Dr. Iheduru-Anderson selected to be inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing

Dr. Kechi Iheduru-Anderson has been selected to become a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (Academy). Dr. Iheduru-Anderson is a professor and a professor and the Inaugural Director of the RN-to-BSN Nursing Program in The Herbert H. & Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions. Induction into the Academy is a significant milestone in a nurse leader’s career in which their accomplishments are honored by their colleagues within and outside the profession. Fellows are selected based on their significant contributions and impact to advance the public’s health.

The Academy is a policy organization and an honorific society that recognizes nursing's most accomplished leaders in policy, research, practice, administration, and academia. Academy Fellows hold a wide variety of influential roles in health care and collectively they contribute their thought leadership to develop sound policy that help to achieve the Academy’s vision of healthy lives for all people.   

 Dr. Iheduru-Anderson is a recognized leader in nursing education and equity. She is an Inaugural Fellow of the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing and a Fellow of the Association of Black Nurse Faculty Leadership and Public Policy Mentoring Fellowship. Her research focuses on advancing equity and inclusion through antiracism in nursing practice, leadership, and education. Her work has been cited over 1,000 times and continues to influence the field at national and international levels.

Dr. Iheduru-Anderson has earned numerous honors for her scholarship and leadership. In 2024, she was inducted into the Sigma Nursing International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. Additional accolades include the ANA-Massachusetts Excellence in Nursing Education Award (2016), Central Michigan University’s College of Health Professions Faculty Excellence Award (2021), and the Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing Research.

In 2023, DNPs of Color honored her legacy and impact by establishing a national named award, the Dr. Iheduru-Anderson Scholar Award, in recognition of her outstanding scholarly contributions to the nursing profession. That same year, she also received the Excellence in Academic Leadership Award from the Association of Black Nurse Faculty, Inc., and the Exemplary Research and Scholarship Award from Central Michigan University’s Office for Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The newest Fellows, selected from a sizeable and competitive pool of applicants, represent 42 states, the District of Columbia, and 12 countries. Their unique expertise will soon bolster the collective impact of over 3,200 Academy Fellows. 

Dr. Iheduru-Anderson and the 2025 inductees will be recognized for their substantial, sustained, and significant contributions to health and health care at the Academy’s annual Health Policy Conference, taking place on October 16 – 18, 2025 in Washington, DC during the Induction Ceremony on the evening of October 18th. After the ceremony, the new inductees can use their FAAN (Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing) credential, the most prestigious recognition in nursing.

Learn more about the Academy and visit the policy conference website for more details. For individuals interested in attending the Induction Ceremony, tickets can be purchased online.

About the American Academy of Nursing

The American Academy of Nursing serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 3,200 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia.