DEAN’S LETTER

Leading the college as interim dean wasn’t what I imagined for the year before my retirement. Nevertheless, I am honored that I had the opportunity; it brought me a new level of appreciation for our faculty and staff, students, alumni and donors.

During the last academic year, we welcomed our students back to campus and resumed in-person clinical experiences and other activities. We also completed the college’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategic map; admitted our largest Bachelor of Science in Nursing class; increased the number of tenure track and clinical track faculty; awarded more than $2 million in student scholarships and continued to grow our extramural grant funding.

UC Nursing has been part of my life for about 20 years and I’m forever grateful for the people I met here, the students I mentored, the opportunities and partnerships we created and, ultimately, for our shared commitment to prepare culturally competent nurse leaders to provide safe, quality, accessible and affordable care.

I am excited to introduce Gordon Gillespie, PhD, DNP, RN, FAAN, who has been part of the college’s leadership team for years, as our new interim dean and look forward to watching him take the college further during this assignment. Anyone who has ever had the opportunity to interact with Gordon can understand why I’m so pleased to have a professional like him stepping into this role.

While I have a long to-do list waiting for me outside of work, Procter Hall is forever my home and I plan on remaining involved with the college in as many ways as I can.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve,

Denise K. Gormley

Denise K. Gormley, PhD, RN, FNAP Interim Dean, UC College of Nursing