Mississippi State University-Meridian’s Kayla Carr was recently named a 2024 Fellow by the American Academy of Nursing, a competitive honor society that recognizes accomplished nurse leaders for their contributions to improve healthcare and advance health policy.

A nursing professor and director of the Accelerated Master of Science in Nursing program in MSU-Meridian’s new School of Nursing, Carr joins two colleagues already inducted as AAN Fellows, Alaina Herrington, associate professor of nursing and director of simulation and clinical affairs, and Mary Stewart, dean of the School of Nursing.

AAN President Linda D. Scott said induction into the academy represents the highest honor in nursing.

“Earning the FAAN (Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing) credential is a significant recognition of one’s accomplishments and signifies the future impact they will make in collaboration with their colleagues in the academy,” she said.

The 2024 Class of Fellows was selected from a competitive pool of applicants, representing a cross-section of nursing’s most dynamic leaders who are making positive change in their systems and communities to champion health and wellness, Scott said.

Carr will be inducted as a Fellow at the academy’s annual Health Policy Conference to be held Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 in Washington, D.C.

“This recognition holds profound significance for me, not only as a culmination of years of dedication to nursing, but also as an affirmation of the collective impact nurses can make in healthcare,” she said. “It’s been a true joy to serve patients and families in Mississippi, and I look forward to engaging in service and leadership in the academy.”

Stewart said that for a decade she has witnessed Carr’s unique contributions to advancing health equity through access to nursing care for children and families marginalized by race, geography, gender identity and other social stigmas.

“A seasoned nurse practitioner, Dr. Carr will continue to guide replication of impactful, sustainable healthcare delivery models via school-based, mobile and telehealth means to patients in need,” Stewart said. “I am confident her leadership and accomplishments will increasingly improve policy, challenge barriers to care, and achieve health equity for all people.”

A board-certified family nurse practitioner through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Carr has secured $1.7 million in funding to support school-based clinics and nursing education initiatives, consistently maintaining a focus in nurse-led strategies to promote health equity in school-based health and in the care of adolescents and young adults.

The only Mississippian named a 2024 Fellow, Carr joins fellows representing 37 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and 14 countries, bolstering a collective impact of more than 3,000 AAN Fellows.