AACN’s Foundation for Academic Nursing Announces 2026 Future Nurse Leader Scholarship Award Recipients

WASHINGTON, DC, February 6, 2026 – The Foundation for Academic Nursing, the philanthropic arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), is pleased to announce the latest graduate students to receive the Deborah E. Trautman Future Nurse Leader Scholarship. With funding provided by Liaison International, AACN’s partner in NursingCAS, the scholarship recipients include Ayo Bodunde, a PhD student from University of Illinois Chicago and Kerry-Ann Dixon, a PhD student from Florida Atlantic University.

“Supporting emerging nurse scholars who are deeply engaged in equity-focused research and community-centered practice is critical to the future of nursing and the health of the nation,” said Dr. Deborah Trautman, AACN President and Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s recipients exemplify a strong commitment to advancing maternal and mental health, strengthening families, and addressing complex public health challenges through scholarship and leadership.”

In 2021, Liaison International initiated this program in honor of Dr. Trautman to provide financial support and structured mentorship to outstanding graduate nursing students who aspire to leadership roles. Funded students commit to participating in an AACN conference and a professional enrichment experience with Dr. Trautman and other nurse leaders during the summer months.

Meet the 2026 Scholarship Winners

Selected from a competitive pool of scholarship applicants, here are this year’s recipients:

Ayo Bodunde, BSN, RN, is a PhD candidate at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing and a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Psychiatry. She brings over a decade of experience in mental health nursing, including service as an administrative nurse providing clinical and operational leadership, supporting interdisciplinary teams, and contributing to quality improvement and systems-level initiatives. Her dissertation focuses on the experiences of survivors of firearm violence and their informal caregivers, with an emphasis on mental health and caregiver burden. In addition to her dissertation work, Ayo is actively engaged in research examining the experiences of PhD students of color in nursing, substance use and chronic stress, and intimate partner violence. Grounded in nursing leadership, qualitative inquiry, and community-based participatory research, Ayo's work seeks to advance nursing education, inform health policy, and strengthen the role of nurses as leaders in addressing complex public health challenges.

Kerry-Ann Dixon, MSN, RN, IMH-E®️ is a distinguished maternal–child health nurse and equity-driven leader dedicated to transforming perinatal care and advancing racial justice. With extensive experience in obstetrics, home visiting, and community health, she has supported countless families through the profound transition into parenthood. Her roles include serving as a Nurse-Family Partnership home visitor, an obstetric nurse, an educator, a community advocate, and a xommunity health nursing consultant for the Florida Department of Health, providing culturally responsive, multilingual maternal support. Kerry-Ann currently serves as Program and Performance Officer at the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, shaping system-level strategies that strengthen early relational health. She is endorsed as an Infant Family Specialist. She works alongside The Journey Institute as a Reflective Facilitator, supporting doulas in processing the emotional toll of birth work and building reflective capacity. A member of the inaugural Birth and Breastfeeding Leadership Institute, Kerry-Ann is pursuing a PhD in Nursing focused on health equity, centering Black fathers' experiences in the perinatal period.

About the Future Nurse Leaders Scholarship

Administered by the Foundation for Academic Nursing, this scholarship is open to students in master’s or doctoral programs at AACN member schools affiliated with NursingCAS, the nation’s only centralized application service for nursing programs offered at all levels. Students must show high academic achievement and list past experiences that illustrate a commitment to academic nursing. Applicants must be currently enrolled and in good standing at their school of nursing and also be members of AACN’s Graduate Nursing Student Academy (membership is free). A complete list of eligibility requirements and expectations are posted on the AACN web site. Stay tuned to the Foundation's website for future updates on the 2026 application cycle.

Partnering to Support Nursing Students

AACN actively seeks opportunities to partner with corporate sponsors and other stakeholders to offer scholarship programs for nursing students in baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral programs. The association currently administers scholarship programs in conjunction with Certiphi Screening^®, Scrubin Uniforms, NurseThink^®, Liaison International, Hurst Review Services, QGenda, and Uniform Advantage. Those interested in establishing a scholarship program and/or partnering with AACN are encouraged to contact Foundation Director, Dr. Katie Fioravanti, at kfioravanti@aacnnursing.org.

For more details on programs available through the Foundation for Academic Nursing, visit the Foundation’s website.

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The Foundation for Academic Nursing is the philanthropic arm of AACN that raises funds to support new innovations in nursing education and practice. The Foundation serves as a focal point for AACN’s fundraising efforts while elevating the importance of academic nursing and our member schools in the philanthropic community.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the national voice for academic nursing representing more than 875 schools of nursing nationwide. AACN establishes quality standards for nursing education, influences the nursing profession to improve health care, and promotes public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research and practice.