Jennifer Ort, D.N.S., RNC MN-N

Jennifer Ort is helping build McDaniel’s new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) program to educate the next generation of nurses in the state of Maryland. She brings with her practical experiences as a nurse and a long history as a nursing professor. She holds an A.A.S. in Nursing from Frederick Community College, a B.S.N. from Dominican University, an M.S. in Nursing Education from Mercy University, and a D.N.S. from Russell Sage College.

Since the age of 5, I was encouraged by my grandmother to be a nurse. It wasn’t until years later that I learned she had wanted to be a nurse but, as an immigrant in the early 20th century, it was an opportunity not afforded her. As a nurse, my specialty is maternal newborn and pediatric nursing, which lend themselves to my teaching focuses, although I do teach across the curriculum. I also specialize in curriculum development and assessment.

Before coming to McDaniel, I spent the past 13 years as an associate professor of Nursing at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, Connecticut. I first started my nursing career as a graduate of Frederick Community College, so returning to Maryland is a wonderful blessing.

I learned of McDaniel College’s plan to start a new Nursing program through my son, whose sister-in-law works at McDaniel. Nursing is my passion, and being able to teach, inspire, mentor, and advocate for others who want to be part of this great profession inspires me every day. Being part of building a Nursing program from the ground up, incorporating best practices not only for nursing education but for student success, is exciting. When I first visited McDaniel, I knew I belonged here. Everyone from the administration to faculty and staff greeted me like we were old friends, and in the short time we’ve had together, I’ve felt a sense of community belonging.

For me, it’s more than just the material I teach, or the test preparation advice I can give for licensure. It’s about helping students identify who they are as a person, because this will allow them to better care for people who are different from them. I want my students to have passion for nursing, and to understand the need for compassion, empathy, and kindness in the best and worst of times.