Jacqueline O'Rourke-Fulford Selected as a 2024-2026 Jonas Scholar

PHILADELPHIA (July 26, 2024) — Today, Jonas Philanthropies, a leading supporter of doctoral nursing education in the U.S., and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), announced that Jacquelyn O'Rourke-Fulford, MSN, RN, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student at Thomas Jefferson University’s College of Nursing, has been selected as a Jonas Scholar for the program’s 2024-2026 cohort. This program aims to improve health care by expanding the pool of PhD and DNP-prepared nurses needed to educate the next generation of nurse leaders. 

O'Rourke-Fulford joins a select group of 63 of the nation’s most promising doctoral nursing students chosen for their passion for teaching, academic excellence and research prowess. As a Jonas Scholar, O'Rourke-Fulford will receive financial support, mentorship and a curriculum tailored to providing students with the learning experiences they need to successfully transition into a faculty role.

“Improving academic and healthcare outcomes are worldwide concerns. We prepare students to lead initiatives for equitable healthcare and make a real difference in the communities they serve,” said Dr. Marie Ann Marino, Dean and Professor, College of Nursing, Thomas Jefferson University. “This generous funding assists our College in developing nurses who are able to lead from day one and shape the future of nursing. We are proud of our new Jonas Scholar, Jacquelyn O'Rourke-Fulford, and look forward to the work she will do to advance simulation-based learning in mental health nursing education.”

Jacquelyn joins an incredibly diverse group of doctoral nursing students, with over 50% of its 2024-2026 cohort representative of Black, Latino and other communities of color, ensuring that burgeoning nursing leaders reflect the patient population of their diverse communities. This group of 63 Scholars contain a multitude of research interests focused on some of the country’s most pressing challenges, including underserved populations in nursing, mental health and veterans’ health.

O'Rourke-Fulford aims to increase the number of mental health simulation experiences for both graduate and undergraduate programs. Clinical sites for mental health are limited, and mental health simulations can fill a growing gap in clinical preparation for all levels of nursing education. By offering a safe and realistic environment to develop core skills and empathy, simulations can significantly improve student outcomes and prepare them to deliver high-quality mental health care. Her research focuses on creation of new simulations for mental health issues across the curriculum under the supervision of Dr. Kathy Gray, Associate Professor, Doctorate of Nursing Practice Program, and Director, Doctorate of Nursing Practice, Executive Leadership Program, College of Nursing, Thomas Jefferson University.

“I am so grateful to the Jonas Nursing Foundation for the opportunity to continue my education. This funding will allow me to impact mental health nursing through simulation,” said O'Rourke-Fulford.