Lakeview Faculty Member Recognized as 2019 Nurse Educator Fellow

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Ariel Wright, MSN, RN, CNE

DANVILLE , IL (07/09/2019) (readMedia)-- Ariel Wright of Danville, IL, has been recognized as a 2019 Nurse Educator Fellow by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) and the Illinois Nursing Workforce Center (INWC). She has received a $10,000 grant along with the honor.

Wright is one of 19 state-wide recipients of this award that helps to promote excellence in nursing education. She is using the grant to help fund tuition for a Doctor of Nursing Practice Program (DNP) for which she is currently enrolled.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Secretary Deborah Hagan said, "This group of 19 outstanding professionals are educating and training the nurses of tomorrow. Nursing is a critical profession and it is heartening to see the dedication and ambition that educators exemplify."

According to the IBHE website, this grant program is tied to the Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career Success, to increase the number of high-quality postsecondary credentials to meet the demands of the economy. Nursing has been a long-term, high-demand field that requires the retention of well-qualified faculty to train additional nursing students. This fellowship helps institutions recognize their well-qualified nurse educators so that Illinois can continue to address the long-term demand for well-trained nurses.

"We are grateful to state lawmakers, who funded this program in recognition of the many benefits it provides to the educators, their colleges and universities, and their students," said Nyle Robinson, interim executive director of IBHE.

Wright, a 2009 graduate of Lakeview College of Nursing, holds a master's degree in nursing (MSN), a master's degree in higher education (MS), and a certification as a nurse educator (CNE). She is currently an assistant professor at Lakeview College of Nursing and has taught at Lakeview since 2013.