UF faculty member named to nurse association board of directors

Gloria McWhirter, M.S.N., R.N., a clinical assistant professor of nursing, was recently elected to the National Black Nurses Association board of directors. McWhirter teaches nursing courses to undergraduate students and also coordinates academic student services in the college. She developed and implements a preparation program for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.

McWhirter devotes much of her time to the recruitment, mentoring and retention of students from minority groups or disadvantaged backgrounds. She also acts as the liaison between the college and the Bethune-Cookman College of Nursing in a pipeline program that is focused on developing opportunities for nursing students from BCC to pursue graduate study at UF.

The National Black Nurses Association represents more than 150,000 black nurses within the United States, Eastern Caribbean and Africa. It encourages its members to study and understand the health-care needs of black people and other minorities in an effort to reduce disparities.