Executive Mentorship Prepares DNP Students for Nursing Leadership

Written by Lynn Schultz-Writsel

Students who enter the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Johns Hopkins are already leaders in their field: The first cohort of students includes a hospital vice president, a chief of nursing, and a senior director of policy for the American Nurses Association. With distinguished resumes and future aspirations of top nursing leadership positions, where can these students turn for mentorship?

The new Executive Mentorship Program, established through an initial gift from Professor Maryann F. Fralic, DrPH, RN, FAAN, offers exceptional DNP students financial support to build a year-long relationship with an executive mentor. Mentors will be chosen from a variety of non-health care disciplines and industries, including the worlds of business, finance, entertainment, media, politics and government, science, and technology.

Each year, three selected students will receive support of up to $5,000 toward expenses such as travel, lodging, conferences, books, and conference calls-costs which normally would prohibit a student from establishing a relationship with a mentor.

And it’s not just the students who will benefit from the experience. According to Fralic, “The mentoring experience offers today’s leaders avenues not only to share expertise, but most importantly to engage and positively influence the professional health care leaders of tomorrow.”

For more information about the submission process and deadlines, visit www.nursing.jhu.edu/dnp.