strategic thinking and advance outcomes at participants’ home institutions. It focuses on increasing self-awareness while building skills and capacity to engage with discussions and issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. The program requires participants to develop a diversity plan specifically tailored to their organization. Upon completion of the program, participants will present their plan, describing how they will apply their work in their respective organizations.

At UMSON, where diversity is a source of strength and innovation, 53% of UMSON students identify as members of minority ethnic/racial groups, while nationally, nurses from minority backgrounds represent just 19.2% of the registered nurse workforce.

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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.