Jeanmarie Koonts
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Department: Nursing
Email: jkoonts@elon.edu
Phone number: (336) 278-6422
Professional Expertise
Brief Biography
Professional Expertise: Maternal-Child Nursing
A Registered Nurse with more than 37 years of experience in the maternal-child area, Professor Koonts has held a variety of clinical and academic positions throughout her professional career, including Registered Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Perinatal Case Manager, Adjunct and Clinical Nursing Faculty, Nursing Consultant, and an Interim Dept. Head of Nursing, Director of Clinical Education, and Nurse Educator. With more than 16 years of experience in academia in prelicensure nursing programs, Professor Koonts is the recipient of several honors and awards, including the adjunct of the year award, an Excellence in Teaching Award, and two nursing faculty awards presented by students. Additionally, Professor Koonts holds a national certification in nursing education (CNE).
Professor Koonts is passionate about nursing education, her family, travel, and is always happy to share her office with students and dessert with friends. She considers it an honor and privilege to have played and to play a part in the education of future nurses and is a true believer in the quote:
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest accomplishment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around:
She believes this quote applies not only to the lives nurses' touch but also to her relationship as faculty with nursing students.
Links
News & Notes
Education
Professor Koonts received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Western Carolina University and her Master's of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a current Doctorate of Education candidate with a focus on teaching and learning at South University.
Employment History
Courses Taught
You can find Professor Koonts in a variety of nursing courses.
Including NRS2100 Foundations Lab, NRS2200 Health Assessment Class and lab, Elon 1010- the first year experience, NRS3100 Medical-Surgical Nursing Lab, NRS4000 Healthcare Relationships I, and NRS4300: Healthcare Relationships II in a global context, NRS4800 Pathways to Practice and NRS4400 Reproductive Health. She serves as the course chair for NRS4400: Reproductive Health.
She has taught courses for both the BSN and ABSN cohorts and across all levels of the program.
Leadership Positions
During her time at Elon, Professor Koonts has served as Interim Department Chair, Director of Clinical Education and assistant to the Interim Chair.
She currently serves as the Faculty Chair for the Department's Student Affairs Committee (2021-present), the faculty advisor for Club Nursing and the faculty advisor for Elon's Nursing Student Association.
She is a department course chair and serves on a variety of departmental and SHS committees. She is a current member of the University's Religious and Spiritual Life Committee.
Research
Current Projects
Professor Koonts is passionate about the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Her engaged classroom style and research interests lie in out-of-the-box classroom initiatives that not only engage the learner but serve to move the needle on holistic nursing care and education. Her puzzle project, group testing, the intersectionality of health and faith, and global/intercultural nursing education are current hallmarks of her scholarly work.
Additionally, she is passionate about the students she teaches. As chair of the department's Student Affairs committee, faculty advisor for Elon's Club Nursing, and faculty advisor for ESNA (Elon's Student Nursing Association), as well as a mentor for nursing students pursuing Elon's leadership ELR, she regularly works to promote, engage, and develop student programs including inauguaral programs for nursing tutoring and nursing tours
Grants Awarded
Professor Koonts has been the recipient of several grants, including an NC Area Health Education Grant, two Elon Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion grants, and an Interfaith America Scholars award and grant for Bridging Faith and Health.
She, along with 3 colleagues across the university, is currently part of a team who are the recepients of a $60,000 Interfaith America Faith and Health Campus Grant, working to develop Religious Literacy and Dialogue in Prehealth students.
Publications
Professor Koonts is the author of "Oh that Blessed Baby": Childbirth Experiences of In Vitro Fertilization Couples.
She also had a featured article in the 2024 Elon President's Report
Presentations
Professor Koonts has presented in a variety of peer-reviewed regional and national locations.
She was selected as a 2023 Elon SOTL showcase presenter for her engaged teaching activity: Puzzle Project. She also presented the Puzzle Project at the 2024 Southeastern Nurse Education Symposium.
Professor Koonts also presented her work on highlighting nursing student skill retention at the 2024 National Nurse Educator Summit
Professor Koonts presented her work on Intercultural learning at the 51st Annual Transcultural Nursing Conference 2025 in Seattle, Washington
Professor Koonts presented her work on using simulation to develop faith-based learning in 2026 at the NC Simulation Conference in Carolina Beach, NC
Professional Activities
Professor Koonts is a member of the NC Nurses Association, the American Nurses Association, the National League for Nursing, the NC Student Nurses Association, the National Student Nurses Association, and the Association of Women's Health, Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurses.
She is also a member of the Alamance Community College Nursing Advisory Board.
Service Activities
Personal Information
Skills
Professional Development
Awards
Professor Koonts is the recipient of the Alamance Community College Adjunct of the Year Award, an Elon Nursing department Excellence in Teaching award, and two Nurse Educator Awards awarded to her by students.
She has been named as an Inaugural Faith and Health Scholar for Interfaith America for the 2024-2025 academic year.
She was also selected to represent the School of Health Sciences in the 2024 President's Report to highlight her engaged teaching and learning.
Professor Koonts is the recipient of the 2026 School of Health Sciences Excellence in Teaching/Mentoring Award.