<p>Wells</p>

Wells

PEMBROKE — An educator at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke has been selected to participate in the North Carolina Nurses Association’s Leadership Academy.

Jennifer Wells is an associate professor in the Department of Nursing. She is the first UNCP faculty member to be selected to the academy.

“It is definitely an honor to be selected,” she said. “The selection process is highly competitive. They only accept 20 nurses each year, so I’m very honored to be selected.”

Wells will participate in a series of leadership workshops designed to empower participants to think outside the box while improving their skills as communicators and advocates in professional, civic and community arenas. She will be joined by emerging nurse leaders from across the state, representing a cross section of hospital administrators, nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists and nurse educators.

The academy serves as a high-intensity, competitive application-based leadership development program for nurses to prepare them for positions of strategy and influence.

The program emphasizes educating, mentoring and grooming nurses to serve as active leaders in various positions, including government boards, hospital boards, commissions and elected office.

Wells has served in many leadership roles throughout her 17-year-career in UNCP’s nursing department, including department chair. She was the first director of the graduate program and currently serves as director of Program Outcomes.

“I’m hoping to gain expertise to improve effective communication and collaboration among all areas of the faculty,” Wells said. “As we grow in the number of students, begin new programs and seek more clinical partnerships, this training will give me the insight into how to use leadership skills better to grow and expand the department.”