Dr. Susan D. Newman PhD RN CRRN FAAN is a Health Sciences Endowed Professor at the University of South Carolina College of Nursing (USC CON). Dr. Newman is a Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse. As a rehabilitation nurse and researcher, Dr. Newman’s work has centered on partnering with people with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities to improve health, independence, and community inclusion. 

Using a community-engaged research approach, Dr. Newman's research primarily investigates the role of peer mentoring in the process of adapting to life with a spinal cord injury and learning to self-manage consequences of the injury successfully to improve community participation and quality of life outcomes. She has received research funding from NIDILRR, NIH, AHRQ, and the Rehabilitation Nursing Foundation. 

Recently, she received funding from the Duke Endowment to support a multi-year initiative to increase pathways into nursing for people with disabilities at the USC CON. The program will begin with a summer immersion experience for high school, college and second-degree students with disabilities who are interested in nursing careers. Students will train in clinical skills, learn about health equity, and explore assistive technologies and disability rights in the college’s state-of-the-art simulation center. Licensed nurses with disabilities will also be supported through career development resources, peer mentorship and advocacy tools. 

Dr. Karen Worthy is a Professor at the USC College of Nursing with 28 years of nursing experience and 18 years in nurse education. A proud five-time USC graduate, her work focuses on health equity, social justice, supporting underrepresented students, and advancing simulation in nursing education.

She served as the principal investigator for StAND-UP: SC, a CDC-funded $2.45M health equity initiative to increase diversity in South Carolina’s nursing workforce. Dr. Worthy is a Certified Nurse Educator, active leader in Sigma and the Midlands Black Nurses Association, and an Adjunct Facilitator with the Harvard Center for Medical Simulation.

Her global engagement includes recent keynote work in Lagos, Nigeria, and educational collaborations across Europe and Central America. 

Dr. Worthy’s selected awards and recognitions include the South Carolina Nurses Association’s Daisy Award for Health Equity (2025), USC CON Outstanding Equity and Justice Inquiry Award (2025), Outstanding Clinical Scholar Award (2025), Sigma Region 7 Star Performance (2025), Innovation Award (2024), Diversity in Nursing Leadership Fellowship (2024), Community Engagement Award (2023 & 2017), Outstanding Equity and Justice Advocacy (2022), and USC Clinical Practice Teaching Award (2018).

The sponsorship levels are broken down into tiers, and descriptions for each are available in this link as well.

Please be sure to read through the options clearly, as you may have to make more than one selection (dependent on tier).