Dr. Patience J. Mbulu
Dr. Patience J. Mbulu is originally from Nigeria, born and raised in a small village by two very loving parents, who were uneducated and could not read or write. Although they were uneducated, they were determined to ensure that she received some education. She migrated to the United States immediately after high school. She obtained an Associate Degree in Nursing from Montgomery College (MC) nursing program (2000). Upon passing the NCLEX Exam, she worked for a year as an Oncology nurse at Washington Adventist Hospital. In 2001, she was hired by the National Institute of Health (NIH) as a Clinical Research Nurse after a successful completion of the Oncology Nurse Fellowship Program. In 2005 she went on to obtain a BSN and a Master of Science in 2008 (with a focus on Nursing Administration), from the University of Maryland while working at the NIH and raising two children.
Her Master of Science degree was accompanied by two postgraduate certificates in the areas of nursing administration and teaching in nursing and health professions. She left the NIH in 2009 to pursue a career in nursing education at Montgomery College Nursing Program. She is currently a Professor of Nursing. She served as the Course Coordinator for the First Medical-Surgical Nursing 2013-2018. She was the chair of the Student Success Committee from 2018 to 2023. She received a doctoral degree in education (EdD with a focus on higher education and adult learning in July (2015), from Walden University. Her research work was on “Retention in Nursing Programs: Factors Contributing to the Academic Success of English as Second Language Students.” The purpose of this research study was to gain insight into the factors that contribute to the academic success of English as a second language students like her who are from other countries in a nursing program. Her inspiration to carry out this study was the hope that her research could contribute to the retention of ESL students and increase the number of minority nurses who will provide care for a diverse population.
She has been featured in several newsletters in both the National Institutes of Health and Montgomery College. She has also been featured in her community newspaper back in Nigeria as the personality of the week. She has been a presenter at the Developmental Education Association of Maryland (DEAM), Spring Conference in Maryland; a poster presentation at the University of Maryland School of Nursing; and the National Association of Medical Minority Educators (NAMME). She was awarded the nurse of the year in 2005, and the nurse preceptor of the year in 2008 by the National Institute of Health (NIH). She has been a guest speaker to foreign students on academic success strategies in a new learning environment, a topic she explored in her doctoral dissertation.
She has been featured in several newsletters in both the National Institutes of Health and Montgomery College. She has also been featured in her community newspaper back in Nigeria as the personality of the week. She has been a presenter at the Developmental Education Association of Maryland (DEAM), Spring Conference in Maryland; a poster presentation at the University of Maryland School of Nursing; and the National Association of Medical Minority Educators (NAMME). She was awarded the nurse of the year in 2005, and the nurse preceptor of the year in 2008 by the National Institute of Health (NIH). She has been a guest speaker to foreign students on academic success strategies in a new learning environment, a topic she explored in her doctoral dissertation.
Creator/Grantee:
Proactive Approach to Student Success (PASS) Proactive Approach to Student Success (PASS) program, an initiative inspired by her doctoral dissertation: (https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/590/). Dr. Mbulu created the Proactive Approach to Student Success (PASS) initiatives through her doctoral work and received grant funds for four semesters from the Holy Cross Foundation. The program has been so successful that the former President of Montgomery College, Dr. Pollard provided feedback that the program should be college-wide.
Proactive Approach to Student Success (PASS) Proactive Approach to Student Success (PASS) program, an initiative inspired by her doctoral dissertation: (https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/590/). Dr. Mbulu created the Proactive Approach to Student Success (PASS) initiatives through her doctoral work and received grant funds for four semesters from the Holy Cross Foundation. The program has been so successful that the former President of Montgomery College, Dr. Pollard provided feedback that the program should be college-wide.
