ST. LOUIS – Jonas Nursing, a leading supporter of doctoral nursing education in the U.S., and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), recently announced that Austin DesJardin and Joy Stark, Ph.D. students at Saint Louis University, have been selected as Jonas Scholars for the program’s 2024-2026 cohort. 

This program aims to improve health care by expanding the pool of Ph.D. and DNP-prepared nurses needed to educate the next generation of nurse leaders. DesJardin and Stark join a select group of 63 of the nation’s most promising doctoral nursing students chosen for their passion for teaching, academic excellence, and research prowess. As Jonas Scholars, they will receive financial support, mentorship, and a curriculum tailored to providing students with the learning experiences they need to successfully transition into a faculty role.

The Jonas Scholars program continues to play a significant role in addressing the nation’s shortage of nursing faculty, a leading barrier to expanding student capacity in schools of nursing. Each Scholar will be paired with a mentor to provide them with guidance and lend their expertise to developing each Scholar as nursing faculty. In addition, each Scholar receives $12,000 in support for tuition and other academic expenses with a school match. Following the completion of the cohort, Scholars are eligible for a possible $6,000 award if they accept a faculty position. Jonas Scholar alumni have gone on to serve as faculty, researchers, and leaders in academic nursing, according to a press release.

“We are proud to sponsor their participation and support their future work for the profession of nursing. I am also grateful for our two faculty members, Dr. Verna Hicks- Ferguson and Dr. Denise Coté Arsenault, who will serve as their mentors while they are in the program,” said Kristine L'Ecuyer, Ph.D., interim dean at the Valentine School of Nursing.

DesJardin studies mental health in nurses working in emergency departments. Stark, an experienced nurse practitioner, research focuses on pregnancy after perinatal loss and the effects it has on anxiety coupled with perinatal and postnatal attachment. They join a diverse group of doctoral nursing students, with over 50% of its 2024-2026 cohort representative of Black, Latino, and other communities of color, ensuring that burgeoning nursing leaders reflect the patient population of their diverse communities. This group of 63 Scholars contain a multitude of research interests focused on some of the country’s most pressing challenges, including underserved populations in nursing, mental health, and veterans’ health.

“I am extremely proud of these Ph.D. students for their selection to this prestigious program. They are both excellent students and will benefit from the national network of scholars they will collaborate with," L’Ecuyer said.

For more information about the Jonas Scholars program, click here.