Imagine a summer where learning advanced research methods comes with a heavy dose of compassion and a clear path toward making real change. The Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) has been offering just that.— a transformative experience that combines research, mentorship, and personal growth for junior nursing students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Since 2022, UCI — an R1 institution.— has held the Promoting Compassion & Health Equity: Pathways for Minority Nurse Scientists program. The mission is twofold: to familiarize HBCU students with advanced research methodologies and to encourage them to consider PhD programs in nursing. While UCI does hope to recruit some of them into its own doctoral program, the broader goal is to diversify the pool of candidates nationally.
Spanning eight weeks during the summer, this unique opportunity offers rising seniors from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Winston-Salem State University, and North Carolina Central University a concentrated, immersive learning experience. UCI covers all expenses related to attending, including travel, housing, meals, and a living stipend, enabling participants to focus entirely on research training and personal growth.
During the summer, UCI faculty and prominent nursing leaders provide the mentorship necessary to conduct a small-scale research project that offers crucial firsthand experience, and extend guidance on navigating the challenges of graduate studies and professional advancement.
A hallmark of the initiative is its integration of self-care training. One UCI faculty member, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and expert in resilience building, leads workshops for students that emphasize practical strategies for managing stress, discrimination, and the demands of rigorous academic programs.
At the end of their eight weeks, researchers give a presentation of their findings, but the support doesn’t end when the summer does. Participants return to their home institutions for their senior year and receive mentorship, regular virtual seminars, and guidance applying to graduate programs from the UCI team. Guest speakers from a wide range of backgrounds share their personal and professional journeys, inspiring participants to envision their own paths in nursing leadership.
Spearheading the effort is E. Alison Holman, PhD, professor of psychological science, with additional leadership and support from Adey Nyamathi, PhD, Distinguished Professor and founding dean of the nursing school, and professors Jung-Ah Lee, PhD; Dawn Bounds, PhD; and Shelley Burke, DNP.
“The classes I teach here are related to compassionate care [for] underserved populations,” says Holman, “so it’s very meaningful to be able to work with students from those backgrounds and help them see how they can actually do more to help their own community and spread that compassion in the way they do their nursing care.”
The grant supporting the program, which was selected for funding by the University of California-Historically Black Colleges and Universities Initiative and supported by the University of California Office of the President, is structured for a three summer duration. In its first two years, it hosted 13 students with at least three planning to apply to UCI’s PhD program.
As the program continues to evolve, its leaders remain dedicated to fostering opportunities for students to make meaningful contributions to their communities and the field at large.
“Our ability to make people see that you can do research that has real meaning in people’s daily lives,” says Holman, “is the gift that keeps on giving.”
