
Inaugural fellowship program recognizes nursing innovators
Dr. Dawn M. Aycock of the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions at Georgia State University is one of 11 nurse scientists accepted to the inaugural cohort of the Betty Irene Moore Fellowships for Nurse Leaders and Innovators. This new fellowship program, funded by a five-year, $37.5 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, recognizes early- to mid-career nursing scholars and innovators with a high potential to accelerate leadership in nursing research, practice, education, policy and entrepreneurship.
“Dr. Aycock is a great fit as an inaugural Betty Irene Moore Fellow for nurse leaders and innovators. We are so proud of her at Georgia State University. She is a well-respected educator, researcher, and leader in the School of Nursing. This fellowship will facilitate her growth as a leader while she advances the nursing science of primary stroke prevention for young African Americans.” Regena Spratling, Ph.D., RN, APRN, CPNP, FAANP, Associate Dean & Chief Academic Officer for Nursing.
As part of the three-year fellowship program, fellows receive $450,000 to conduct an innovative project or study with the potential to address a gap in knowledge, meet a vital need, alter care delivery or design a new solution to advance health.
Strokes have increased among young adults. Aycock’s prior work in primary stroke prevention among young African American adults demonstrated significant and concerning gender differences that require further exploration. Her project with the fellowship will focus on tailoring her Stroke Counseling for Risk Reduction (SCORRE) intervention for young African American men using a mixed-methods approach to test best strategies to attract, engage and empower them to reduce stroke risk. The project has the potential to impact nursing practice as a feasible, primary care intervention to lower stroke risk in this underserved population.
“We are excited to see what our nurse leader fellows, including Dr. Aycock, accomplish during this fellowship and beyond,” said Dean Stephen J. Cavanagh. “Our goal is to build and develop the next cadre of nurse leaders who can bring about change and innovation by networking and disseminating their knowledge across the nation.”
In addition to the project, the fellowship program features a hybrid online and classroom curriculum designed and taught in partnership with the UC Davis Graduate School of Management to enhance leadership and innovation capacity, strengthen strategic thinking and collaborative skills, expand professional networks, develop entrepreneurial skills, and propel innovative ideas to fruition. A mentor selected by the fellow and an additional mentor provided by the national program office round out the educational experience.
“We’re delighted to provide fellows with a unique learning opportunity to fully understand their roles as leaders and how they can shape and influence health systems to deliver on the promise for better patient experiences and outcomes,” said Heather M. Young, professor, as well as dean emerita of the school, who now serves as national program director for the fellowship. “We expect this next generation of nursing leaders to have a widespread impact not only in their own communities but nationwide.”
The fellowship program is made possible by Betty Irene Moore’s passion to advance nursing with the goal of better outcomes for individuals, families and communities. The foundation seeks to prepare nurses as collaborative leaders with the skills and confidence to inspire others, enact change and challenge the status quo. With the creation of the Betty Irene Moore Fellowships for Nurse Leaders and Innovators, the foundation supports nurse leaders who take ideas to scale that advance high-quality, high-value care and optimal health outcomes.