Donna M. Grandbois, assistant professor of nursing, presented “Native American Elders: Exploring the Resilience of Their Lived Experience” at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing Seminar Lecture Series on March 16.

Grandbois talked about plans to conduct a community-partnered needs assessment survey in the Fargo-Moorhead Native community to help acquire funding necessary for a Native American Health and Wellness Center. She also discussed use of transformative research methods to help empower vulnerable communities to be active participants in finding solutions to their own problems through university-to-community research collaboration.

The School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania has a long history of embracing students from diverse backgrounds by providing a welcoming and supportive environment to help all students succeed. Their mission is to change the face of nursing to reflect the diversity of a global society in research, education, practice and policy by developing leaders and researchers for the 21st century. Mary Lou de Leon Siantz, assistant dean of Diversity and Cultural Affairs at the University of Pennsylvania, said Grandbois’ presentation reflected these goals by sharing her research and commitment to collaboratively advance the causes of Native people and communities.

Grandbois is one of only 21 doctorally prepared Native American nurses in the United States. She is passionate about her work as a nurse educator, researcher and gerontologist. Grandbois also provided consultation with faculty and staff in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Program.