MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – SUNY Orange Associate Professor of Nursing and Simulation Coordinator Suzanne Lindau has been named a co-convener of the inaugural SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellowship for the 2024-25 academic year.

Lindau and fellow co-convener Kelly Foltz-Ramos of the University of Buffalo will lead this initial cohort of 11 Fellows who will be looking to further advance SUNY nursing programs in adopting simulation-based education for students while also advancing SUNY’s efforts to prepare more nurses for New York State’s health care workforce – a major objective of Governor Kathy Hochul and SUNY.

“I am extremely happy that Suzanne Lindau was selected as an inaugural SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellow and I can think of no one more capable of representing community college nursing and simulation faculty. This is such a big deal for Suzanne and SUNY Orange,” said Dr. Kristine Young, SUNY Orange president. “I am also not surprised that she was tabbed to serve as one of the program’s co-conveners. She is committed to her students and her colleagues, has elevated our simulation program and has done her very best to assure that graduates from the nation’s oldest ASN program are remarkably prepared for the careers they have chosen.” 

The full SUNY press release is below.

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Chancellor King Announces Inaugural Class of the SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellowship 

Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced the inaugural class of the SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellowship for the 2024-2025 academic year, a key initiative aimed at further advancing SUNY nursing programs in adopting simulation-based education for students. The SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellowship will advance SUNY’s effort to prepare more nurses for New York State’s health care workforce – a major objective of Governor Kathy Hochul and SUNY.

The SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellowship was developed based on recommendations from the SUNY Future of Health Care Workforce Task Force, a group convened to guide SUNY in addressing the critical health care workforce shortage and the Governor’s goal of increasing the health care workforce in New York State by 20%. Following the engagement with over 125 experts across SUNY institutions as well as the health care industry, the Task Force identified four priority areas for short-term action and investment, including fully leveraging nursing simulation.

In May of 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation permitting nursing students to complete up to one-third of their clinical training through high-quality simulation experiences.

“By making it possible for nursing students to fulfill one-third of their clinical requirements through high-quality simulation, Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State legislature truly took a significant step forward in addressing the health care workforce shortage in New York State,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “The SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellowship will prepare more of our extraordinary faculty members to lead efforts on their own campuses and across SUNY to prepare more nurses in order to meet New York State’s health care needs.

SUNY Board Trustee Eric Corngold said, “Across our system, SUNY has incredibly robust nursing programs, and this fellowship will ensure that these programs remain at the forefront of innovation and impact in educating the next generation of nurses. These fellows hold the unique power to influence SUNY’s nursing simulation programs for the better so our students are consistently prepared for the incredibly rewarding career ahead of them.”

The following SUNY faculty members were selected for the inaugural cohort of SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellowship:

• Amanda Adams,SUNY Upstate
• Susan Chory,SUNY Farmingdale
• Holly Farwell,SUNY Broome
• Kelly Foltz-Ramos,University at Buffalo
• Debra Giugliano,Stony Brook University
• Kady Hoistion,SUNY Jefferson
• Suzanne Lindau,SUNY Orange
• Ashley Molina,Corning Community College
• Disa Seymour,SUNY Plattsburgh
• Lori-Marie Sprague,SUNY Binghamton
• Carlene Williams,SUNY Suffolk

In addition to advancing their knowledge and skills in simulation education, Fellows will have the unique opportunity to shape the future of simulation-based learning across the SUNY system. Through their expertise, they will contribute to the development of the SUNY Simulation Shared Resource Library, a central repository of nursing simulation resources that will benefit nursing programs system-wide. Fellows Kelly Foltz-Ramos from the University at Buffalo and Suzanne Lindau from SUNY Orange have been selected as Co-Conveners to help lead this important work.

The SUNY Simulation Shared Resource Library will include vetted simulation scenarios spanning various specialties, teaching strategies, simulation education best practices, and more. The library will enhance the quality and diversity of simulation experiences for nursing students while increasing faculty capacity to support simulation operations beyond scenario creation, such as simulation space management, technical operations, and running simulation labs with students.

SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellow and Co-Convener Kelly Foltz-Ramos said, “Leading the development of a shared resource to elevate simulation-based learning across SUNY is an exciting opportunity to empower faculty with high-quality tools, expand simulation for nursing students, and prepare them to meet the demands of an evolving health care landscape. Through this fellowship, we’re not only enhancing our programs, but also redefining what is possible in nursing education for all SUNY students.

SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellow and Co-Convener Suzanne Lindau said, “I appreciate SUNY taking the lead on this endeavor because it will benefit all SUNY nursing students immensely. We all recognize that New York State needs more qualified and trained nurses, and SUNY is in a position to help address that need on a large-scale basis. Simulation plays such a critical role in preparing our students to be compassionate, skilled, and trusted caregivers. Bringing together nursing faculty from four-year and two-year campuses will allow us to share what we do at our own institutions; learn what innovative practices our colleagues have developed and support all campuses in using simulation to its fullest. I look forward to collaborating with the team.”

Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Senate Higher Educations Committee said, “This workforce initiative is what I envisioned when the Governor signed my Nursing Simulation bill into law in May 2023. By allowing nursing students to complete up to one-third of their clinical requirement through a simulation experience we will be able to effectively and efficiently train the next generation of nurses. Modern simulation training technology is comprehensive and continuing to improve, and it is time we utilize these tools to address the nursing shortage throughout the state.”

Senator Gustavo Rivera said, "The SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellowship will equip our future nurses with the innovative tools they need to confront the challenges of tomorrow. I commend the SUNY Future of Health Care Workforce Task Force for their efforts, and we must continue to make meaningful improvements in how we deliver health care in our state while addressing the workforce shortage.”

Assemblymember Patricia Fahy, Chair of the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Higher Education, said, “Congratulations to SUNY’s Inaugural Nursing Simulation Class and thank you to each of them for stepping up to serve our communities in the health care field. As part of our multi-pronged approach to addressing the health care workforce shortages, I was proud to help move the nursing simulation bill out of the higher education committee and it’s already making a difference. I’m looking forward to seeing even more students take advantage of this technology in the future.”

Assemblymember Amy Paulin, Chair of the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health said, “I’ve witnessed high tech nursing simulation programs and it’s an incredible experience to see them. Nursing students are getting such a high level of education and training in New York State through programs like the SUNY nursing simulation program. Innovative programs such as these also help address our health care workforce shortage. I thank Governor Hochul and Chancellor King for recognizing this opportunity and supporting the SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellowship.”

Assembly Member Karines Reyes, R.N., Chair of the Assembly & Senate's Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force, said, “I applaud Chancellor John King and SUNY's leadership on this very important initiative. As an active-duty nurse, I am well aware of the negative impacts that the nursing and health care worker shortage can have on patient outcomes. This initiative, meant to enhance SUNY's existing health care programs, will guarantee that faculty can gain access to critical skills that can be applied in settings, as they train our state's nursing students. This change will put New York at the forefront of health care delivery and improve care outcomes for patients."

Assemblymember Aileen M. Gunther said, “Improving workforce development in health care is a critical need for New York State. Understaffed hospitals often lead to serious consequences, and the SUNY Nursing Simulation Fellowship will help address the hiring gap. As a nurse, I understand firsthand the vital role nurses play as the backbone of our health care system, providing an invaluable service. I support efforts that make the profession more accessible to all students while maintaining high standards of care. I applaud SUNY Chancellor King and Governor Hochul for their commitment to putting more nurses in positions to care for New Yorkers.”

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “I’d like to thank SUNY for creating the Nursing Simulation Fellowship. Allowing up to one-third of clinical training to be simulation-based was an important step towards preparing more nurses to enter the state’s health care workforce. Now, through this initiative, faculty will be better prepared to lead the effort to use experiential-based simulation training. Students and faculty alike benefit from this valuable, hands-on learning experience, one that also addresses our growing workforce demand.”

About The State University of New York 

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.