Rutgers School wins “Best Schools for Men in Nursing” title for seventh straight year as Professor Linda Hassler earns award for advancing diversity
November 1, 2024
For the seventh consecutive year, Rutgers University School of Nursing has won the Best Schools for Men in Nursing Award from the American Association for Men in Nursing (AAMN). In more accolades for Rutgers this year, the AAMN presented its 2024 IDEA award for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion to Linda Hassler, an assistant professor at the nursing school.
The awards were given at the AAMN annual conference, held last month in St. Louis, Missouri. Joining Hassler at the conference were six members of the School of Nursing’s AAMN chapter, including John Lam, chapter president and recipient of a $1,000 scholarship from the association. “Representing Rutgers at the national level was an incredible experience,” Lam said. “We met healthcare professionals making a global impact and gained valuable insights into the legacy of men in nursing.”
Linda Hassler (DNP, RN, APN, GCNS-BC, CNE, FGNLA) is the faculty advisor for the school’s AAMN chapter. She received the national IDEA Award, presented to just one individual, for her “outstanding work in advancing diversity, inclusion, and a welcoming environment for all nurses.”
Hassler, who recently celebrated 10 years on the Rutgers faculty, is known for her expertise as an educator and her advocacy for future nurses and the profession at large. She is an elected member of New Jersey State Nurses Association’s Congress on Policy and Practice, which serves the interests of the state’s 150,000 nurses. Her previous awards include the American Nurses Foundation Nurse of the Year—Honor a Nurse Award and the Institute for Nursing Diva and Don Award.
The Rutgers nursing school has received the Best Schools for Men in Nursing Award each year since 2018, spotlighting its continued success in recruiting and retaining male nursing students. The school’s approach to inclusive education has helped position it as a leader in promoting gender diversity in a traditionally female-dominated field. More than 16% of the student population is male, surpassing the national workforce average of 12%.
Last month, the school also received the Higher Educational Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight Into Diversity Magazine for the third year in a row—underscoring its commitment to advancing diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
For the Rutgers School of Nursing delegation, the AAMN conference was an opportunity to celebrate the school’s achievements while gaining new knowledge and building new ties with nursing students and professionals.
“We were able to connect with nurses and health care professionals who opened clinics in Germany, Ukraine, and Russia. We were able to attend sessions with speakers who paved the way for generations of men in nursing to come,” said Lam.
In addition to Hassler and Lam, the Rutgers School of Nursing delegation at the conference comprised undergraduate student AAMN chapter members Kyrollos Boktor, director of public relations; Matias Cortes, director of programs; Dev Gandhi, director of correspondence; Mark Kaldes, vice president; and Leo Ramos. They were joined by Kofi Polley (Ed M), executive director of administration and staff advisor for the chapter; and Kyle D. Warren (PhD, MAE), senior vice dean, administration and student affairs and associate vice chancellor for student affairs, Rutgers Health.
“It was so exciting for our group to accept the Best Schools for Men in Nursing Award on behalf of our school,” said Lam. “Congratulations to Dr. Hassler for her IDEA award. Thank you to Dr. Hassler, Mr. Polley, and Dean Warren for their continued guidance and support of our chapter, and kudos to all our chapter officers and members for their dedicated work.”
