The Duke University School of Nursing’s PhD Program recently received the 2018 Dean’s Award for Inclusive Excellence in Graduate Education. The PhD program was selected from a highly competitive pool of nominees for its consistent and intentional creation of an environment that demonstrates and is dedicated to exemplary inclusiveness and diversity in graduate education.

On March 28, Duke Graduate School Dean Paula D. McClain presented the PhD program with a $5,000 award at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Debra Brandon, PhD, RN, CNS, FAAN, former director of the PhD program and Marion Broome, PhD, RN, FAAN, Duke University School of Nursing dean and Ruby Wilson Professor of Nursing, vice chancellor for Nursing Affairs at Duke University and associate vice president for Academic Affairs for Nursing at Duke University Health System were in attendance at the award ceremony to receive the award on behalf of the PhD program.

“This award is a great honor for our PhD program and faculty,” said Brandon. “We plan to use the $5,000 honorarium from the award to support our students’ pilot research grant program.”

The Graduate School’s Dean’s Award acknowledges extraordinary achievements by departments and programs that help create an environment of inclusive excellence in graduate education. The PhD program’s commitment to inclusive excellence is measured not only in demographics, but is reflected in the departmental and program climate and curriculum.

“It was my pleasure to help lead our PhD program’s efforts around inclusiveness in doctoral education,” said Brandon. “Our program has made tremendous advances in providing an environment supportive of diverse backgrounds and diversity of thought that is welcoming to all.”

In the School of Nursing’s 2016-2020 strategic plan, the People and Environment pillar focuses on strategies to support a destination for outstanding talent. Some of those strategies include building a respectful and supportive environment that is collaborative and advances working together and fostering an inclusive environment where people from all backgrounds thrive and work together for the common good. Receiving this award reinforces that the school is heading in the right direction toward creating an inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff.