Golisano Fellowship in Developmental Disability Nursing

The Golisano Fellowship in Developmental Disability Nursing is a 12-month program designed to develop thought leaders in nursing who support and promote the health and well-being of persons with ID/DD across their lifespan and settings.

Fellowship Goals

The goal of the fellowship is to create thought leadership in the domains of nursing education, practice, system leadership, and advocacy. Ultimately our fellows are prepared to advance inclusive practices, foster innovation, promote health and self-determination to encourage wellness, and improve health equity for people with IDD.

Program Structure 

The Golisano Fellowship offers dynamic programming delivered in an online environment. Fellows are partnered with an internationally recognized, interprofessional mentor who will provide individualized support. Each Fellow will design and complete a Fellowship Project during the Fellowship. This project will focus on the participant’s area of interest in IDD nursing within one of the targeted domains (i.e., clinical practice, nursing education, policy & advocacy, or leadership). 

An initial kickoff week takes place in June and consists of five days of presentations and interactive sessions with subject matter experts from around the world. Monthly workshops include guest presenters, book and film discussions, and opportunities to share the work of our Fellows. A final fellowship week with guest speakers, panel discussions, and final project presentations takes place in June of the following year. 

All participants are expected to actively engage in all learning activities and satisfactorily complete the assigned deliverables. All activities will be structured to meet the learning goals of the participants and the identified outcomes for the fellowship. Participants should plan on committing an average of approximately two hours per week to Fellowship activities.

Over the course of the program, Golisano Fellows will engage in interprofessional collaboration and gain expertise in the domains of nursing education, clinical practice, policy & advocacy, and leadership.

Expectations

The Golisano Fellowship strongly recommends that Fellowship candidates secure permission and a letter of support from their dean, director, or supervisor (whomever they report to) to participate in the year-long program, understanding that it will require support/coverage to participate in the scheduled learning activities. For example: securing coverage for their teaching or clinical or administrative responsibilities during the 5-day intensive week at the beginning and the end of the Fellowship program. 

Participation

Fellows are expected to participate in all learning activities over the Fellowship year, including the initial 5-day intensive week, the monthly 1.5-hour workshops, and the concluding 5-day intensive week where they will present on their Fellowship projects. 

The Fellowship recognizes the need to be flexible around scheduling and attendance. However, any Fellow who misses more than 25% of the Fellowship will not be able to continue. Missing 25% of the Fellowship is defined as missing more than two full intensive days and more than three monthly presentations. Any Fellow who is unable to attend a presentation needs to contact the Fellowship Director. In some cases, the Fellow may make up for the absence by viewing a recording of the session they missed.  

All Fellows are assigned a mentor who works with them over the year-long program. The Golisano Fellowship pays each mentor a stipend for their service. Any Fellowship candidate who fails to meet or communicate regularly with their mentor and to collaborate with their mentor on the development of their Fellowship project may be asked to leave the Fellowship and reimburse the Golisano Fellowship for their mentor’s time.

Tuition and Fees

The cost of the year-long Fellowship is $3,000, not including costs of Fellowship materials.  Tuition is non-refundable after the first immersive Fellowship week.

Full and partial scholarships are available to qualifying candidates. Scholarships are awarded based on the review of the candidate’s application, experience in caring for people with IDD, and the strength of the proposed Fellowship project. 

To be considered for a scholarship, select the relevant option on the application.

Additional Costs

Additional costs may be incurred for the purchase of books or other media. Candidates can anticipate expenses in the range of $150-200.