Diversity

There is no one who, at some point in their lives, has not required the care of a nurse. With such a staggering breadth of diversity in the patient base we serve, it’s critical that the next generation of nurses not only reflect that diversity, but is sensitive to and skillful in serving whomever may walk through their doors.

Our commitment

The University of Pennsylvania values diversity and seeks talented students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

A supportive environment

You’ll find that everyone—from the Dean to the faculty to our students—support and advance our efforts to diversify our School and field.

Our Office of Equity and Inclusion is focused on bringing culturally sensitive knowledge into the classroom, while providing resources to foster the success of all students.

Get involved

We bring students, faculty, and staff together on our Diversity and Inclusivity Advisory Committee to share perspectives and provide leadership in steering School policy, curriculum, and support for diversity initiatives.

By paying careful attention to diversity in nursing science and education, our goal is to instill in our students the capacity to provide the highest level of care to all people.

Cultural Resource Centers

Diversity at Penn

Student Organizations

Get to know Penn Nursing’s diverse student community by joining one of our student organizations devoted to members of underrepresented groups.

Penn Nursing Student Organizations

  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Heather Bong, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “I cannot emphasize enough how invested the professors have been in my success. Not to mention the numerous elective classes and opportunities to take classes outside the School of Nursing; in fact, this is how I became interested in the Healthcare Administration Program. Penn makes each and every opportunity available to you.”</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Tommy Seaman</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “With an exceptional faculty at the forefront of innovation, Penn Nursing is preparing me to work and live in an ever-changing health care system and society.”</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">June Treston</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image9608 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,704,2133,2835/9608_Penn_Nursing_ad-13.rev.1564151308.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,704,2133,2835/9608_Penn_Nursing_ad-13.rev.1564151308.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,704,2133,2835/9608_Penn_Nursing_ad-13.rev.1564151308.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,704,2133,2835/9608_Penn_Nursing_ad-13.rev.1564151308.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,704,2133,2835/9608_Penn_Nursing_ad-13.rev.1564151308.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,704,2133,2835/9608_Penn_Nursing_ad-13.rev.1564151308.jpg 3x"/> <img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,704,2133,2835/9608_Penn_Nursing_ad-13.rev.1564151308.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,704,2133,2835/9608_Penn_Nursing_ad-13.rev.1564151308.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,704,2133,2835/9608_Penn_Nursing_ad-13.rev.1564151308.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2133" data-max-h="2131" loading="lazy"/> </picture> At Penn, the DNP degree is not just a piece of paper.  It represents a wealth of knowledge that will take me to the next level in my career. Coursework is excellent and is taught by top rated professors who are at the forefront of research and innovation in health care.  Faculty are supportive and accessible, with the focus on helping students succeed. Each course has challenged me to think outside the box and has direct applicability to my current role as a clinician, educator, and leader.  If you are interested in learning from the best, to become the best, choose Penn.</p><p> –June Treston, DNP class of 2021</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Jessica Rose</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p class="lwitem32"><picture class="lw_image lw_image9551 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,1068,2133,3200/9551_Penn_Nursing_ad-185.rev.1561406069.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,1068,2133,3200/9551_Penn_Nursing_ad-185.rev.1561406069.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,1068,2133,3200/9551_Penn_Nursing_ad-185.rev.1561406069.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,1068,2133,3200/9551_Penn_Nursing_ad-185.rev.1561406069.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,1068,2133,3200/9551_Penn_Nursing_ad-185.rev.1561406069.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,1068,2133,3200/9551_Penn_Nursing_ad-185.rev.1561406069.jpg 3x"/> <img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,1068,2133,3200/9551_Penn_Nursing_ad-185.rev.1561406069.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,1068,2133,3200/9551_Penn_Nursing_ad-185.rev.1561406069.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,1068,2133,3200/9551_Penn_Nursing_ad-185.rev.1561406069.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2133" data-max-h="3200" loading="lazy"/> </picture> Why did I choose the BSN Second Degree program at Penn Nursing? From an early age, I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to caring for others. When I discovered more about nursing as a profession and career, I felt that I had found my calling. The way nurses are taught to consider the patient in the context of their environment, and to recognize the importance of both physical and emotional well-being, resonated with me more than the medical model of care. My passion for primary care also aligned with the nursing profession, especially with the developing role of the nurse practitioner. My career goals center around helping children grow into their healthiest selves with whatever cards life deals them. Complementing this mindset is my passion for developmental pediatrics and working with children with developmental differences. I hope to continue to advance the role of nurse practitioners in primary care settings and specifically in developmental <a href="/pediatric/pediatric-primary-care-nurse-practitioner/">pediatrics</a>. </p><p class="lwitem32"> –Jessica Rose</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Brianna Garcia-Bissey, MSN, AGNP-C</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “I fell in love with Penn and community nursing as an undergrad, so I applied to sub-matriculate into the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program. I was a recipient of the Advanced Nurses Educating Workforce Scholarship through HRSA, which provided additional education and training in the social determinants of health for future nurse practitioners in primary care. My time at Penn Nursing has given me knowledge, opportunity, and a voice I could have never imagined possible.”</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Christina Yee</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> Why did I choose Penn Nursing’s Accelerated program? I was immediately enticed by the School’s state of the art <a href="/academics/a-penn-nursing-education/learning-through-simulation/">simulation facilities</a>, the opportunities for a <a href="/global-health/student-opportunities/">global experience</a>, and the draw for an intellectually engaging educational experience. I also wanted to be part of a school that believed in fostering interdisciplinary partnerships, as I appreciate the diversity of perspectives other disciplines would add to my nursing experience</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Cyd Villalba</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image9606 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/198,524,1966,2291/9606_Penn_Nursing_ad-129.rev.1564151308.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/198,524,1966,2291/9606_Penn_Nursing_ad-129.rev.1564151308.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/198,524,1966,2291/9606_Penn_Nursing_ad-129.rev.1564151308.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/198,524,1966,2291/9606_Penn_Nursing_ad-129.rev.1564151308.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/198,524,1966,2291/9606_Penn_Nursing_ad-129.rev.1564151308.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/198,524,1966,2291/9606_Penn_Nursing_ad-129.rev.1564151308.jpg 3x"/> <img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/198,524,1966,2291/9606_Penn_Nursing_ad-129.rev.1564151308.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/198,524,1966,2291/9606_Penn_Nursing_ad-129.rev.1564151308.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/198,524,1966,2291/9606_Penn_Nursing_ad-129.rev.1564151308.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2133" data-max-h="3200" loading="lazy"/> </picture> I pursued nursing because of its broad opportunities, as I was always interested in multiple and seemingly unrelated things. My Master’s in Nursing Informatics and my focus in analytics as a DNP candidate exemplifies this intersection of interests and the possibilities within the profession…at Penn, the coursework is intense but stimulating, and there’s both encouragement and expectation that this unique opportunity will be used to benefit others.</p><p> –Cyd Villalba, MS, RN-BC, PMP</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Heather Bong, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “Throughout both my undergraduate and graduate careers at Penn, I cannot emphasize enough how invested the professors have been in my success. I wouldn’t trade my Penn experience for the world.”</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Elise Tarbi</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image10680 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 3x"/> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 3x"/> <img width="200" height="200" alt="Tarbi, Elise" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/200/height/200/crop/1/src_region/806,6,2348,1550/10680_Tarbi_Elise-Photo.rev.1586974545.JPG 3x" data-max-w="1542" data-max-h="1544" loading="lazy"/> </picture> <em>“Completing the Palliative Care Program at Penn Nursing introduced me to the evidence base and a framework for caring for individuals and families navigating serious illness that prepared me to practice as a critical care nurse and then a palliative care nurse practitioner. Further, the program - both the professors who taught my courses and classmates who I had the opportunity to learn alongside - inspired me to work to transform our system of care to prioritize the highest quality care during serious illness.”</em></p><p> –<strong>Elise Tarbi, PhD, MBE, CRNP, Nu’12 GNu’15, GR’20</strong><br/><a href="https://www.advancingexpertcare.org/emerging-leaders-award/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recognized as Emerging Leaders in Palliative Care by the HPNF, 2022</a></p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Elise C. Tarbi, PhD, MBE, CRNP, Nu’12 GNu’15, GR’20</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “The program - both the professors who taught my courses and classmates who I had the opportunity to learn alongside - inspired me to work to transform our system of care to prioritize the highest quality care during serious illness.”</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Abigail Shiroff</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> With access to such a large hospital system as well as so many experts at our fingertips, plus the various clinical experiences and skills that we get to apply to diverse clinical populations, there really is no end to what you can learn.</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Kimberly Abbey</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> Penn Nursing is an institution that provides access to an abundance of resources, has faculty that are all currently in practice, and is driven by evidence-based research, and I’m confident that it has prepared me well for the real world.</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">M. Katherine Hutchinson, PhD, RN, FAAN</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “The training I received at CHOPR was life- and trajectory-altering. It has allowed me to pursue my own research agenda as well as training others to do the same.”<strong><br/></strong></p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Julie Truong</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p><picture class="lw_image lw_image9548 lw_align_left"> <source type="image/webp" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.webp 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.webp 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.webp 3x"/> <source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.jpg 1x, /live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.jpg 3x"/> <img width="250" height="250" alt="" data-decoration="true" src="/live/image/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.jpg" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/27/width/250/height/250/crop/1/src_region/0,640,2133,2771/9548_Penn_Nursing_ad-61.rev.1561405996.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2133" data-max-h="3200" loading="lazy"/> </picture> I first learned about Penn Nursing through a recruiting event at UC Berkeley where I attended undergrad. I talked to Penn Nursing students and alumni in both CA and the Northeast to garner multiple honest perspectives. What persuaded me to attend the University of Pennsylvania was the general consensus that Penn Nursing is a top-tier program, fostering curiosity and innovation. It was necessary for me to attend a second degree BSN to MSN program that would provide more than just a basic foundation to nursing practice. Through challenging <a href="/academics/a-penn-nursing-education/learning-through-simulation/">simulations</a>, comprehensive lectures by experts in the topic, and <a href="/practice/practice-partners/">top clinical placements</a>, Penn Nursing provides tools for the student nurse to think critically and work cohesively in a team-based, patient-centered approach that translates to quality nursing care. Initially, choosing nursing and Penn Nursing was one of the most terrifying decisions I’ve had to make, but also one of the most exhilarating. It has become one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life thus far. </p><p> –Julie Truong</p></div>
  • <div class="lw_blurbs_title">Briana Morgan, MSN, CRN</div><div class="lw_blurbs_body"><p> “Because of the high-quality content in the program, I had a strong grasp of the key issues and topics in palliative care that were relevant to nursing practice and the field broadly. These skills were immediately relevant in my clinical practice and also prepared me to get involved in professional organizations and support practice change initiatives on a local and national level.”</p></div>

New Leadership Appointment for Penn Nursing Professor

Catherine C. McDonald, PhD, RN, FAAN, has been appointed Chair of Penn Nursing’s Department of Family and Community Health effective July 1, 2024. Currently, she is the Vice-Chair of the Department and the Dr. Hildegarde Reynolds Endowed Term Chair of Primary Care Nursing.

Read MoreNew Leadership Appointment for Penn Nursing Professor

Upcoming Events

  •  

    March 19 | 8:00am

    a2 National Symposium: Empowering Innovation in AI/Tech + Aging

  •  

    March 20 | 12:00am

    a2 National Symposium: Empowering Innovation in AI/Tech + Aging

  •  

    March 27 | 7:00pm

    Spring 2024 Graduate Programs Info Session

  •  

    April 3 | 12:30pm - 1:30pm

    Climate, Chemicals and Plastics: The Role of the Health Sector in Planetary Health

  •  

    April 10 | 4:00pm - 5:30pm

    Prescribing Reproductive Rights: Pills and the Politics of Family Planning, 1960 - 2024

Contact

For general inquiries:
diversity@nursing.upenn.edu