BATON ROUGE— Southern University's School of Nursing has reached a milestone with the largest class of Black male nurses in the school's history.

Student James Rodgers said it is monumental to be a part of the historic class of 33.

“The diversity of males in healthcare is very important for us. So to be a part of something like this is legendary for us,” Rodgers said.

The cohort of nursing students recently received additional funding from the American Nursing Foundation in the form of a $339,000 grant. The Diversify Nursing Research through Support of Minority Institutions grant, awarded in April, focused on both increasing ethnic minority nurse researchers and expanding the diversity of topics and perspectives. 

The students said they plan to change the face of healthcare while simultaneously overcoming stereotypes.

“Black men can do other things besides football and basketball, or being incarcerated in places like prison, so this is seen as an option that they can have,” nursing student John Babin said.

Many of the students, like Corey Clinton, said that their experience at the school is one of a kind.

"It's a beautiful thing to know that I go to class each day and I'm encouraged to know that there are other students that are able to help me in different classes and tests," Clinton said.

The students are not just making history, but they are answering the call to address the call for representation in minority communities.

Dean Sandra Brown said diversity in healthcare makes all the difference.

“Public trust begins with public health. So, you have to have individuals who are culturally diverse to be able to relate and impact the outcomes of the patients they serve,” Brown said.

The students said they are not just caring for students, but they are making an impact and changing lives.

"I think now other males, younger black males, older males having the opportunity to see what we're doing here is only going to ignite a fire in them and say we have the opportunity to decide our own story and now allow the world to make that decision for us," nursing student Ray Washington said.

The students said that this is just the beginning of the groundbreaking work to come in the field of health.