Two UR Nursing PhD Students Selected as Jonas Scholars

PhD students Erin Vernetti, MS, RN, and Lea Brown, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, have been selected as Jonas Scholars by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and Jonas Nursing, a leading supporter of doctoral nursing education in the U.S. This program aims to improve health care by expanding the pool of PhD and DNP-prepared nurses needed to educate the next generation of nurse leaders.

Brown and Vernetti join a select group of 63 doctoral nursing students chosen for their passion for teaching, academic excellence, and research prowess. Welcoming a diverse group of nursing students with a multitude of research interests, the Jonas Scholars program will offer financial support, mentorship, and a curriculum tailored to providing students with the learning experiences they need to successfully transition into a faculty role.

Lea Brown is a second-year PhD student and Loretta Ford Fellow with research interests in the relationship between nurse competency assessment and patient outcomes, the value of nurses working in professional development, and the use of adaptive learning in the healthcare industry. She brings more than 25 years of experience as a registered nurse in surgical services, human resources, and nursing professional development.

“I am deeply humbled and grateful for this scholarship. It provides financial support during my educational journey, serves as a vote of confidence in the potential of my research interests, and gives me several learning opportunities,” Brown shared. "I have a great deal to learn, and this opportunity beautifully supplements my education at the University of Rochester."

Initially uncertain about whether she wanted to pursue a faculty role after PhD, Brown said her interactions with School of Nursing faculty helped her feel confident in her aspirations. As she saw her professors produce high-quality research while forming meaningful relationships with their PhD students, she envisioned herself following a similar path. 

“What excites me most about teaching is having the opportunity to inspire my future students in the same ways,” she said. “I am interested in teaching graduate students pursuing master's degrees in nursing education and doctoral studies. I hope I can motivate these students to look beyond working in their local communities and inspire them to also be actively involved in research that informs state and national policy.”

Brown shared her gratitude for her advisor, Associate Professor Ying Xue, DNSc, RN; PhD Program Director Marie Flannery, PhD, RN, and UR Nursing’s PhD program faculty.

Erin Vernetti is a PhD student, student diversity officer, and senior level III operating room nurse at F.F. Thompson Hospital. Her doctoral research explores how stigma and community affect healing for survivors of sexual assault. She is also an active member of a member of the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, and Rochester Black Nurses Association.

“Becoming a Jonas Scholar feels like a recognition of why I am here, what I have to offer, and the impact I will make on research, the nursing profession, nursing students and scholars, and women and girls around the world,” Vernetti said, noting the challenges of conducting research through a qualitative, sociological lens. “I am looking forward to the Jonas Scholars program deepening my understanding of what it means to be a leader and educator in the nursing world and owning my strengths, potential, and contributions.”

Vernetti first found a passion for teaching as a preceptor for Strong Memorial Hospital’s cardiac surgery team. She later became a nurse educator for the pediatric operating rooms at Golisano Children’s Hospital when it first opened in 2015, and taught surgical and pediatric nursing courses at the Isabella Graham Hart School of Practical Nursing.

She continues to guide future nurses at the University of Rochester, where she has been involved in the on-campus clinical portion of the obstetric and gynecological nursing course for bachelor's students. She has worked as a teaching assistant alongside School of Nursing faculty members Jenn Truax, MS, RNC-OB, C-EFM; Luis Rosario-McCabe, DNP, RN, CNE, CNL, WHNP-BC, FNAP; and Chris Larsen, MS, RN, CMSRN, PCCN, CNEcl.

“It has been really rewarding to guide students through how to approach patient-interactions prior to going in the room, and to engage in deeper discussions to recognize biases, privileges, and experiences of discrimination that have made them who they are,” she said. “While I know students can be totally overwhelmed, they also absorb so much more than they realize. Watching them as it all comes together, or when they have moments of the proverbial ‘lightbulb going off,’ is priceless."

She thanked Flannery and Dean Lisa Kitko, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN, for their support, as well as faculty researchers Natalie LeBlanc, PhD, MPH, RN, BSN; Danielle Alcena-Stiner, PhD, RN; Susan Groth, PhD, WHNP-BC, FAANP; and Jamie Oliva, PhD, MS, RN, ANP-BC. She also credits Assistant Professor Caitlin Dreisbach, PhD, RN, for reigniting her love for teaching.

"I hope to one day work alongside them all and offer the same support, guidance, and opportunities to future students that have been offered to me," Vernetti said.

Learn more about the Jonas Scholars program. Subscribe to Nursing Newsletter to receive the latest University of Rochester School of Nursing news in your inbox.