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J.T. Seaman, an instructor in Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s JoAnne Gay Dishman School of Nursing, has been named a Jonas Nurse Leader Scholar by the Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.  He is one of 12 doctoral students to be named to the 2016-18 cohort of Jonas Nurse Scholars.

“This is strong recognition for not only Mr. Seaman, but also for the Dishman School of Nursing faculty here at Lamar,” said Cynthia Stinson, chair of the nursing school. “We pride ourselves on having some of the finest faculty in the nation.”

The groundbreaking Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholar Program aims to increase the number of U.S. nursing school faculty with doctorates. It supports nursing scholars with financial assistance, leadership development programs and networking support.

“To have 12 scholars named in one year is extremely gratifying and speaks to both the excellence of our students and to the Jonas Center’s commitment to developing exceptional faculty and scholars,” said Linda Norman, DSN, R.N., FAAN, VUSN dean and the Valere Potter Menefee Professor of Nursing. “These students will be the teachers and mentors of the future nurses who are essential to meeting America’s growing healthcare needs.”

Of the 12 students receiving awards, seven are part of the Jonas Nurse Leader program, four are Jonas Veterans Healthcare Scholars and one is a Donald Jonas Legacy Fellow.

Seaman is an instructor in the R.N. to B.S.N. program. He is a Registered Nurse, a board certified nurse practitioner and holds a Master’s of Science in Nursing from McNeese State University, a B.S. in Nursing from Â鶹ÊÓƵ, and the ADN from Â鶹ÊÓƵ. He is pursuing a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree at Vanderbilt.

Philanthropists Donald and Barbara Jonas founded the Jonas Center to answer the growing nursing shortage and its impact on individuals and communities. Finding that the limited number of nurses with doctorates directly impacted the ability of schools to educate increased numbers of nurses, they set up the Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare. Since its inception in 2008, the program has supported more than 1,000 Jonas Nurse Leader Scholars at 140 schools across all 50 states. The number of people impacted over the course of 1,000 Jonas Scholars’ careers is estimated at 10 million: five million patients and five million students.

“We are very grateful for the vision and generosity of the Jonas Center,” Norman said. “I know that several of our Jonas Scholars wouldn’t have been able to pursue their doctorates without the program’s support.”

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing is a nationally recognized graduate school that confers Master of Science in nursing, doctor of nursing practice and Ph.D. in nursing science degrees, as well as post-graduate certificates in specific studies. Its M.S.N. degree is currently ranked as No. 13 by U.S. News & World Report, its DNP program is ranked No. 10 and its Nurse-Midwifery specialty is ranked as the No. 1 program in the country. As part of Vanderbilt University, one of the nation’s top private research institutions, VUSN has a long-standing reputation for excellence in nursing teaching, practice, informatics and research.