A weekend of networking and shared experiences in Detroit could open new doors for University of Michigan School of Nursing students, alumni and faculty.
Five members of the Michigan Nursing community attended the recent DNPs of Color Conference, where they connected with nursing professionals from across the country, exchanged ideas and explored ways to bring more students into the conversation.
The U-M School of Nursing served as a scholarship sponsor for the event, helping support participation and strengthen connections with an organization that brings together nursing professionals and students.
Representing Michigan Nursing were Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student Bola Okpue; alumni Dr. Ashleigh Anderson, Dr. Jessica Fladger and Dr. Elikem Amable-Brumfield; and Dr. Katie Nelson, clinical assistant professor and primary care pediatric nurse practitioner program lead at the U-M School of Nursing.
Dr. Fladger, who also serves as an adjunct faculty member, and Dr. Amable-Brumfield, a DNP preceptor, are both midwives with Birth Detroit.
The experience sparked conversations about how more Michigan Nursing students, especially students of color, could get involved with DNPs of Color and benefit from the organization's professional development and networking opportunities.
"I'm excited about the idea of raising DOC's visibility among UMSN students. It could make a meaningful difference, especially for students of color," Bola said.
Bola, who is also a MiMAT Scholar, hopes to help strengthen the relationship between the school and DNPs of Color. She's already looking ahead to the organization's 2027 conference in Atlanta, where she's interested in presenting her DNP project.
Finding Community and Inspiration
The Detroit conference wasn't Dr. Anderson's first experience with DNPs of Color. She attended last year's event in Oakland County, MI, located in the city of Detroit, while completing her DNP at Michigan Nursing and was excited to see the event come to Detroit.
"When I went last year, I left inspired and excited when I heard they were coming to Detroit next," Dr. Anderson said.
Since graduating from the U-M School of Nursing, Dr. Anderson has continued working as a midwife and hopes to become more involved in academia. A former MiMAT Scholar, she's also interested in presenting her DNP project at next year's conference in Atlanta.
While Dr. Anderson was returning for another year, Dr. Amable-Brumfield was attending for the first time and discovering a community she hadn't known about
before.
"Before attending, I was unfamiliar with the organization, which made discovering this community even more special. I definitely plan to attend again next year," Dr. Amable-Brumfield said.
The conference also gave Dr. Fladger plenty to think about, particularly when it came to the work happening in Detroit. A conversation between Diallo Smith, CEO of Life Remodeled, and Felicia Vannostrand, founder of NursingDetroit, got her thinking about how Birth Detroit and the U-M School of Nursing could work with those organizations to expand access to midwifery in the city.
"I was actively brainstorming ways that Birth Detroit and the University of Michigan School of Nursing can partner with these organizations and increase exposure to midwifery in the city," Dr. Fladger said.
She left the conference feeling reinvigorated and hopes to return next year.
Looking Ahead to New Opportunities
The U-M School of Nursing is already looking at ways to get more DNP students involved with DNPs of Color throughout the year, along with opportunities for more students and faculty to attend next year's conference in Atlanta.
Bola hopes to be part of that effort and help more students learn about what the organization has to offer.
"I'm looking forward to contributing ideas on how we can continue building this relationship and ensuring more students, especially students of color, are aware of the opportunities DOC provides," Bola said.
"This is the beginning of something truly impactful."