Azusa Pacific University doctoral student and cardiovascular nurse practitioner Madalynn Baker ’14, DNP ’28, received a prestigious Jonas Scholarship to support her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. Baker is one of only 80 doctoral nursing students nationwide chosen for this prestigious honor by Jonas Nursing and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
The two-year scholarship provides Baker with $12,000 per year toward her tuition, paired with tailored leadership development, mentorship, and networking opportunities to prepare her to transition into nursing faculty and executive healthcare roles.
“We are incredibly proud of Madalynn for earning this well-deserved recognition,” said Diane Newman, grants administrator in the APU College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “Her dedication to healthcare leadership carries forward APU’s proud legacy with the Jonas Scholars program, and we know she will represent our School of Nursing with distinction.”
Baker earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at APU in 2014 and has worked as a cardiovascular nurse practitioner for eight years. Since 2019, she has served as an adjunct faculty member for prelicensure nursing students. Following a severe neck injury in 2024, Baker viewed her recovery as a sign from God to step into greater leadership in the medical field. Baker returned to APU to pursue her DNP and has been continuously encouraged by her APU faculty mentors, Sharon K. Titus, PhD, and Catherine Heinlein, EdD.
“I want more than a degree on paper. I want a rigorous program that challenges me, pushes me beyond my comfort zone, and prepares me to become a stronger clinician, educator, and nurse leader,” Baker said. “I love and appreciate APU’s God First vision and feel like it aligns well with the heart of healthcare. This scholarship is an incredible blessing and an opportunity that will challenge me both personally and professionally. I will grow not only as a nurse practitioner, but also as an educator and mentor, and help shape the next generation of nurses.”
Azusa Pacific University has fielded Jonas Scholars in every cohort since 2016, when APU was among a select group of universities invited by the AACN to nominate candidates. Jonas Nursing and the AACN partner to strengthen healthcare nationwide by expanding the pipeline of PhD- and DNP-prepared nurses equipped to educate the future nursing workforce and address pressing national healthcare challenges.
Baker joins an incredibly talented cohort of doctoral nursing students. This group of 80 Scholars contains a multitude of research interests focused on some of the country’s most pressing challenges, including pediatrics, mental health, and veterans’ health.
About Jonas Nursing
The mission of Jonas Nursing is to enhance the nursing profession by developing nurse leaders who will address the nursing shortage by educating the future nursing workforce and by investing in the health and well-being of our most underserved communities. For more information on Jonas Nursing, visit www.aacnnursing.org/jonas-nursing.
About the American Association of Colleges of Nursing
AACN is the national voice for academic nursing representing more than 890 schools of nursing nationwide. AACN establishes quality standards for nursing education, influences the nursing profession to improve health care, and promotes public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice. For more information about AACN, visit aacnnursing.org and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.
Since 1899, Azusa Pacific University, a top Christian higher education institution in the nation, has helped students discover their higher calling to impact the world for Christ. Featuring world-class faculty, an APU education leads to lifelong transformation and eternal impact. APU offers 49 bachelor’s degrees, 34 master’s degrees, 28 certificates and credentials, and 7 doctoral programs to more than 7,000 students at the university’s main campus in Azusa, several regional locations across Southern California, and online. Learn more at apu.edu.