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Coleman D. Ross

Carol Morde Ross Endowed Distinguished Professorship in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing

The Carol Morde Ross Distinguished Professorship in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing was established in 2013 by Carol and Coleman Ross to provide recognition and support to a faculty member in UNC's School of Nursing focused on psychiatric-mental health nursing care. The following about the honoree and the professorship is from an article, Ross Distinguished Professorship to Honor Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing, in the school’s Fall 2013 Carolina Nursing magazine.

Carol Ross never intended to be a nurse when she transferred from Mary Washington College to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1962. That sentiment may seem odd coming from an advanced practice nurse (APRN) who dedicated decades of her life to alleviating the suffering associated with psychiatric illness and mental health challenges. Yet her journey from a UNC religion major (UNC '64) to an APRN, along with the example of her mother's career in nursing, ultimately led to Carol and her husband Coleman Ross (UNC '65) to create the Carol Morde Ross Distinguished Professorship in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing.

As a young mother with three sons, Carol quickly realized the value of becoming a nurse. While living in Tampa, Florida, Carol returned to school at Hillsborough Community College and earned an associate of science degree in nursing. Yet even when she was completing that degree in 1976, she never imagined working in mental health. "When I was in nursing school, the one thing that I was not going to do was psychiatric nursing," says Carol, MA, APRN, PMHCNS-BC. "I was just terrified of it."

Carol's first nursing position was at a nursing home in Connecticut, where as head nurse she was responsible for the care of sixty patients. Over time, she came to realize that she particularly enjoyed spending one-on-one time with patients, but found it very difficult to do with her administrative responsibilities.

In 1985, Carol returned to school for a third time, this time to earn her master's degree in Counseling from St. Joseph's College in Hartford, Connecticut. Not long after graduating in 1988, she realized her practice could be further enhanced by becoming certified as a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in adult psychiatric-mental health and obtaining her Drug Enforcement Administration license. She then started a private practice that would last for eighteen years. "I loved working in mental health," said Carol. "I realized the power of the therapeutic relationship. I felt that I could really make a difference in someone's life now that I had enough time to work with them."

A desire to care for her ailing mother brought Carol and Coleman back to North Carolina in 2006. Differences in state regulation prevented Carol from launching a private practice because North Carolina denied prescriptive authority to CNSs. Instead she teamed up with a local nonprofit, the Inter-Faith Council for Social Services, and was asked to open a volunteer mental health clinic at the men's homeless shelter in Chapel Hill. The clinic, which opened early in 2008, continues to provide psychiatric care and medications to approximately 300 people annually.

Carol and Coleman began to think about how to make an even bigger impact on mental health practice in the state. Over the years, they maintained a strong connection to UNC through generous donations, creating scholarships at the Educational Foundation and the Kenan-Flagler Business School. In 2004, they created the Eunice Morde Doty undergraduate nursing scholarship to honor Carol's mother. Carol also served the School of Nursing for eight years as a Director of the School of Nursing Foundation Board.

In 2013, Carol and Coleman decided that a professorship would lay a foundation for nurses to provide advanced degrees in psychiatric-mental health. It would also create the powerful and positive legacy that they both wanted for the Morde and Ross families. "Psychiatric-mental health is so underrepresented in nursing," says Carol. "North Carolina desperately needs more mental health providers. I hope that this professorship will lead to more nurses pursuing a career in this field." She was delighted to learn that this professorship is also eligible for matching funds from the state.

The School of Nursing has the only Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program in the state. It is rich in faculty members devoted to practicing in underserved areas, leading the profession in advanced practice, eliminating health disparities, and continuing research that seeks to enhance access to the highest quality of care for all people.

The Professorship will be awarded to a faculty member who is a psychiatric-mental health nursing leader and practices in North Carolina. The Professorship will be committed to improving access to mental health care; ensuring the education of psychiatric-mental health advanced practice nursing; and furthering health policy that supports psychiatric-mental health nursing practice.

Dean Kristen M. Swanson, PhD, RN, FAAN, stated, "Through the generosity of Carol and Coleman Ross, the School of Nursing is well positioned to recruit or retain a faculty member whose teaching, practice, and scholarship focuses on psychiatric-mental health nursing care. Their gift is a vote of confidence in the School and testimony to their desire to assure that our graduate curriculum in psychiatric mental-health nursing will remain excellent.”

With a deep desire to enhance practice and education in the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing, Carol and Coleman have given a gift that will sustain excellence in the School of Nursing for years to come.

Victoria Soltis-Jarrett, PhD, PMHCNS/NP-BC, FAANP, was awarded the Carol Morde Ross Distinguished Professor in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing in June 2015.

The following item appeared in the Summer 2017 Carolina Nursing News titled Carol Morde Ross Distinguished Professorship to Double:

The School of Nursing is excited to announce the expansion of the Carol Morde Ross Distinguished Professorship with the help of the Ross family and their generous donation. Funding for the endowed professorship will double, with the goal being to increase funds to $1 million. The professorship is currently held by Victoria Soltis-Jarrett.

Established by Carol and Coleman Ross in 2013, the fund supports psychiatric-mental health nursing to increase access to care and ensure delivery of the highest quality of that care. The Rosses sought to fill the gaps that exist in the practice of mental healthcare, and their generous doubling of the endowed professorship will surely further these goals.

Many thanks to the Ross family for their generous contributions to the School of Nursing!

At the 2018 UNC School of Nursing Alumni Award & Donor Recognition Ceremony, the school furnished the following about Carol where she was recognized as honorary alumna of the year.

Carol Morde Ross began her education at Mary Washington College before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to receive her bachelor’s in religion in 1964. Her journey from a religion degree to an advanced practice nurse APRN led Carol and husband Coleman Ross (UNC ’65) to over a decade of leadership and service to improve psychiatric mental health care to patients in North Carolina and students and faculty of the UNC School of Nursing

Upon returning to North Carolina from Connecticut and determined to make a difference, Carol teamed up with a local nonprofit, the Inter-Faith Council for Social Services, and opened a mental health clinic at the men’s homeless shelter in Chapel Hill as a volunteer. The clinic, which opened early in 2008, continues to provide psychiatric care and medications to approximately 300 people annually.

While working at the IFC, Carol also began her relationship with the UNC School of Nursing. She established an endowed undergraduate scholarship to honor her mother, who was a nurse and very influential in her life. She served eight years on the School of Nursing Foundation Board of Directors and began working with SON faculty and students; supporting them through clinical placements, networking, advocacy, and philanthropy.

Her admiration and respect for our psychiatric mental health nursing faculty and her desire to continue her advocacy for patients in North Carolina led her to an incredible philanthropic investment in the School. In 2013, Carol and Coleman established the Carol Morde Ross Distinguished Professorship in Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing. This professorship currently supports Dr. Victoria Soltis-Jarrett and the profession in three specific ways – improving access to mental health care; ensuring the education of psychiatric mental health advanced practice nursing; and furthering health policy that supports psychiatric mental health nursing practice.

Carol’s relationship with the School goes beyond that of philanthropist and advocate. She is, in essence, everything an alumna could be. She leads in her profession and dedicated her life to serving the needs of patients. She has invested so much of her time and talent into the School of Nursing, and she advocates for us at every possible opportunity. When it comes to Carolina nursing, Carol’s heart is truly in it!

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