Gift from Kimberly Hall, FNP, DNP '19, and her family enhances access to global experiences for nursing students

A gift from the Hall family, including Kimberly Hall, FNP, DNP’19, her husband Bruce Hall, and their children, will make international clinical nursing experiences more accessible to students at the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing through the establishment of the Hall Family Global Nursing Fund.

The new fund is a big boost for global health programs at UMass Chan Medical School, which are invaluable educational experiences for graduate nursing students. International opportunities currently include the UMass Chan Dominican Republic (DR) Health Initiative, an interprofessional, team-based course for both nursing and medical students that addresses food insecurity and related health care needs of underserved migrant communities in the Dominican Republic, with an emphasis on cultural respect.

“Global health pathways provide our nursing students with the ability to gain perspectives about global health needs from different cultures and ethnic groups to improve care, build cultural humility, consider health disparities and ethical considerations, and work collaboratively with professionals to improve access, resources, and advocacy for quality health care,” said Jean Boucher, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, professor of nursing and coordinator, Global Health Pathway program, and a leader of the DR Health Initiative. “Students can also apply this knowledge and learning to similar situations in our own local communities.”

“My participation in the DR Health Initiative has been instrumental in fostering my development as a young nursing leader,” said Joe Tulip, a third-year nurse practitioner student in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. “Working within an interprofessional team of students, I have experienced exponential growth in my leadership abilities, which can be translated into practice as a new nurse practitioner.

“During my studies, I delved into the country’s health infrastructure and developed health education materials specifically tailored to address HIV and coping skills,” Tulip said. “My research culminated in a DNP project focused on implementing an adapted psychological first aid training program for community health workers and doctors in the Dominican Republic.”

Expanding global experiences at UMass Chan

The Hall Family Global Nursing Fund will support travel expenses and stipends for UMass Chan nursing students engaged in global health programs. In addition to the Dominican Republic, international experiences in Armenia, Romania, Ghana and Tanzania are in the planning stages.  

“We hope to establish a formal pathway to provide financial support to nursing students seeking global health clinical experience,” Kimberly Hall said. “We want all students to have access to these opportunities. It’s about equity for students, as well as supporting global health initiatives.”

Dr. Hall, who is on faculty at the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing, feels passionately about the role of nursing within global health, which generally is defined as study, research and practice that aims to improve the health of people around the world.  

“Nursing is the backbone of global health. Period,” Dr. Hall said.

Volunteer experience in Tanzania proves life-changing

Her passion for global health stems from her own experience providing volunteer support to a hospital in rural Tanzania operated by the non-governmental organization FAME Africa. For her DNP doctoral scholarly project, Dr. Hall helped to establish a diabetes clinic within the hospital, and still goes back regularly to provide support. The clinic has been very successful, evolving into a de facto chronic disease management clinic.

This life-changing experience came about by chance on a family trip to Tanzania, when Dr. Hall was introduced to the founders of FAME Africa and visited the hospital. Given her 30 years of experience as a diabetes nurse practitioner, the founders asked if she would return to help get a diabetes clinic up and running. The hospital is run entirely by Tanzanians, with non-Tanzanians involved on a consulting basis only. Dr. Hall hopes to develop global health opportunities for UMass Chan students in the hospital.

“When I went to Tanzania in 2015, I was totally unprepared for what I saw. They’re doing an amazing job with the resources that they have. Here in the United States, we over-depend on technology, and we don’t even know it. There, you need to be creative and adapt what you’ve learned. Flexibility is essential. In global health, everyone does everything.”

That’s a critical lesson that students learn during global health experiences, along with skills that are transferable to work in local communities.

“We live in a global society, and there are so many opportunities to perform global health here at home,” Dr. Hall said. “The students gain skills that are applicable to so many settings, even in our own environment. It gives true meaning to ‘think globally, act locally.’”

Support the Hall Family Global Nursing Fund

To maximize the impact of their gift, the Halls are matching all donations directed to the Hall Family Global Nursing Fund, up to $50,000, until Dec. 31, 2025. Please give online or contact Louisa Morris at 774-370-8782 or louisa.morris2@umassmed.edu.