Gayenell S. Magwood PHD, RN, FAHA, FAAN
Gayenell S. Magwood, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN is a tenured Professor and the Myrtle Irene Brown Endowed Professor of Nursing at the University of South Carolina, College of Nursing, Columbia, SC. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Magwood spent over 23 years at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Dr. Magwood received a Bachelor of Arts from Winthrop University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the Medical University of South Carolina, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Advanced Clinical Nursing from George Mason University, and PhD in Nursing Science from the Medical University of South Carolina, College of Graduate Studies. Dr. Magwood holds a certificate in Faith Community Nursing and a Certificate in Distance Education Program (CDEP) for online teaching. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN) and Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA).
Dr. Magwood is a nationally/internationally recognized nurse scientist and scholar in community engaged health equity research. Early in her career, through her work with Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) and REACH U.S., she became known among her colleagues as an advocate for health equity and social justice. Dr. Magwood was one of 3 nurse leaders across 44 different REACH Programs in the U.S. working together to create health equity. Her team received the National Health Information Award for their work on building Coalitions that effectively facilitated use of local libraries and their staff as community resources for addressing disparities. She has since expanded her portfolio of research funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Heart Association (AHA), and other funding agencies.
Dr. Magwood’s commitment to health equity and the elimination of disparities remains relevant and evident in her program of research, education and advocacy/service activities. She consistently demonstrates excellence and a high level of commitment to engage academic colleagues in her research, but she also engages community leaders in using research to improve health in their communities and serves as an advisor for these various groups. Dr. Magwood has authored/co-authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications, along with numerous published abstracts, and book chapters related to health disparities, health equity and minority health research. Additionally, she has given numerous local, national and international presentations. She is a scientific reviewer for the NIH, several professional journals and an editorial board member. Dr. Magwood is the immediate Past Board President of the Lowcountry AHA affiliate. She is truly a national nurse leader, coach and mentor. As a mentor/educator, Dr. Magwood is committed cultivating enthusiasm and enhancing competencies in the conduct of health-related research, while developing a cadre of scholars prepared to lead socially conscious and culturally informed teams.