Frontier Nursing University (FNU)

attended the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) annual conference May 20-24 in Chicago. As always, Frontier had a HUGE presence at the conference, and it was even larger this year as FNU President Susan Stone was inducted as ACNM president-elect. We also had many students, alumni and faculty members receive awards and recognition for their hard work.

FNU Superheros Spotted at ACNM

Our main goal at ACNM this year was to recruit preceptors and what better way than with a superhero theme in our exhibit booth! We awarded those who signed up to be a preceptor with a superhero cape and had a Cape Fitting Station (photo booth) onsite. Other goodies included FNU cups and bags for alumni who are current FNU preceptors and those who signed up to become a preceptor. We’re excited to share great results from all this fun...we received 20 preceptor inquiries and set a new record for this conference!  

Our interactive booth also had several

activities to attract attendee participation. New for 2017 was an interactive map. We asked FNU students, graduates, preceptors and faculty members to pin their location on the map to show our presence at the ACNM conference this year.  

We showcased our nurse-midwife, psychiatric-mental health and DNP programs as well. We talked to many people about Frontier’s DNP program, many of whom were interested in making changes in their communities. Many of the preceptor superheros were also interested in receiving information on our DNP program.  

Celebrations at the Annual Reception

Frontier Nursing University hosted our annual reception on Monday, May 22. Nearly 200

people attended. Guests congratulated Dr. Stone on being the ACNM president-elect and celebrated the 10th anniversary of FNU’s ADN Bridge Entry Option. Special preceptor awards including oldest preceptor in attendance, local preceptors, preceptor from earliest CNEP class and others were recognized with a gift of handcrafted bowls from our Hyden,KY artisan, Boone. Attendees also received information on the new psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program and Frontier’s new campus property. It was an uplifting event, and we were happy to network with the FNU community that traveled to the conference.

PRIDE Student Ambassadors Take over ACNM

FNU’s Diversity PRIDE Program hosted an essay contest and awarded two students with an expense covered trip to the ACNM annual meeting. The two PRIDE student ambassadors were Essence Williams and Shoba Monteserin Narayana. The ambassadors attended many sessions and the Midwives of Color Committee (MOCC) reception where Essence Williams was awarded the first ever Midwives of Color Committee Student Appreciation Award!  

Additionally, student Krystal Wilkins won a stipend to attend the conference and FNU PRIDE students Heidi Carter and Paris Maloof-Bury both received a stipend to attend the conference to receive a Varney Award. It is a tremendous honor to have BOTH recipients of this award be FNU students. Overall, FNU PRIDE Ambassadors had a big presence at ACNM this year! Click here to read more details about the PRIDE student experiences at ACNM.

FNU Honors and Presentations

We were honored to celebrate the induction of Susan Stone as ACNM President-Elect.  We are fortunate to have such an inspirational president at FNU, and we look forward to supporting her as she takes on ACNM presidential duties in the near future.  

Many faculty members, graduates and students were recognized and/or presented sessions and posters during the ACNM conference:

Student Kudos

• Heidi Carter - Varney Award Recipient, PAC student representative, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Health Care Scholarship  

• Paris Maloof-Bury - Varney Award Recipient

• Essence Williams - Midwives of Color Committee (MOCC) Student Appreciation Award

• Jeanine Valrie-Logan - Midwives of Color Watson Scholarship recipient

• Karen Ojeda - Midwives of Color Watson Scholarship recipient

• Andrea Phillips-Hall - PAC student representative

• Nancy Reinhart- Student/New Midwives Section representative

• Andrew Youmans- ACNM Board of Directors

Faculty Kudos

• Niessa Meier - Immunization Champion Award

• Becky Faye - ACNM Exemplary Affiliate Award for Region 4 - Arkansas

• Kim Baraona - Teaching Excellence Award

• Kathryn Schrag - Distinguished Service Award

• Jill Alliman- Inducted as Fellow of ACNM

• Eileen Thrower- Program Committee for 2018 ACNM Annual Meeting, Savannah, GA

• Tonya Nicholson- Chair, ACNM Nominating Committee

• Katie Moriarty- ACNM, Board of Directors

• Joani Slager, ACNM, Board of Directors

• Susan Stone, ACNM- President- Elect

Inducted as Fellows

• Jill Alliman DNP Alumnus and Faculty

• Mayri Leslie Alumnus

• Leslie Rathbun Preceptor

• Kate Fouquier Alumnus 1996

• Sherilyn Gibbs, CNM, DNP, RNC-OB - Alumnus

Alumni Kudos

• Nadene Brunk - Distinguished Service Award, founder of Midwives for Haiti!  

• Mary Bradish - Distinguished Service Award, author of a beautiful book of memoirs.  She practiced full scope until she was 78.

• Melody Shambley - Outstanding Preceptor Award.  

• Jessica Brumley - FNU Outstanding Preceptor Award

Sessions and Poster Presentations

• Susan Stone -Leadership: An Imperative for the Profession of Midwifery

• Tonya Nicholson, Tanya Tanner and Joani Slager - The Leader Within

• Tonya Nicholson - Struggling Students (Preceptor Workshop)

• Kim Barona-  Smoking Cessation During Pregnancy: Brief Intervention for a Busy Practice

• Rebeca Barroso and Katya Simon - Breastfeeding Support After a Postpartum Hemorrhage: Evidence-Based Midwifery Approach.  

• Tia Andrighetti and Janelle Komorowski -Creating Realistic Homebirth Simulation Workshop

• Heather Clarke - Pre and perinatal psychology 101

• Tanya Tanner - Sleep and midwifery practice

• Tanya Tanner - Developing and Promoting Your Quality Midwifery Practice

• Kate Moriarty - Affiliate Leadership Workshop

• Linda Cole and Kathryn Schrag - Book signing- Freestanding Birth Centers: Innovation, Evidence,Optimal Outcomes

• FNU alumna - Laura J. Valle DNP, APRN-CNM - Waterbirth and Neonatal Outcomes: An Integrative Review and Toolkit/Waterbirth Updates

• FNU alumni - Catherine Folker-Maglaya DNP, APN-CNM, IBCLC - Table Talk: Facilitating learning About Breastfeeding in a Community College Nursing Program

If you would like to see more photos from the ACNM reception and booth please click HERE.

 For any FNU alumni, students, faculty or students who received awards or honors at ACNM that are not noted here, please contact FNUnews@frontier.edu and we will be happy to add it!