Nursing Careers for Men

Kramer School of Nursing has implemented their project, Moving and Mentoring Men into Nursing, with the help of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

Some of the school's goals were to attract enough men to award 12 RWJF scholarships of $10,000 each, to have at least 20 men in the class, and to achieve a 50/50% ratio of men to women. The class has 45 students (the previous record was 37), of whom 22 are men and 23 are women! All RWJF scholarships were awarded.

The caliber of students, as well as their diversity, is valued. The students come from Maryland to California, Wisconsin to Texas (some by way of other countries), with bachelor’s and graduate degrees from Architecture to Zoology. Their average age is 30 years old (ranging from 22-53). Of the 45 total, 49% are non-white. Dean, Marvel Williamson, recalls a touching comment from one of the African-American students: “In nursing there is no discrimination. It doesn’t matter what color your skin is. The only thing that matters to people is if you are competent and caring.”