UC named among nation's best schools for male nursing students

The University of Cincinnati College of Nursing has received the American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN) 2021 Best Schools for Men in Nursing Award. A second-time award recipient, UC’s College of Nursing is one of only nine nationwide honored for efforts to recruit and retain men in nursing.

This latest accolade comes on the heels of the college's recent national recognition as a seven-time recipient of the prestigious INSIGHT Into Diversity Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity award for its extensive recruitment and retention efforts of students, faculty and staff, as well as continued leadership support for diversity and inclusion.

Inclusive excellence drives UC's strategic plan, Next Lives Here, bridging each platform and pathway to the others.

"Your history, consistency, quality and commitment to creating an inclusive environment for men who are becoming professional nurses is noteworthy," stated the award letter, signed by AAMN Recognition Review Committee Chair Bonnie Schmidt, PhD, RN, CNE. "You should be very proud of your work and the work of your leadership team."

According to the AAMN, the purpose of the award is to recognize a nursing school or college that has provided significant efforts in recruiting and retaining men in nursing, in providing men a supportive educational environment and in educating faculty, students and the community about the contributions men have made and do make to the nursing profession.

Reviewers of the award application by the UC College of Nursing concluded that UC met or exceeded all areas of the evaluation, including recruitment activities, climate assessment, chapter activities, strategic planning and percent of male students admitted over the past three years.

"What makes our recent diversity and inclusion recognitions even more meaningful is knowing that, together, we are have been fostering an environment where differences are recognized and appreciated, so we all can thrive," says Denise Gormley, PhD, interim dean of UC College of Nursing.

In the College of Nursing undergraduate program, the 2020 undergraduate students' six-year graduation rate for males is slightly higher than for females (76% vs. 75%), while the graduate students’ six-year graduation rate for males is 82% vs. 75% for females.

UC College of Nursing will be formally recognized in the 46th Annual AAMN Conference awards presentation on Oct. 21. The college will be represented by Samuel Jones, the current president of the college's AAMN chapter, and Rebecca Smith, the chapter's former president and and recipient of the organization's 2021 Outstanding Student Award.