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Peg’s Foundation recently recognized ������ College of Nursing as the recipient of the 2021 Morgan Impact Award for Excellence in Education for its work in leading change in mental health care service delivery. James K. Tudhope, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, NPD-BC, assistant professor and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) concentration coordinator and Lisa Onesko, DNP, APRN-BC, professor and director of DNP program, along with emeriti faculty members Wendy Umberger and Barb Drew, received the award on behalf of the college during the dinner and awards ceremony held at the NEW Center at NEOMED in Rootstown, Ohio. To watch the video presentation, visit .

“The demands on the workforce in Northeast Ohio are exceptionally high, and the challenges facing providers have been highlighted here and across the country. These challenges, particularly for new advanced practice nurses as they transition to practice, have been of interest to me and are the focus of my scholarship and research,” explained Tudhope. “Our PMHNP graduates are on the front lines caring for high-risk, vulnerable, and underserved families who are dealing with mental illness and the stigma that can still at times go with this.”

Through an academic clinical partnership with Portage Path Behavioral Health, the College of Nursing is involved with the Integrated Community Psychiatry Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Program. This post-graduate fellowship program is designed to improve the competencies and confidence of recent graduates from PMHNP academic programs as they transition into practice. To learn more about the fellowship program, visit www.kent.edu/node/936300.

“All of our faculty and staff at ������ College of Nursing are proud of our graduates who are working to improve the lives of our community members by helping them get connected with the support they need,” stated Tudhope. “We are forever grateful for our partnership with Peg’s Foundation. Through our joint efforts, we are bringing about a much-needed change in mental health care service delivery in our Northeast Ohio communities.”