Jeanne-Marie Stacciarini Receives UF Faculty Award for Diversity

Stacciarini receives the UF Faculty Award for Diversity from William Atkins, executive director of UF Multicultural and Diversity Affairs.

UF College of Nursing Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Jeanne-Marie Stacciarini, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., was presented the UF Faculty Award for Diversity at the inaugural Inclusive Excellence in Diversity Awards Ceremony, hosted by the University of Florida Office of Multicultural and Diversity Affairs, or MCDA, on April 18.

The MCDA Inclusive Excellence in Diversity Awards recognize and reward the efforts of individuals, departments and groups who display exceptional leadership in fostering diversity and inclusion both on campus and in the surrounding Gainesville community.

Specifically, the Faculty Award for Diversity recognizes a University of Florida faculty member who exemplifies the values of diversity and inclusive excellence by actively contributing to and supporting multiple communities across campus. The award was one of six MCDA sponsored awards this year: Collaboration Award, Community Award, Faculty Award, Staff Award, Student Organization Awards, and the Dr. J. Michael Rollo Diversity Impact Award, recognizing inspiring students who demonstrate leadership by committing to actively create a more diverse and inclusive campus community.

“Dr. Stacciarini is continuously working towards building a new generation of nurses through professional mentoring, excellence in nursing education, and inclusiveness in her research and international outreach,” Dean Anna McDaniel, Ph.D., R.N., FAAN, said. “We are so proud of all she has done for our college.”

Last fall, Stacciarini was named the college’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion to create and enhance awareness and dialogue about such important issues on campus and in the community. Stacciarini has been a tireless advocate for faculty, staff, students and patients from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds and perspectives, McDaniel added.

The first College of Nursing EMBRACE program cohort.

Stacciarini, associate professor at the CON, has started and led a new initiative in the college with undergraduate students this academic year, Engaging Multiple-communities of BSN students in Research and Academic Curricular Experiences (EMBRACE). The first cohort of EMBRACE undergraduate students included three research award-winners throughout the 2016-17 year.

A leader on campus, Stacciarini is also chair of the UF President’s Council on Diversity and sits on President Fuchs’ leadership cabinet.

Stacciarini, who has been at UF since 2006, focuses her research on mental health promotion among minorities, community-based participatory research for minorities, rural and international populations. In recognition of her work with underserved populations, Stacciarini received the 2012 Southern Nursing Research Society (SNRS) Award for Research in Minority Health and the 2014 APNA Award for Excellence in Research. She has also been a longtime faculty mentor across campus to students from underrepresented groups.

Recipients of the MCDA annual awards must actively display and affirm the organization’s values of fostering community, multicultural education, intercultural engagement, inclusive leadership development, and advocacy.