Rutgers School of Nursing Magazine - Summer 2024

A C A D E M I C A N D W O R K P L A C E E X C E L L E N C E CREATING A WELCOMING, INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT B Y L I N A Z E L D O V I C H I It’s just another day at Rutgers School of Nursing and Kyle D. Warren, PhD, MAE, is starting a school leadership meeting focused on equity and belonging, the first in a three-part series on leadership enrichment. “We are pulling together all the deans and directors. Many of the topics we discuss are difficult, but it’s something we have to do if we want all our students, faculty, and staff to feel as though they belong,” says Warren, senior vice dean for administration and student affairs at School of Nursing and associate vice chancellor for student affairs, Rutgers Health. When it comes to diversity, Rutgers School of Nursing has always led the way. It has one of the most diverse student bodies in the country—close to 60 percent are people of color. The school received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award in 2022 and 2023 from Insight Into Diversity . For six years in a row it’s won the Best Schools for Men in Nursing Award from the American Association of Men in Nursing. The student body is about 15 percent male—higher than the workforce average. “However, it’s one thing to have the numbers, and another to ensure the school is a safe and welcoming space for everyone,” says Warren, the school’s chief equity and belonging officer. That’s why after the tumultuous world and national events of 2020—which included a deadly pandemic, protests against racial injustice, and a contentious election—the school leadership committed to a greater focus on equity and belonging. R U T G E R S N U R S I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 2 4 1 6 / 1 7