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�鶹ӰԺ College of Nursing recently received a grant totaling $165,000 from Peg’s Foundation, formerly the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation, a private grant-making foundation which supports mental health programs in northeast Ohio. Wendy Umberger, Ph.D., RN, PMHCNS-BC, associate dean for graduate programs and Lisa Onesko, DNP, APRN-BC, director of DNP program and associate professor, received $105,000, payable over three years to continue the Peg’s Foundation traineeship program for graduate students pursuing a master’s degree in nursing as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). This funding will enable the college to offer 10 full-time and 15 part-time traineeships to highly qualified PMHNP students during each academic year. An additional $60,000 was received for two Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) scholar awards. Each recipient will receive $30,000 over the course of two semesters ($15,000 for tuition and $15,000 for stipend) and complete a scholarly project that enhances mental health outcomes, or mental health care policy.

A generous donor to the College of Nursing, Peg’s Foundation has been supporting �鶹ӰԺ State College of Nursing for over twelve years. More than 70 students have benefited from more than $400,000 in financial assistance.  

“Financial support from Peg’s Foundation encourages nurses to return to school for psychiatric mental health. By supporting �鶹ӰԺ College of Nursing students, we are helping to attract, educate, and keep advanced practice nurses in northeast Ohio,” said Peg’s Foundation Director – Mental Health Programs, Thom Craig. “Upon graduation, these students will be providing care and treatment for individuals living with mental illness or addiction, and complex health issues, especially those who reside in underserved communities.” 

Two-time alum Josh Black, PMHNP, APRN, a previous PMHNP student and Peg’s Foundation grant recipient, learned about this opportunity from his professors. While receiving assistance with tuition initially sparked his interest, Black was also drawn to Peg’s Foundation because of their mission to improve the lives of people in northeast Ohio living with mental illness.

“Financial support from Peg’s Foundation allowed me to reduce my work hours and dedicate that time to studying,” said Black. “I also met new individuals in my community and made a difference in their lives.”

As a grant recipient, Black was required to meet a specific number of volunteer hours, 15 hours for full-time students and 8 hours for part-time students, each semester he received funding. Black volunteered with a National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) walk at the University of Akron in Akron, OH; assisted in organizing an ongoing support group for previous patients at Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital Behavioral Health Center in Dover, OH; and he set up a booth and provided mental health screenings, education, and information about resources at a suicide awareness walk in Tuscarawas County.     

“Everyone has anxiety and depression to a degree. I like providing education to people and helping them understand that stress happens to everyone,” said Black. “However, some people may find themselves in situations without the proper support. I want to help those people develop coping skills and identify support groups. Educating just one patient can have a ripple effect on multiple people throughout our community.”

Jim K. Tudhope, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, was the first Peg’s Foundation DNP scholar recipient. He also learned about the funding from the �鶹ӰԺ nursing faculty.

“I had been contemplating when to pursue my DNP degree for some time, however, my biggest obstacle was funding. I did not want to go further into student debt,” said Tudhope. “When I heard about an opportunity to pursue my DNP degree with funding through the grant from Peg’s Foundation, I knew I had to investigate further.”

For his scholarly project, Tudhope created an Integrated Community Psychiatry Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Program (ICPNPFP) designed for recently graduated PMHNPs to help improve competencies, self-confidence, and role socialization over the course of their first year of practice in an outpatient community mental health integrated care center.

“My project had an immediate impact and helped northeast Ohio by increasing access to, and the quality of, evidence-based psychiatric nursing services to community members with serious mental illness in an integrated care-setting,” said Tudhope. “Additionally, it improved PMHNP retention and decreased vacancies and expanded PMHNP competencies and confidence through a structured program and nationally recognized accreditation process.”

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With the assistance of �鶹ӰԺ State Foundation Relations, the college recently produced a map showcasing the communities its graduates are working in and the continuous impact Peg’s Foundation traineeships are making in northeast Ohio. Many previous recipients were clustered around Cuyahoga, Geauga, Summit, Stark, Portage, Columbiana, and Mahoning counties.   

“When students are supported by Peg’s Foundation, they develop a strong connection to their communities so it’s not surprising to see many have chosen to continue their careers here in northeast Ohio,” said Umberger. “It has been a great help to the college as well. After a year of practice as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, we have asked many of our alums to step into leadership roles as mentors and preceptors for our current PMHNP students.”  

Reflecting on their time as Peg’s Foundation recipients, both Black and Tudhope were in agreement, more students would benefit from this traineeship program.

“Other students should apply for Peg’s Foundation funding because it is good to get out into the community. As students we have a tendency to focus solely on our schoolwork and our job as nurses, but it was great to have new experiences with community members,” said Black. “My volunteer work made me more aware of individuals in my community who need assistance, especially those who may not have the means to been seen in a healthcare facility.”

“The DNP program at �鶹ӰԺ was wonderful; it was by far the most enjoyable educational experience I have ever had,” said Tudhope. “The opportunity for a student to partner with Peg’s foundation, improve the lives of northeast Ohioans living with mental illness, and further their professional growth and development should not be missed.”

 

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PHOTO CUTLINE: Wendy Umberger, Ph.D., RN, PMHCNS-BC, associate dean for graduate programs and Lisa Onesko, DNP, APRN-BC, director of DNP program and associate professor (not pictured), received a $105,000 grant from Peg’s Foundation. Jim K. Tudhope, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, was the first �鶹ӰԺ State Peg’s Foundation Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) scholar recipient.  

�鶹ӰԺ �鶹ӰԺ’s College of Nursing

In existence for more than 50 years, the College of Nursing at �鶹ӰԺ is one of the largest and most comprehensive nursing programs in the nation with more than 13,500 alumni worldwide. As part of �鶹ӰԺ State’s eight-campus system, the college provides more than 2,000 nursing students courses of study at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels. To learn more about nursing programs at �鶹ӰԺ State, please visit www.kent.edu/nursing.