Grace Schneider is an honored recipient of the NEF Jane Eleanor Knox Scholarship for a unique commitment to Nursing and clearly demonstrated leadership potential. Grace obtained both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, whose emphasis on cura personalis or ‘care for the whole person’ shaped her identity as a nurse and servant-leader. She is in her final year of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Marquette University, with a focus in pediatric primary care.

Grace has diverse experiences in pediatric nursing including working in pediatric critical care, home care, and forensic nursing. In these roles she has served on several clinical practice and academic committees on the unit, hospital, and university level. She holds several professional certifications as a certified pediatric nurse (CPN), nurse practitioner (CPNP-PC), pediatric sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE-P) and adult/adolescent sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE-A). She co-leads the Wisconsin Nurses Association anti-human trafficking task force and has been forging partnerships with anti-trafficking efforts throughout the state. She is a proud political advocate, advocating for policies to advance and invest in pediatric health at both a state and national level, traveling to Washington, D.C. and her state capital to partake in advocacy efforts. She also has a passion for education, working as a clinical instructor and sharing her love of pediatric nursing with the next generation of nurses.

Her doctoral work focuses on improving the trauma-informed care and referral processes for youth experiencing sexual abuse and trafficking in urban Milwaukee and surrounding areas. Receiving the Jane Eleanor Knox Scholarship reinforces her commitment to Nursing and inspires her to continue to grow as a nurse leader and advocate for some of our most vulnerable patients. Grace aspires to use her DNP to improve systems impacting the health, safety, and well-being of at-risk youth. Deeply grateful for this opportunity, Grace is committed to honoring the spirit of the Jane Eleanor Knox Scholarship through her dedication to academic excellence and patient care, with the promise to advance the field of pediatric medicine through her determination, leadership, and advocacy efforts.