Diversity

There is no one who, at some point in their lives, has not required the care of a nurse. With such a staggering breadth of diversity in the patient base we serve, it’s critical that the next generation of nurses not only reflect that diversity, but is sensitive to and skillful in serving whomever may walk through their doors.

Our commitment

The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

A supportive environment

You’ll find that everyone—from the Dean to the faculty to our students—support and advance our efforts to diversify our School and field.

Our Office of Equity and Inclusion is focused on bringing culturally sensitive knowledge into the classroom, while providing resources to foster the success of all students.

Get involved

We bring students, faculty, and staff together on our Diversity and Inclusivity Advisory Committee to share perspectives and provide leadership in steering School policy, curriculum, and support for diversity initiatives.

By paying careful attention to diversity in nursing science and education, our goal is to instill in our students the capacity to provide the highest level of care to all people.

Cultural Resource Centers

Diversity at Penn

Student Organizations

Get to know Penn Nursing’s diverse student community by joining one of our student organizations devoted to members of underrepresented groups.

Penn Nursing Student Organizations

<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Azucena Villalobos</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “I chose Penn Nursing due to the value this institution places on community engagement and social justice. It has challenged me to think critically and outside the box, and I’ve had the pleasure of learning not only from my instructors, but also from my cohort—everyone brings a multitude of experiences, ideas, and backgrounds.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Michael Stawnychy</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image9620 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/838,160,2809,2133/9620_Michael_Stawnychy_web_2.rev.1564159362.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/838,160,2809,2133/9620_Michael_Stawnychy_web_2.rev.1564159362.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/838,160,2809,2133/9620_Michael_Stawnychy_web_2.rev.1564159362.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/838,160,2809,2133/9620_Michael_Stawnychy_web_2.rev.1564159362.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/838,160,2809,2133/9620_Michael_Stawnychy_web_2.rev.1564159362.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/838,160,2809,2133/9620_Michael_Stawnychy_web_2.rev.1564159362.jpg 3x"/> <img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/838,160,2809,2133/9620_Michael_Stawnychy_web_2.rev.1564159362.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/838,160,2809,2133/9620_Michael_Stawnychy_web_2.rev.1564159362.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/838,160,2809,2133/9620_Michael_Stawnychy_web_2.rev.1564159362.jpg 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2133" loading="lazy"/> </picture> I was working in documentary film production and serving as an elected rep for a Los Angeles Neighborhood Council when I realized that at the end of a long day, these jobs didn’t always leave me with the feeling that I made a specific difference in someone’s life. During my first undergraduate degree, I worked as an Emergency Medical Technician and recalled how fulfilling that was so I began to research possibilities in healthcare and had an ‘aha’ moment when I landed on nursing! Where else could I have the flexibility to wear many hats (that I got to choose), have the satisfaction of working directly to improve people’s lives, and get paid to do it? Since changing careers, I’ve saved lives and comforted families, worked with people struggling with chronic health conditions, mental health challenges, and addictions, and am now pursuing my PhD at Penn Nursing.<br/> The University of Pennsylvania is a research powerhouse and my experience with faculty here has been overwhelmingly positive. The education is challenging but you are scaffolded along the way and encouraged to explore your interests. My mentors and professors have been accessible without being overbearing. They realize that we all have lives and responsibilities and treat students with respect. At Penn Nursing, I have had experiences that I could not replicate anywhere else. My advice for incoming students is to pursue every interesting opportunity at both Penn Nursing and the wider Penn campus because you never know where it may lead.</p><p> –Michael Stawnychy, MSN, CRNP</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Heather Bong, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “Throughout both my undergraduate and graduate careers at Penn, I cannot emphasize enough how invested the professors have been in my success. I wouldn’t trade my Penn experience for the world.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Elise C. Tarbi, PhD, MBE, CRNP, Nu’12 GNu’15, GR’20</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “The program - both the professors who taught my courses and classmates who I had the opportunity to learn alongside - inspired me to work to transform our system of care to prioritize the highest quality care during serious illness.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Morgan Bacon, Philadelphia, PA</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> I enjoy how Penn fosters a new generation of change-makers by offering research opportunities to students as early as their first semester of college and continues to support students in opportunities like the President’s Engagement Prize.</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Kimberly Abbey</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> Penn Nursing is an institution that provides access to an abundance of resources, has faculty that are all currently in practice, and is driven by evidence-based research, and I’m confident that it has prepared me well for the real world.</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Christina Yee</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> Why did I choose Penn Nursing’s Accelerated program? I was immediately enticed by the School’s state of the art <a href="/academics/a-penn-nursing-education/learning-through-simulation/">simulation facilities</a>, the opportunities for a <a href="/global-health/student-opportunities/">global experience</a>, and the draw for an intellectually engaging educational experience. I also wanted to be part of a school that believed in fostering interdisciplinary partnerships, as I appreciate the diversity of perspectives other disciplines would add to my nursing experience</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Tommy Seaman</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “With an exceptional faculty at the forefront of innovation, Penn Nursing is preparing me to work and live in an ever-changing health care system and society.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Danielle Hounshell</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image9549 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,217,2133,2348/9549_Penn_Nursing_ad-65.rev.1561406069.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,217,2133,2348/9549_Penn_Nursing_ad-65.rev.1561406069.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,217,2133,2348/9549_Penn_Nursing_ad-65.rev.1561406069.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,217,2133,2348/9549_Penn_Nursing_ad-65.rev.1561406069.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,217,2133,2348/9549_Penn_Nursing_ad-65.rev.1561406069.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,217,2133,2348/9549_Penn_Nursing_ad-65.rev.1561406069.jpg 3x"/> <img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,217,2133,2348/9549_Penn_Nursing_ad-65.rev.1561406069.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,217,2133,2348/9549_Penn_Nursing_ad-65.rev.1561406069.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,217,2133,2348/9549_Penn_Nursing_ad-65.rev.1561406069.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2133" data-max-h="3200" loading="lazy"/> </picture> Being a student in the Accelerated program has provided me with so many opportunities! I’m the leader of the Baby Transitions initiative under the <a href="/community-champions/">Community Champions</a> program, and had an opportunity to teach a Baby Basics class focusing on discharge and safe transitions home. While in the Accelerated program, I’ve also been able to provide breastfeeding education, and facilitate parent time, with a focus on developmental milestones for babies of parents in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. I’ve shadowed Certified Nurse Midwives who are current faculty members and alumni of the program. I was also a research assistant in the <a href="/chopr/">Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research</a> at Penn Nursing, assisting with various research projects on inequalities in healthcare. Lastly, I began working as a Women’s Health Clinical Research Assistant within the <a href="https://www.pennmedicine.org/departments-and-centers/obstetrics-and-gynecology/divisions/reproductive-endocrinology-and-infertility" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Penn Medicine</a>. </p><p> –Danielle Hounshell</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Patricia Bajaj, MSN, RN, ACNP-BC, CCRN</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “I am proud to be a doctoral student at Penn, where the education is rigorous, yet manageable with all my other responsibilities.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Josiah Borden, DNP, CRNA, GRN’21</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “The people I leaned on, learned from, and grew beside in the DNP in Nurse Anesthesia program at Penn Nursing no only helped me get through the challenges of grad school, but continued to be a part of my life as we have grown in our careers.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Abigail Shiroff</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> With access to such a large hospital system as well as so many experts at our fingertips, plus the various clinical experiences and skills that we get to apply to diverse clinical populations, there really is no end to what you can learn.</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Karen Celestine</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image9619 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/384,0,2515,2133/9619_Karen_Celestine_web_2.rev.1564159341.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/384,0,2515,2133/9619_Karen_Celestine_web_2.rev.1564159341.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/384,0,2515,2133/9619_Karen_Celestine_web_2.rev.1564159341.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/384,0,2515,2133/9619_Karen_Celestine_web_2.rev.1564159341.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/384,0,2515,2133/9619_Karen_Celestine_web_2.rev.1564159341.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/384,0,2515,2133/9619_Karen_Celestine_web_2.rev.1564159341.jpg 3x"/> <img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/384,0,2515,2133/9619_Karen_Celestine_web_2.rev.1564159341.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/384,0,2515,2133/9619_Karen_Celestine_web_2.rev.1564159341.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/384,0,2515,2133/9619_Karen_Celestine_web_2.rev.1564159341.jpg 3x" data-max-w="3200" data-max-h="2133" loading="lazy"/> </picture> Initially attending Penn Nursing as one of the first accelerated BSN students in 2003, I returned in 2018 for a PhD in Nursing. Since leaving the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing in 2005, I have worked in various nursing roles—bedside med-surg nursing, travel nursing in the Philadelphia & Delaware region, administrative nursing during the burgeoning field of nursing clinical care coordination and transition of care movement, nursing leadership in adult/senior living environments, and managed care nursing within the insurance industry—all while assimilating into Philadelphia life as a community resident and deepening my call to civic duty and engagement as a nurse volunteer in my local neighborhood.<br/> It all came together at Penn Nursing when I met faculty, fellow students, and colleagues who exposed me to a rich depth of scholarly inquiry, commitment to being a world changer, and improving life for the most vulnerable in our society. As a PhD student, I now conduct research focused on improving the lives of men in society, and improving the academic preparation of future nurse leaders. Since joining the program, I have found clarified purpose, developed lifelong scholarly friendships with peers and mentors, and set my expectations beyond what I ever thought possible. Penn Nursing has provided financial support and unique opportunities that allow me to have a balanced academic-personal life. That’s why I’m thrilled to be at Penn Nursing…again!</p><p> –Karen Celestine, RN, CCN, BSN, MPH</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">James Ballinghoff, DNP, MBA, RN</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “Since this program is designed for working professionals, I could balance my studies with the demands of my Chief Nursing Officer position.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Heather Bong</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image9617 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,454,2133,2585/9617_Heather_web.rev.1564156108.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,454,2133,2585/9617_Heather_web.rev.1564156108.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,454,2133,2585/9617_Heather_web.rev.1564156108.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,454,2133,2585/9617_Heather_web.rev.1564156108.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,454,2133,2585/9617_Heather_web.rev.1564156108.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,454,2133,2585/9617_Heather_web.rev.1564156108.jpg 3x"/> <img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,454,2133,2585/9617_Heather_web.rev.1564156108.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,454,2133,2585/9617_Heather_web.rev.1564156108.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,454,2133,2585/9617_Heather_web.rev.1564156108.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2133" data-max-h="2131" loading="lazy"/> </picture> I graduated from Penn’s undergraduate nursing program and then completed both the Pediatric Acute-Chronic NP Master’s and Nursing and Healthcare Administration Programs. Throughout both my undergraduate and graduate careers at Penn, I cannot emphasize enough how invested the professors have been in my success. Not to mention the numerous elective classes and opportunities to take classes outside the School of Nursing; in fact, this is how I became interested in the Healthcare Administration Program. Penn makes each and every opportunity available to you. It is a beautiful campus full of motivated people who are all uniquely talented. Penn and nursing go hand-in-hand: both are challenging, rewarding, and allow you to become a life-long learner. I wouldn’t trade my Penn experience for the world. Go Quakers!</p><p> –Heather Bong, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC<br/> Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Chronic Care Concentration;<br/> Nursing and Healthcare Administration</p></div>

Claire M. Fagin, PhD, FAAN, RN Professor of Nursing and Dean Emerita

Claire M. Fagin, PhD, RN, FAAN, Former Dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Passes Away at Age 97

She served as dean of Penn Nursing for 15 years from 1977 to 1992, during which time she transformed the school into a world-renowned education, research, and clinical development enterprise, established landmark education programs and increased the number of standing faculty seven-fold. In addition to her deanship, Fagin served as the interim president of the University of Pennsylvania from July 1, 1993, to June 30, 1994.

Welcome Back Spring 2024: A Message from Dean Villarruel

Welcome to Spring semester! I hope you had a restful winter break and peaceful holiday celebrations. The Fall Semester brought unprecedented fear, pain, and change, and the break couldn’t have come soon enough! I love the new year—it brings opportunities for new beginnings, and I believe that we—as a University—will emerge even better and stronger! It will take all of us working together to make that happen. I hope you’re ready to start anew, recharged and refreshed.