Curtis Smith, program officer for academic affairs at Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing, has been selected to participate in the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative 2016-17 Fellows Program. Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing’s Curtis Smith, program officer for academic affairs ,has been selected to participate in the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative 2016-17 Fellows Program.
The St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative's Fellows Program is a leadership curriculum designed to address the interests and challenges of professionals of color as they work to develop and advance their careers. Smith has been a champion of diversity and inclusion initiatives at Goldfarb where he has worked for 13 years in roles including academic advisor, recruiter/admissions advisor and recruitment coordinator.
This highly competitive program attracts many applications, but only 20 to 30 St. Louis business people are selected to participate each year. The program began in 2006 and has proven to be an invaluable leadership development opportunity for a number of high caliber minority business people.
“I am deeply honored to be part of this program,” said Smith. “It is a steadfast focus of our school to recruit, admit, retain and educate a diverse student body and faculty because we believe that a learning environment that embraces diversity and inclusion will improve the cultural and educational experiences of our students, which will ultimately make them better nurses and citizens.:
The school promotes an inclusive environment for all students regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, age, ability or socio-economic status. This is particularly important today as the demand for nurses of different backgrounds is at an all-time high.
The Diversity and Inclusion Excellence Committee is comprised of administration, faculty, staff and students who assume responsibility for campus-wide oversight, training and activities related to diversity and inclusion. From classroom to simulation, the school’s curriculum helps to develop culturally competent nursing graduates who understand, respect and appreciate individual differences, says Smith.
The undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs include relevant courses such as Community Health Nursing, Transcultural Nursing and Dimensions of Cultural Diversity. They employ design simulation scenarios in their teachings that incorporate patient diversity and promote cultural awareness. Faculty development workshops feature national speakers on a variety of topics, including identifying and managing generational differences in the classroom.
Goldfarb School of Nursing also regularly sponsors events that celebrate multiculturalism on campus. The school also employs staff members who are dedicated to recruiting underrepresented minorities into the nursing profession and providing accommodations to students with disabilities.
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About Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing
With a legacy beginning in 1902, Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing is an independent single-purpose college with a strong tradition of educating health care professionals in St. Louis. It is located on the campus of Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis and is affiliated with Barnes-Jewish Hospital, with a site at Missouri Baptist Medical Center.
Goldfarb School of Nursing has nationally recognized educational facilities with state-of-the-art classrooms, lecture halls and sophisticated Clinical Simulation Institute labs with patient simulation mannequins and exam rooms that provide high-tech, advanced nursing care experiences. The school is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and is approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing and Higher Education Commission.
