Karen Edlund Fellowship
Applications for our 2025 Cohort are now open.
Karen Edlund Future Nurse Leader Fellowship
Leveraging Power through Leadership Development
Program Overview: The Karen Edlund (KE) Future Nurse Leader Fellowship fuels nursing students to leverage their power and become leaders in sexual and reproductive health (SRH), reproductive rights (RR) and Reproductive Justice (RJ). This program is central to our mission of building a community of nurses who are social change agents in sexual and reproductive health. At NSRH we believe that all people should have access to comprehensive healthcare, so we are working hard to create an active and engaged community that is reflective of the diverse communities that nurses serve. As such, priority will be given to applicants who have experience working with these communities and a demonstrated commitment to RJ values.
We believe that through intentional support of nursing students, we can shift the power structure of nursing and transform healthcare to not only include, but celebrate sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice.
About Karen Edlund
This fellowship is named after the beloved former NSRH Board Member Karen Edlund, RN, an exemplary nurse leader who served as the Director of the SRH Program at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for 23 years, from 1992 until her retirement in May 2015. During her tenure Karen developed and managed several critical initiatives that have been key to ensuring access to comprehensive SRH services for the people of Massachusetts. In addition to her leadership with the MA Dept of Health, she has also played an important leadership role with several other organizations. Karen served on several Boards including: NSRH, the Cambridge Health Alliance Public Health Board, Provide, and the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association.
2024 Karen Edlund Future Nurse Leader Fellowship
Eligibility Requirements: The Fellowship cohort will be comprised of currently enrolled nursing students who:
- Have an interest in developing themselves as nurse leaders in sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice
- Have experience working with communities that have been historically underrepresented or underserved in health systems
- Demonstrated commitment to RJ values
- Additional considerations given to applicants who:
- Attend an ADN or LPN program, and/or
- Attend a University or program in an underrepresented region
NSRH is committed to cultivating a dynamic community of nurse leaders where everyone feels included, valued, and respected. We encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds, including women, people of color, LGBTQI+ individuals, and people with disabilities. We welcome students who attend an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), HSI (Hispanic Serving Institutions), or TCU (Tribal Colleges and Universities) to apply.
This fellowship is fully remote; fellows can be located anywhere in the U.S.
Fellowship Timeline:
- 2025 Fellowship will run from August 2025 – January 2026
- Applications open June 2, 2025
- Applications close on July 14, 2025
- Fellows selected in July 2025
Over the course of six months, Fellows will gain:
- A deeper understanding of Sexual & Reproductive Health (SRH), Reproductive Justice (RJ), and Reproductive Rights (RR) through curated education.
- One-on-one mentorship from a professional nurse, who will help cultivate professional development, leadership skills, and project management for the applied project component of the fellowship.
- A peer network of nursing students who are similarly committed to advancing reproductive health and justice.
Time Commitment: Selected candidates must commit an average of 3 hours/week of independent study and project development.
Compensation: Selected candidates will receive $1000 in compensation and $300 for their project fund.
Applications for the 2025 Cohort are open now through July 14, 2025.