Associate Professor Denise Coppa has been selected to receive one of the greatest recognitions of accomplishment in the nursing profession, induction as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. Coppa is the latest College professor to achieve the honor, joining nine others. That number is up from two just five years ago.

Coppa’s interests are focused on the care of medically underserved clients. Her research interests have been in the areas of home-based primary care and social determinants of health.

Among her many projects is the Advanced Nursing Education Workforce Program, which places nurse practitioner students in community health centers to provide primary care and behavioral health services, under the supervision of professionals in the centers. It is federally funded by a $2.7 million HRSA grant.

Invitation to fellowship recognizes a nursing leader’s accomplishments in the profession. It is bestowed upon only about 2,400 nursing leaders in education, administration, practice and research. Coppa will be inducted during a virtual ceremony in October.

“This is an important acknowledgment of her outstanding contributions and impact on nursing and health,” Dean Barbara Wolfe said. “Dr. Coppa has had an enormous influence in shaping the full scope of practice for nurse practitioners in R.I., and transforming the state’s APRN workforce to enhance education in primary care for the medically underserved.”