Springfield, IL  (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – In an effort to retain well-qualified nursing faculty at institutions that award degrees that lead to a registered nurse licensure, the Illinois Board of Education has awarded 76 nurse educator fellowships totaling $760,000 in the state for fiscal year 2024. IBHE says that by retaining qualified nursing faculty, it will ensure nursing students are prepared to enter the workforce and fill a shortage in a critical area of the healthcare workforce.
Among the local recipients are Joi Kazenski and Casey Hoenes at Lincoln Land Community College and Bettianne Casper and Cheryl Pope at St. John’s College of Nursing. The number of grants awarded nearly doubled from the previous fiscal year due to an increase in funds in Governor JB Pritzker’s fiscal year 2024 budget supported by the General Assembly.
“We are glad Governor JB Pritzker and the General Assembly continue to support the nurse educator fellowships through funding as they are an important strategy in the state’s higher education strategic plan to achieve a thriving Illinois,” said IBHE Executive Director Ginger Ostro. “The nurse educator fellows are crucial in helping meet the healthcare workforce needs in our state, and we are committed to continuing working with the institutions to close equity gaps.”
Each fellowship is $10,000, and the funds are salary supplements that may be used for expenses related to professional development and continuing education to enhance the fellow’s practice as a nurse educator, as well as the fellow’s nursing program. This year, the fellows will use the funding for nursing simulation training and instructional development; diversity, equity and inclusion training; development of new curriculum, teaching methods, and research; earning professional certifications and advanced degrees; and attending professional conferences for nurse educators.
Below is the complete list of nurse educator fellowship recipients.
               Fellow Institution    
Carolyn Mistal Ambria College of Nursing
Susan Cimino Ambria College of Nursing
Jamie Tabrizi Aurora University
Christina Cicero Aurora University
Thomas Kunstbeck Aurora University
Joan Batres Chamberlain University
Michelle Sadko Chamberlain University
Lissette Mondragon Chamberlain University
Colleen Milburn College of Lake County
Ravinal Roque College of Lake County
Stephanie Byrd DePaul University
Kashica Webber-Ritchey DePaul University
Jonathan Uebelhor Dominican University
Lindsay Roberts Eastern Illinois University
Nicole Zeller Eastern Illinois University
Lisa Hodson Elgin Community College
Jennifer Caringella Elmhurst University
Jessica Lamberson Elmhurst University
Sara Hollenstain Heartland Community College
Crystal Reynolds Heartland Community College
Susana Calderon Illinois State University
Kelly Rosecrans Illinois State University
Cherrill Stockmann Illinois State University
Cathy Lenkaitis Illinois Valley Community College
Stephanie Moore Illinois Wesleyan
Shelby Guthrie Kaskaskia College
Katy Knolhof Kaskaskia College
Tarah Haskenherm Lake Land College
Katelyn Bloemer Lake Land College
Jennifer Bosworth Lewis University
Cynthia Hinojosa Lewis University
Jeanine Haberman Lewis University
Joi Kazenski Lincoln Land Community College
Casey Hoenes Lincoln Land Community College
Eric Zack Loyola University
Tracey Hosack-Bartnick Loyola University
Demetris Hogan Loyola University
Ines Guillen Malcolm X College
Dawn Wilson Malcolm X College
Theresa Schwindenhammer Methodist College
Taylor Rogy Methodist College
Audra Trump Millikin University
Angela Lafrenz Millikin University
Kelly Slade Millikin University
Jacinda Ross Moraine Valley Community College
Kelli Nickols Moraine Valley Community College
Alicia Cardona Morton College
Julianne Herrmann Morton College
Kristina King North Park University
Janna Woodard Northern Illinois University
Anitha Saravanan Northern Illinois University
Alyse Flury Northern Illinois University
Teresa Kirwan Oakton College
Danielle Coleman Prairie State College
Karen Black-Vetter Rockford University
Caryn Ruzic Rockford University
Tristan Banks Rush University College of Nursing
Nancy Bailey Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing
Bettianne Casper Saint John’s College of Nursing
Cheryl Pope Saint John’s College of Nursing
Courtenay Vihtelic Saint Xavier University
Erica Blumenstock Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Debra Penrod Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Amy Kief Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Devon Bennett Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Amy Reed Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Karla Arnotti Southwestern Illinois College
Misty Dickey Southwestern Illinois College
Tina Decker Trinity Christian College
Pamela Smith University of Illinois Chicago
Dawn Sarginson University of Illinois Chicago
Amy Johnson University of Illinois Chicago
Tracy Limbrunner Waubonsee Community College
Sharon Erickson Waubonsee Community College
Kaila Fox Western Illinois University
Ashley Frederick Western Illinois University