Sharron Crowder, PhD'12, RN, ATSF, FAAN, began the Eagles Health Policy and Advocacy Mentoring Program in 2014 as a way for graduate nursing students to stay connected with health policy efforts and continue to learn even after earning their degree.
The name comes from a fable titled “The Eagle and the Chicken,” where an Eagle who fell out of his nest was raised as a chicken by a farmer. The Eagle was not convinced he could fly until a naturalist encouraged him to take flight.
“The fable was a good fit for a program aimed at mentoring nursing students so they might ‘soar’ as leaders in health policy and advocacy,” Dr. Crowder said.
Eagles expand their knowledge and engagement by attending conferences, speaking with policymakers, and taking part in networking events and a Speakers’ Bureau.
The program has encouraged nursing students to “take flight” and venture into health policy and advocacy in numerous ways.
Kristin Bassett, DNP’21, MSN, RN, CNE, was initially apprehensive about becoming involved in politics. The Eagles program helped her realize how important it was for nurses to have a place at the table and gave her the confidence to get involved.
“It’s always been something I didn’t really talk about or discuss. I found during (Dr. Crowder’s) class that being involved and talking about issues that are related to nursing is really important, and we do need to have a voice,” Bassett said.
In her role as a clinical assistant professor at the IU School of Nursing in Fort Wayne, Bassett has been able to incorporate what she’s learned into her own classes and support her students in their own advocacy journeys.
“I was able to explain the process better to my students, help them to get connected with their state representatives, and encourage them to have those relationships and seek them out,” she said.
Eagles have grown as leaders in the larger nursing community as well.
Laura Koke, MSN’24, RN, CPN, CPHON, was inspired by her time as an Eagle to educate other nurses on advocacy and policymaking.
“I feel like there are many practicing nurses in Indiana that don’t have information or the tools to go and speak to or reach out to their legislator,” she said.
Koke was encouraged by the Eagles program to become a member of the American Nurse Advocacy Institute, which expanded her program evaluation experience. She is currently working with her team to analyze data from a study of advocacy coaching.
The focus of the study was to understand the benefits that advocacy coaching programs, like the Eagles, have on nurses.
Koke also joined the Indiana State Nurses Association’s advocacy council as the advocacy chair, a position that will allow her to continue both her leadership and advocacy journeys.
“[The Eagles program] has helped me and my confidence in being a nurse leader both within my organization as well as in my field,” Koke said.
The program has also shaped Eagles’ goals and given them the resources to achieve them.
Rosalind Scott Jessie, BSN’14, MSN’18, DNP’21, APRN, PMHNP-BC, found a passion for mental healthcare when she started working in the psychiatric unit in 2000 as an LPN.
After seeing how scarce resources for mental health treatment were, Jessie decided she wanted to help challenge the stigma around mental health and provide the resources that treatment facilities lacked.
“They lacked the resources they needed to get the proper treatment that they needed,” Jessie said. “So then there was that piece within me that just wanted to do something to help people to get the care they need.”
Through connections made in the Eagles program, Jessie has been able to secure funding to provide mental health first-aid and increase awareness of mental health needs. She also serves on the board of directors for Solihtan Institute, which gives accreditation and resources to mental health facilities nationally.
“That was the advocacy piece of work that I was able to have because of the mentorship program,” Jessie said. “It encouraged me and gave me confidence that this is something I can do.”
Jessie’s teaching has also been shaped by her time as an Eagle. As an assistant professor at Indiana University Southeast, Jessie brings her students to Veterans Court to connect them with veterans and show them first-hand what they experience.
“They see all the treatment approaches that the court uses to help veterans who’ve had substance abuse and mental health disorders,” she said.
Anna Forster’s, PhD, RN, career goals were also shaped by a legislative fellowship with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP).
Forster’s experience in health policy and advocacy started during her undergraduate program. She understood the importance of nurse involvement through her courses, but the Eagles program helped show her the necessary steps to get involved in the legislative process.
“It was definitely on my radar, I just didn’t necessarily know how to execute it before the Eagles fellowship, so that really helped show me what I could do as a nurse-scientist in the legislative field as far as advocacy,” said Forster, who completed her postdoctoral training at the IU School of Nursing.
The AARP fellowship through the Eagles program connected her to advocacy for the 50 and older group, a demographic she was passionate about serving.
“The more that I transitioned to the research side, I realized how understudied, but how valuable they are to society,” Forster said. “Learning more about how to advocate for older adults, how to care for them, and the needs that they have was always something that was really interesting to me.”
Forster now works for AARP as a communications analyst, where she uses data and research to support AARP’s advocacy efforts. Her time as an Eagle helped show her what career opportunities were available for her to use her advocacy skills.
“It definitely introduced me to a career choice that I didn’t know was out there for me after my post-doc,” Forster said.
The Eagles program is meant to be an ongoing source of support and connection for Eagles. Through maintaining relationships with each other and mentors such as Dr. Crowder, they continue learning and growing throughout their careers.
“As Eagles, it is important for us to stay connected because we can achieve more together,” Bassett said.
