From the Dean

Spring came early in Maryland this year. The trees in the School of Nursing’s courtyard on Lombard Street were in the full glory of their pink blooms in mid-February and almost past their peak by the first week of March. It seemed a visual reminder of the speed with which time passes – rocketing by at a pace that confounds one’s sense of the clock or calendar. While this is my last “spring” as dean, I will continue to cherish the opportunity to be a part of the legacy of this amazing school and its people – our alumni, students, faculty, and staff.

At the end of January, we celebrated the newly expanded footprint of the School of Nursing building in Baltimore, designed to meet the needs of our changing and growing student population – the next generation of nurses. And we celebrated two exceptional pioneering nurses and alumnae, whose names have been inscribed on the stone façade of that addition: the Honorable Shirley Nathan Pulliam, DHL (Hon.), MAS, BSN ’80, RN, FAAN; and the late Esther E. McCready, DPS (Hon.) ’15, DIN ’53 (see “Seeds of Change,” opposite page).

During our ceremony, I spoke of how we stand on the shoulders of these two pioneers. Through their bold actions, perseverance, and abiding commitment to equity and justice, they made indelible contributions to nursing and to health care in Maryland and the nation. We titled our celebration “Seeds of Change” to honor the enduring nature of their legacies and as a reminder that change often comes through steady, incremental steps over time.

As I look back on my tenure as dean, I am struck by the changes we have experienced. The diversity of our student body has grown and reflects the changing diversity of our population. We have transitioned advanced practice nursing to the doctoral level and increased opportunities for nursing practice and leadership. We revised the curriculum with new emphasis on the importance of the social determinants of health. Our researchers have advanced scientific knowledge, from new understanding of the nature of pain to the potential therapeutic roles of virtual reality and placebos. We have developed new insight into preserving functionality in older adults and generated evidence-based practices in support of this. And we are building a body of scholarship around what constitutes great teaching and how best to foster student learning and engagement. These are all contemporary “seeds of change” and the building blocks of the future of nursing.

I am inspired by these changes and comforted by what endures – the deep commitment to excellence and to competent and compassionate care. I have every confidence that the School of Nursing will continue to move forward boldly, with each new generation standing on the shoulders of those who have come before and continuing to sow the seeds of change that will shape the future. It has truly been a joy and an honor to have served as your dean. I am forever grateful to each of you for all that you have done and all that you will continue to do on behalf of the University of Maryland School of Nursing and the individuals, families, and communities we serve.

© University of Maryland School of Nursing, 2023

Jane M. Kirschling, The Bill and Joanne Conway Dean