SAN FRANCISCO (July 23, 2024) – Jonas Nursing, a leading supporter of doctoral nursing education in the U.S., and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), announced that Sapna Bakshi, a DNP student at the University of San Francisco (USF) School of Nursing and Health Professions, 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 DNP and PhD-prepared nurses needed to educate the next generation of nurse leaders.
Sapna Bakshi 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, Sapna Bakshi 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.
“USF has been committed to social justice since its founding in 1855, creating educational access avenues for underrepresented students for the past 165 years. Today, with over 2,100 different scholarship funds, USF provides a menu of opportunities for students. I am pleased Sapna Bakshi, a DNP student, has been selected as a Jonas Scholar for the 2024-2026 cohort! This prestigious recognition is a testament to Sapna’s exceptional academic achievements and dedication to academic nursing,” shared Eileen K. Fry-Bowers, PhD, JD, RN, CPNP, FAAN, dean of the University of San Francisco School of Nursing and Health Professions.
Sapna joins a diverse group of doctoral nursing students, with more than 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. “I am deeply passionate about teaching and the profound role of educators in shaping students' lives, a realization I came to through my own transformative experiences in nursing school. In my current work with the homeless and mental health populations, I have come to understand that the most significant factors affecting our health often extend beyond biological functions. Social determinants such as income, housing, access to healthcare, race, and educational status frequently have a more profound impact than traditional health metrics. As a faculty member, I am determined to reshape the nursing curriculum to emphasize holistic care approaches that address these broader factors. Over the next five years, my goal is to champion the integration of community-based and holistic care methodologies into our nursing program, ensuring our graduates are well-equipped to make meaningful contributions in diverse and complex environments. It is hard to put into words just how excited I am about this opportunity. This recognition makes me even more enthusiastic about my future career and endeavors in community mental health nursing and future nurse educator.,” shared Sapna.
For more information about the Jonas Scholars program, please visit the Jonas Scholars program website.
About Jonas Nursing
The mission of Jonas Nursing is to enhance the nursing profession by developing nurse leaders who will address the nursing shortage by educating the future nursing workforce and by investing in the health and well-being of our most underserved communities. For more information on Jonas Nursing, visit the Jonas Nursing website.
About the American Association of Colleges of Nursing
AACN is the national voice for academic nursing representing more than 875 schools of nursing nationwide. AACN establishes quality standards for nursing education, influences the nursing profession to improve health care, and promotes public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice. For more information about AACN, visit the AACN website or connect on LinkedIn, Facebook, and/or X.
About the USF School of Nursing and Health Professions
The mission of the USF School of Nursing and Health Professions is to improve the health of all populations through equitable and compassionate service, value-driven research, and innovative education of health professionals, preparing them to use their hearts, minds, and souls to change the health of the world. For more information, visit our SONHP website.
About the University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco is a private, Jesuit Catholic university that reflects the diversity, optimism, and opportunities of the city that surrounds it. USF offers more than 230 undergraduate, graduate, professional, and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, law, education, and nursing and health professions. At USF, each course is an intimate learning community in which top professors encourage students to turn learning into positive action, so the students graduate equipped to do well in the world — and inspired to change it for the better. For more information, visit usfca.edu.
