Diversity & Inclusion

• Influence of Climate and Culture on Minority Faculty Retention  

  August 31, 2020

  In the September 2020 issue of the Journal of Nursing Education, Dr. Vernell DeWitty, AACN’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, co-authored a guest editorial with Dr. Teri Murray, Professor and Dean Emerita at Saint Louis University, titled Influence of Climate and Culture on Minority Faculty Retention. In response to the national dialogue about race, racism, inclusion, and belonging in academic nursing, Dr. DeWitty has led the development of a new survey instrument to capture the feelings and experiences of underrepresented minorities in nursing programs. 

• New Race/Ethnicity Data Now Available Online 

  July 29, 2020

  Race/ethnicity data from AACN's 2019 annual survey on enrollment and graduation in baccalaureate and graduate degree programs in nursing is now available.

• Diversity Digest: Summer 2020 Edition

  July 22, 2020

  This edition's theme: Diversity & Inclusion Implications/Considerations during COVID-19. Read about inclusive teaching, why talking about systemic racism matters, and more.

• AACN Statement on Academic Nursing's Call for Liberty and Justice for All

  June 2, 2020

  As the nation struggles to come to terms with the senseless, tragic killing of George Floyd, and those before him, the time has come to send a clear message that injustice and racism will no longer be tolerated. Together, academic nursing leaders and the larger healthcare community must rally against pervasive inequities in society and move forward with empathy, inclusiveness, and collective action.

• Diversity Digest: Spring 2020 Edition

  April 9, 2020

  A quarterly newsletter that highlights AACN's diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives along with efforts from AACN member schools promoting D&I in the academic nursing community.

• AACN Seeks Faculty for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Group

  March 26, 2020

  AACN is currently seeking faculty members to serve as a convening body to unite expertise, experience, and guidance for academic nursing in Leading Across Differences.

• Latest Data on Race and Ethnicity
• Leading Across Differences

  April 4, 2019

  On April 4, the Journal of Nursing Education posted a new guest editorial by Dr. Vernell DeWitty, AACN’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, titled “Leading Across Differences.” With the goal of enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the nursing student population and the healthcare workforce, Dr. DeWitty points to the power of academic-practice partnerships to help achieve this shared goal. In the editorial, she describes how “collaborative opportunities exist at the intersection of nursing education and nursing practice, where advancing diversity in the workforce becomes a reality.”

• New Careers in Nursing Nationwide 2007-2017 Database Now Available

  July 25, 2018

  The New Careers in Nursing Nationwide, 2007-2017 database was designed to evaluate the New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) program. NCIN aimed to provide a streamlined pathway for those individuals who held a bachelor degree but no healthcare experience, to diversify the nursing workforce by identifying underrepresented minorities who were interested in the nursing profession, and to provide individuals with leadership and mentoring opportunities and allow them to cultivate skills as future nursing educators.

• AACN Diversity & Inclusion Member Needs Survey

  April 4, 2018

  The AACN Diversity and Inclusion Committee request AACN Member School Deans/Directors/Chairs participation in the first Diversity & Inclusion Member Needs Survey. We aim to understand diversity and inclusion awareness, programming and initiatives for students, staff and faculty at your nursing school and institution.

• Drs. Bankston and Glazer to Receive Nurse.com OnCourse Learning Diversity Award

  March 21, 2018

  AACN and Nurse.com by OnCourse Learning joined forces to create this award that recognizes outstanding contributions made by an individual or a group that champion diversity, inclusion, and sustainability in nursing education. 

• New Bid to Overhaul College Admissions - Inside Higher Education

  January 22, 2018

  Editor Scott Jaschik profiles how a number of high school districts and a few states have moved to require high school students to complete more sophisticated projects to assess their eligibility for a high school diploma, and their preparation for college and the world of work. This new approach provides new ways for college admissions officers to determine student achievement and is used in some institutions to enhance efforts to admit and retain a more diverse group of students.

• AACN Partners with 24 Nursing Schools to Advance Holistic Admission Review

  August 30, 2017

  AACN developed a structured NWD Technical Assistance Program that features an assessment of admissions practices, an on-site Holistic Admissions Review workshop, student recruitment and retention strategies, and models for building a successful mentoring program. A total of 24 out of 30 NWD grant recipients are working with AACN to complete the required training.

• Membership Approves Position Statement on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in Academic Nursing

  March 20, 2017

  During the business meeting of AACN’s Spring Annual Meeting (held March 20, 2017 in Washington, DC), an overwhelming majority of members in attendance voted to adopt the Position Statement on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity in Academic Nursing.

Strategic Diversity Leadership & Culturally Relevant Decision-Making During COVID-19

COVID-19 Implications for Admissions and the Stability of Holistic Admissions Practices

Holistic Admission Review Training

This workshop training  is designed to help universities consider a broad range of factors reflecting the applicant’s academic readiness, contribution to the incoming class, and potential for success both in school and later as a professional.  For more information contact Vernell DeWitty at [email protected].

Holistic Admission Review Tool Kit

See the latest resource for holistic review, an effective admissions strategy that assesses an applicant’s unique experiences alongside traditional measures of academic achievement.