BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — In the last year, three Illinois Wesleyan nursing faculty have received Nurse Educator Fellowship Awards to further their research, improve patient care and expand learning opportunities for students.
Recruitment Coordinator and Professional Laboratory Associate Stephanie Moore received a fellowship in 2024 while Associate Professor of Nursing Amanda Hopkins and Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences Amber Kujath '97 earned fellowships in 2025.
The Nurse Educator Fellowship Program was established by the Illinois Board of Higher Education in 2006 to ensure the retention of well-qualified nursing faculty by supplementing nursing faculty salaries at institutions of higher learning that award degrees in nursing.
Kujath said the state-funded grants provide busy faculty with the time and financial support to travel to conferences and build relationships within their network.
“Illinois is recognizing nursing as a profession that requires extra support. These funds can be used for any project, development or student involvement, for any nurse educator,” said Kujath.
Kujath, who has directed the School of Nursing and Health Sciences since 2023, said she encourages faculty to actively apply for fellowships and grants rather than hand pick one candidate to apply annually, which is common practice at similar schools. She asks her team to consider, “What do you need to push forward?”
When faculty earn grant funding to expand their career knowledge or to deepen their research studies, Kujath said it allows them to set a meaningful example.
“It’s about being a role model for students. When we go the extra mile, they want to go the extra mile. We have to continue to engage if we want to make the world a better place,” said Kujath.
Moore’s research focuses on improving designated education units in hospitals and clinics where nursing students can train in specific areas like prompt care, home care, hospice, primary care, wound care and ambulatory care. IWU partnered with OSF to establish the units. Students receive one-on-one mentorship with the clinic staff, witness the inner workings of what makes a unit tick and get a taste of healthcare management.
"This opportunity provides an innovative way to maximize both my leadership and public health expertise," Moore said.
Kujath earned a fellowship for her work creating a dementia simulation that helps family caregivers develop empathy and strengthen understanding when caring for a loved one with dementia. The project stemmed from a senior research project by Lucas Wenz ‘25. With Kujath’s fellowship funding, she and Wenz were able to partner with and provide the simulation for the broader Bloomington-Normal community.
Hopkins is planning to conduct research into educational strategies that may help improve care for transgender patients. The pilot study will examine the effectiveness of simulation-based educational strategies aimed at improving positive health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
"Nursing is not merely a career—it's a calling that offers unparalleled opportunities to make meaningful differences in people's lives during their most vulnerable moments," Hopkins said. "The profession combines scientific knowledge, technical skills, critical thinking and compassion in a way few other fields do." She added that nursing students should remember the challenges they face "are forging your clinical judgment, resilience and empathy—qualities that will make you an exceptional nurse."