Beginning with the end in mind: cultivating minority nurse leaders

In response to the need for increased racial and ethnic diversity in the nursing profession, the Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) established the Making a Difference in Nursing II (MADIN II) Program. The aim of the MADIN II Program is to improve the diversity of the nursing workforce by expanding nursing education opportunities for economically disadvantaged underrepresented minority (URM) students to prepare for, enroll in, and graduate from the DUSON's Accelerated Bachelors of Science in Nursing program. Adapted from the highly successful Meyerhoff Scholarship Program model, the program is to cultivate URM nursing graduates with advanced knowledge and leadership skills who can address health disparities and positively influence health care issues currently plaguing underrepresented populations. The article discusses the MADIN II framework consisting of four unique components: recruitment of students, the Summer Socialization Nursing Preentry Program, the Continued Connectivity Program, and the Succeed to Excellence Program, providing a framework for other academic programs interested in cultivating a pipeline of minority nurse leaders.