Learn more about the History of the Cockcroft Fellowship

Amy V. Cockcroft was a visionary leader ahead of her time. During the early 1990s, healthcare was in a chaotic state, not much different than it is today. Amy knew that nurses would need to be prepared to take leadership roles within the healthcare team with ever increasing levels of responsibility. Leadership development would be essential to prepare nurses to lead now and in the future, in roles, she probably could not imagine.

She asked a group of nurse leaders within the College of Nursing in the University of South Carolina to develop such a Fellowship. The group of local nurse leaders came together and envisioned a leadership Fellowship that would transcend time. Core leadership skills and content were defined, and a search began for the right leadership faculty and consultants to teach, guide, and mentor the fellows. The end result was a year long Fellowship that consists of five intensive sessions. These sessions include workshops, small group discussions, readings, self-assessments, and a leadership project.

The inaugural class began in 1995 - 1996 with a group of twelve fellows. Since the inception of the Amy V. Cockcroft Fellowship there have been over 225 fellows who have completed the Fellowship. These fellows reside throughout the United States. They continue to make an impact in healthcare by holding key leadership positions, serving on boards, holding public office, owning their own entrepreneurial practices, and impacting public policy. The Fellowship is as viable today as it was when it began particularly in light of the Institute of Medicine's report on the Future of Nursing and the implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act. The Fellowship continues to develop leaders that are shaping and will continue to shape the healthcare industry in the 21st century and beyond.