SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) has awarded 76 nurse educator fellowships, totaling $760,000, for fiscal year 2024 across the state. The awarded fellowships will help retain well-qualified nursing faculty at institutions of higher education that award degrees that lead to a registered nurse licensure. Retaining qualified nursing faculty will help ensure that nursing students are prepared to enter the workforce and fill a shortage in a critical area of the healthcare workforce. The number of grants awarded nearly doubled from the previous fiscal year due to an increase in funds in Governor JB Pritzker’s fiscal year 2024 budget supported by the General Assembly.

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“We are glad Governor JB Pritzker and the General Assembly continue to support the nurse educator fellowships through funding as they are an important strategy in the state’s higher education strategic plan to achieve a thriving Illinois,” said IBHE Executive Director Ginger Ostro. “The nurse educator fellows are crucial in helping meet the healthcare workforce needs in our state, and we are committed to continuing working with the institutions to close equity gaps.”

Fellowships were awarded to nurse educators with strong commitments to use fellowship funds to enhance their professional practice in their area of specialty and remain in higher education. Each fellowship is $10,000, and the funds are salary supplements that may be used for expenses related to professional development and continuing education to enhance the fellow’s practice as a nurse educator, as well as the fellow's nursing program. This year’s fellows are focusing their fellowship funds on nursing simulation training and instructional development; diversity, equity and inclusion training; development of new curriculum, teaching methods, and research; earning professional certifications and advanced degrees; and attending professional conferences for nurse educators.

Below is the complete list of nurse educator fellowship recipients.

Fellow

Institution

Carolyn

Mistal

Ambria College of Nursing

Susan

Cimino

Ambria College of Nursing

Jamie

Tabrizi

Aurora University

Christina

Cicero

Aurora University

Thomas

Kunstbeck

Aurora University

Joan

Batres

Chamberlain University

Michelle

Sadko

Chamberlain University

Lissette

Mondragon

Chamberlain University

Colleen

Milburn

College of Lake County

Ravinal

Roque

College of Lake County

Stephanie

Byrd

DePaul University

Kashica

Webber-Ritchey

DePaul University

Jonathan

Uebelhor

Dominican University

Lindsay

Roberts

Eastern Illinois University

Nicole

Zeller

Eastern Illinois University

Lisa

Hodson

Elgin Community College

Jennifer

Caringella

Elmhurst University

Jessica

Lamberson

Elmhurst University

Sara

Hollenstain

Heartland Community College

Crystal

Reynolds

Heartland Community College

Susana

Calderon

Illinois State University

Kelly

Rosecrans

Illinois State University

Cherrill

Stockmann

Illinois State University

Cathy

Lenkaitis

Illinois Valley Community College

Stephanie

Moore

Illinois Wesleyan

Shelby

Guthrie

Kaskaskia College

Katy

Knolhof

Kaskaskia College

Tarah

Haskenherm

Lake Land College

Katelyn

Bloemer

Lake Land College

Jennifer

Bosworth

Lewis University

Cynthia

Hinojosa

Lewis University

Jeanine

Haberman

Lewis University

Joi

Kazenski

Lincoln Land Community College

Casey

Hoenes

Lincoln Land Community College

Eric

Zack

Loyola University

Tracey

Hosack-Bartnick

Loyola University

Demetris

Hogan

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Loyola University

Ines

Guillen

Malcolm X College

Dawn

Wilson

Malcolm X College

Theresa

Schwindenhammer

Methodist College

Taylor

Rogy

Methodist College

Audra

Trump

Millikin University

Angela

Lafrenz

Millikin University

Kelly

Slade

Millikin University

Jacinda

Ross

Moraine Valley Community College

Kelli

Nickols

Moraine Valley Community College

Alicia

Cardona

Morton College

Julianne

Herrmann

Morton College

Kristina

King

North Park University

Janna

Woodard

Northern Illinois University

Anitha

Saravanan

Northern Illinois University

Alyse

Flury

Northern Illinois University

Teresa

Kirwan

Oakton College

Danielle

Coleman

Prairie State College

Karen

Black-Vetter

Rockford University

Caryn

Ruzic

Rockford University

Tristan

Banks

Rush University College of Nursing

Nancy

Bailey

Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing

Bettianne

Casper

Saint John's College of Nursing

Cheryl

Pope

Saint John's College of Nursing

Courtenay

Vihtelic

Saint Xavier University

Erica

Blumenstock

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Debra

Penrod

Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Amy

Kief

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Devon

Bennett

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Amy

Reed

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Karla

Arnotti

Southwestern Illinois College

Misty

Dickey

Southwestern Illinois College

Tina

Decker

Trinity Christian College

Pamela

Smith

University of Illinois Chicago

Dawn

Sarginson

University of Illinois Chicago

Amy

Johnson

University of Illinois Chicago

Tracy

Limbrunner

Waubonsee Community College

Sharon

Erickson

Waubonsee Community College

Kaila

Fox

Western Illinois University

Ashley

Frederick

Western Illinois University

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