Lisa Woodley, PhD, MSN, associate professor of nursing and a member of the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, received a faculty award for global excellence from UNC Global. The award recognizes exceptional contributions to the University’s mission of “leading change to improve society and to help solve the world’s greatest problems.”
Vice Provost for Global Affairs and Chief Global Office Barbara Stephenson presented the awards during a reception with faculty, staff, alumni and families in the FedEx Global Education Center.
Lisa Woodley: Global Education, UNC School of Nursing
With more than three decades of experience in nursing education and 35 years as a practicing pediatric and adult care nurse, Lisa Woodley is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of nurses — from North Carolina to Norway and beyond.
As the UNC School of Nursing’s first global education coordinator, Woodley is passionate about teaching nursing students the importance of understanding different cultures as a health care professional. A recipient of multiple curriculum development awards for Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) from UNC Global Affairs and a COIL Faculty Fellow, she has integrated COIL into the Carolina nursing curriculum — reaching more than 750 students at Carolina — partnering with universities in Norway and Brazil. The courses have helped ensure that students learn to navigate global health care challenges before entering the workforce.
“Even if a nurse decides to stay in Chapel Hill their whole career, it doesn’t mean they won’t be working with patients and families who come from other areas of the world,” Woodley said. “Patients generally have better outcomes when they can trust that their caretakers understand their culture.”
According to the World Health Organization, “health is a fundamental human right and emphasizes the need for health care professionals to develop global competencies.” Woodley has worked to realize that vision at Carolina and beyond.
“Lisa is a champion for global partnerships, global education, and global research. I am truly honored to be a part of a team that teaches students about culturally responsive nursing care, which is essential to their future practice,” said Gabrielle Grant, nursing student, PhD candidate, and COIL graduate fellow.
As a COIL Faculty Fellow, Woodley has mentored other nursing faculty across disciplines. At SON, she has been instrumental in securing grants to grow and strengthen COIL in the nursing school, including a four-year UTFORSK Grant from the government of Norway, a three-year Erasmus Grant from the European Union, and the Norwegian Virtual Exchange Panorama Grant from the government of Norway.
According to her colleagues, Woodley’s leadership has not only strengthened UNC-Chapel Hill’s nursing program but also inspired other institutions to consider COIL as a vital part of pre-health education, helping cultivate a stronger generation of future medical professionals.
Read the full story from UNC Global Affairs.