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">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">Megan Andre</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image14446 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 3x"/> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 3x"/> <source type="image/png" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 3x"/> <img width="200" height="200" alt="Megan Andre" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/68,0,674,606/14446_megan-andre.rev.1692373379.png 3x" data-max-w="606" data-max-h="606" loading="lazy"/> </picture> <em>“With a background in critical care, I was curious and motivated to learn as much as possible about palliative care. Penn Nursing’s Palliative Care Program allowed me to broaden my understanding of what it means to give quality palliative care. The two required courses gave me a strong foundation and the professors’ knowledge and experience cultivated my desire to practice and incorporate palliative care into my current advanced nursing practice.”</em></p><p><strong>–Megan Andre, 2022-2023</strong></p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Julie Truong</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> Through challenging <a href="https://penn-nursing-staging.livewhale.net/academics/a-penn-nursing-education/learning-through-simulation/">simulations</a>, comprehensive lectures by experts in the topic, and <a href="https://penn-nursing-staging.livewhale.net/practice/practice-partners/">top clinical placements</a>, Penn Nursing provides tools for the student nurse to think critically and work cohesively in a team-based, patient-centered approach that translates to quality nursing care.</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Azucena Villalobos</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “As a daughter of Mexican immigrants, I was exposed firsthand to the social factors–such as language barriers and lack of education, insurance, and access to care–that disproportionately affect the health and wellbeing of underprivileged communities. As a nurse, I will work to close these gaps.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Briana Morgan</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image13417 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/528,0,1892,1365/13417_Morgan_Briana-_Photo.rev.1666105647.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/528,0,1892,1365/13417_Morgan_Briana-_Photo.rev.1666105647.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/528,0,1892,1365/13417_Morgan_Briana-_Photo.rev.1666105647.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/528,0,1892,1365/13417_Morgan_Briana-_Photo.rev.1666105647.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/528,0,1892,1365/13417_Morgan_Briana-_Photo.rev.1666105647.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/528,0,1892,1365/13417_Morgan_Briana-_Photo.rev.1666105647.jpg 3x"/> <img width="200" height="200" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/528,0,1892,1365/13417_Morgan_Briana-_Photo.rev.1666105647.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/528,0,1892,1365/13417_Morgan_Briana-_Photo.rev.1666105647.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/528,0,1892,1365/13417_Morgan_Briana-_Photo.rev.1666105647.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1364" data-max-h="1365" loading="lazy"/> </picture> <em>“The palliative care program at Penn Nursing provided me with substantial preparation for my role as a Nurse Practitioner and my career in general. The faculty and guest lecturers are world-renowned and deeply engaged in palliative care practice and research. You are truly learning from the best in the field who are at the forefront of palliative care innovation. Because of the high-quality content in the program, I had a strong grasp of the key issues and topics in palliative care that were relevant to nursing practice and the field broadly. These skills were immediately relevant in my clinical practice and also prepared me to get involved in professional organizations and support practice change initiatives on a local and national level. Ultimately, I chose to pursue a PhD in Nursing and am now a researcher and clinician focusing on palliative care and geriatrics in persons living with dementia. I know the skills I learned and connections I made through the Penn Nursing Palliative Care Program were instrumental in achieving this goal. I would strongly recommend the program to anyone with an interest in palliative care. Who knows where it will take you!”</em></p><p><strong>–Briana Morgan, MSN, CRNP</strong><br/><a href="https://www.advancingexpertcare.org/emerging-leaders-award/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recognized as Emerging Leaders in Palliative Care by the HPNF, 2022</a></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">Karen Celestine, RN, CCN, BSN, MPH</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “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.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Deena Kelly Costa, PhD, RN, FAAN</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “The opportunity to train with leaders in this field has opened doors for me and has demonstrated to me how impactful a nursing research agenda can be to improving patient care and outcomes.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Briana Morgan, MSN, CRN</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “Because of the high-quality content in the program, I had a strong grasp of the key issues and topics in palliative care that were relevant to nursing practice and the field broadly. These skills were immediately relevant in my clinical practice and also prepared me to get involved in professional organizations and support practice change initiatives on a local and national level.”</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">David Norris</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “The school offers state-of-the-art simulation experiences, intimate clinical rotations, and global opportunities. As students here, we refine our skills and think innovatively before we even get our first job as a nurse…and if we want to transition into the advanced practice programs, the process is really easy.”</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">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. It has been an incredible journey!</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">David Norris</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image9602 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,105,560,665/9602_David_Norris.rev.1564000194.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,105,560,665/9602_David_Norris.rev.1564000194.webp 2x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,105,560,665/9602_David_Norris.rev.1564000194.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,105,560,665/9602_David_Norris.rev.1564000194.jpg 2x"/> <img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,105,560,665/9602_David_Norris.rev.1564000194.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,105,560,665/9602_David_Norris.rev.1564000194.jpg 2x" data-max-w="560" data-max-h="840" loading="lazy"/> </picture> Penn Nursing offers Returned Peace Corps Volunteers an opportunity to apply for the Coverdell Fellowship, which has allowed me to share and reflect upon my experiences from my host country of Ethiopia. Aside from this, the school offers state-of-the-art simulation experiences, intimate clinical rotations, and global opportunities. As students here, we refine our skills and think innovatively before we even get our first job as a nurse…and if we want to transition into the advanced practice programs, the process is really easy. In my career as a nurse, I hope to incorporate my background in exercise science and global public health into my everyday patient care, ultimately practicing as a CRNA in underserved populations across the US and internationally.</p><p> – David Norris</p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Allison P. Squires, PhD, RN, FAAN</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “CHOPR has given me a solid foundational training in health outcomes research and ongoing opportunities from the network. Both have served me well.”<strong><br/></strong></p></div>
<div class="lw_blurbs_title">Heather Bong, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “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.”</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.