Now, as she finishes a research summer focused on newborns and the labor and delivery nurses who help bring them into the world, she says she’s drawn to the field that cares for those when they take their first breath.

But her reasoning circles back to that original desire to serve the oldest among us.

“Babies are the future. They’re the next generation and the ones we rely on as we age. We need babies to be healthy and grow into strong adults who can take care of us when we’re older,” she says. “They’re supposed to move society to the next level, create new ideas, and make humankind even stronger.”

It’s why her summer research project, which received support from a Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) award through the Office of Undergraduate Research, studied pharmaceutical methods of neonatal resuscitation and ways to streamline what many nurses describe as a complicated process.

“This is not just a regular Honors project in my heart,” Hsiao says. “This is something that could benefit everyone, including future babies.”

The School of Nursing junior who started her clinical rotations this semester but has been working at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain for nearly two years, surveyed registered nurses and nurse practitioners from throughout the state on their secondary traumatic stress during neonatal resuscitation.

The project was sparked by a conversation with her advisor, Carrie Eaton, about how stressful the process of neonatal resuscitation is for nurses, who are the ones in the delivery room charged with performing the procedure.

When necessary, nurses perform manual CPR on newborns, including chest compressions and giving breaths, Hsiao explains, and when that doesn’t work, they move to pharmaceutical intervention by administering a stimulant to restart the heart.

To determine how much epinephrine, the drug that’s most commonly used, to give the baby, they first need to determine the baby’s birth weight with the umbilical cord not yet cut to estimate the fetal weight.

Simultaneously, in this complex process that requires exceptional teamwork, the nurse assists the resuscitation team with access for medication administration. They also must calculate the correct dose of epinephrine in milligrams per kilogram based on the baby’s weight and then convert it to milliliters for administration – all under intense pressure.

They turn to a flow chart and use the information to figure out the correct dose, she adds. It’s this flow chart she’s most critical of because using it can be a cumbersome challenge in a time of urgency.

Further, there are multiple brands of epinephrine sold to hospitals with each having their own adaptors and connectors to draw up the medication, along with different dosages based on whether it’s administered intravenously or via endotracheal tube.

What’s more, nurses don’t necessarily know which brand is at the ready because it can’t be opened until they need it, making each situation even more unique.

“It’s stressful on the nurses because of what they’re dealing with, but it’s also stressful on the parents. It’s scary to see your child resuscitated right after birth,” Hsiao says. “It’s a heartbreaking scene, and in the free response part of my survey, some labor and delivery nurses mentioned that the toughest part is when the parents see all this happening and they’re not able to provide any comfort or consolation.”

About 10% of newborns require resuscitation. Sometimes it’s unexpected and happens in an uncomplicated pregnancy. Other times the medical team may consider it a probability, as in the case of a pre-term delivery.

Hsiao says her research shows that while all this is happening – in a space of about two minutes, because each second without oxygen can be detrimental – nurses are assessing whether they’ll need to use other pharmaceuticals to counteract a drug or multiple drugs that could have been passed from mother to baby.

“Babies are so delicate,” she says, “to the point that during CPR you can’t even squeeze the air bag too much because their lungs will inflate too far. They have weaker rib cages when doing compressions, and they breathe faster than adults, so their lungs need to be inflated more frequently.”

Hsiao says many of the nurses who filled out her survey indicated they also dread neonatal resuscitation because they don’t have much experience with it. Some hospitals have dedicated teams on standby for emergencies, and nurses who work in the NICU, or neonatal intensive care units, also are well versed. But nurses at small or rural hospitals might seldom need to use it.

Skills get rusty, despite regular training that might be only adequate to begin with, Hsiao adds.

“My heart just broke when I read some of the deeply personal stories from the nurses who participated in the survey,” she says. “I don’t like hearing about babies dying, and I want to prevent that.”

For Hsiao that starts with studying the nursing experience and one day suggesting ways to improve the dosage chart, so more babies can survive.

“To be honest, my parents wanted me to become an MD, but I like nursing because of the patient care side of it,” she says. “Doctors treat the disease, but nurses treat the patient, and I want a connection with my patients. I can’t see myself not going into nursing, it was just a calling.”

Her senior year in 2025-26 will bring a labor and delivery clinical rotation, and for her capstone rotation she says she’s likely to look for a NICU placement.

“I love babies. I’ve always loved babies,” Hsiao says, recalling that the first baby she ever held was her cousin when she was 8 and visiting family in Vietnam. “It just instantly clicked with me once my aunt gave me my cousin to hold. It was so easy. I instantly knew what to do with her in my arms. It was a special feeling.”

UConn Health’s chief diversity officer, Dr. Jeffrey Hines, MD, opened the event with a presentation titled Medical Management of Vulnerable and Underserved Patients: There is No YouTube Video for This.  

Through a series of learning retreats on special populations, such as veterans, LGBT+, and urban youth, UST scholars learn about gaps in services and how to best address them. There is a particular focus on understanding the social determinants of health that impact patient access and care. 

“Students in our program are keenly interested in better understanding the health needs and concerns of underserved rural and urban populations. Personally, I applaud our nursing students who want to be part of the UST team because it takes a special student to take on this commitment along with their already demanding course load. I’ve been involved with UST for five years and have seen the results – believe me, it is well worth it!”
– Dr. O’Neill 

The students also participated in a clinical skills bootcamp at UConn Health Center in Farmington the following day. UST students are expected to participate in at least two community service activities each semester. They may participate in health clinics, community fairs, and educational activities at schools, nursing homes, and other organizations.

At Saturday’s bootcamp, the students went through a series of stations where they learned the skills they will need when they go out into the community.

Six senior nursing students are entering their second and final year in UST. The School of Nursing has the largest group at 15 students compared to the other schools. Dr. Barbara O’Neill, Ph.D., RN, and Nicey Brooks, BSN, RN, UConn UST Scholar ’22, and graduate assistant are the nursing school facilitators for the UST program. 

The Class of 2026 heard from Dean Victoria Vaughan Dickson, Ph.D., RN, FAHA, FHFSA, FAAN; Dr. Jean Coffey, Ph.D., APRN, CPNP, FAAN; Dr. Elizabeth Mayerson, DNP, FNP-BC, CNE; Amanda Moreau, MSN, RN; and Ria Karun ’25 (NUR). 

“The significance of this event is to commemorate the nursing student’s entrance into the clinical component of their education. This is a passage for nursing students to begin their journey into the clinical arena. It marks the time when students are applying the theoretical knowledge that they have learned the past two years to the clinical setting. This is just the beginning, as you will continue to learn your entire career and apply evidence-based practice in real life clinical situations,” states Dr. Coffey.

After students’ names were called and celebrated individually, faculty and clinical staff administered lavender essential oils on their hands, symbolizing spirituality, purification, calmness, and higher consciousness. Students took a quiet moment to reflect on why they made the decision to become a nurse while participating in the traditional “Blessing of the Hands”.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, photos were taken with clinical groups on the steps of Storrs Hall. When asked what she is most excited for entering the next phase of her nursing journey, Julia Puprriqi ’26 (NUR) responds, “getting to see real patients, speaking to people from different backgrounds, and being able to implement our learning outside of classes.”

The words of Florence Nightingale rang true in the 1850s, and they still do now:

“Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all of our lives.” 

The annual Weekend of Welcome (WOW) kicked off on Saturday, August 24th and we congratulated our new nursing Huskies. Out of over 3,800 applicants, 219 exceptional students have been accepted into our program. The Class of 2028, the largest to date, filled up every seat in the Peggy Szczesny auditorium. Nearly every student was in attendance to hear from Dean Dickson, as well as our Director of Student Success, Chelsea Cichocki. Students were welcomed with information on all the schools’ resources from advising to academic support.

“I am thrilled to welcome these impressive nurse leaders into our organization. With exceptional subject matter expertise, each new Fellow will be vital to achieve the Academy’s mission of improving health and achieving health equity by impacting policy through nursing leadership, innovation, and science,” said Academy President Linda D. Scott (Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, FNAP, FAAN). “Induction into the Academy represents the highest honor in nursing. Earning the FAAN (Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing) credential is a significant recognition of one’s accomplishments and signifies the future impact they will make in collaboration with their colleagues in the Academy.” 

The newest Fellows represent 37 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and 14 countries. Their expansive body of knowledge will soon bolster the collective impact of over 3,000 Academy Fellows who, together, leverage their expertise to advance the Academy’s vision of healthy lives for all people. The Health Policy Conference will be taking place on October 31 – November 2, 2024, in Washington, DC. This year’s conference theme is “Courageous Transformations Towards an Equitable Future.” 

Dr. Eileen Carter is an Assistant Professor focused on the engagement of nurses and patients to improve the judicious use of antibiotics and combat antibiotic resistance. Dr. Carter reflected, “It’s truly an honor to receive this award that recognizes my work to engage nurses in antibiotic stewardship and my contributions to academic-practice partnerships.” Dr. Carter currently serves on the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Infection Control and is the only nurse member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Antimicrobial Stewardship Curriculum Subcommittee. Her research has been funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control, and the Robert Leet Patterson and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust. Most recently from 2022-2024, Dr. Carter received funding from the Research Foundation of the Competency and Credentialing Institute to test the feasibility of an implementation strategy to improve nurses’ comprehensive assessment of penicillin allergies, with the goal of improving antibiotic selection. Her work was a Top Featured Poster Abstract at the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Spring 2024 Conference, and she appears on the Antimicrobial Stewardship and Healthcare Epidemiology (ASHE) podcast to further describe her research. In addition to her research, Dr. Carter pioneered an innovative academic-practice partnership program that received the New Era for Academic Nursing Award from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Characterized by a PhD-prepared faculty member dually appointed in a research role between a school of nursing and health system, the academic-practice partnership model has been described as a “significant contribution” and “inspiring” (Finnell & Castner, Nursing Outlook, 2020).

Dr. Mallory Perry-Eaddy is an Assistant Professor whose research focuses on pediatric critical care outcomes as they relate to inflammation and social determinants of health. Receiving her BSN, Certificate in Pain Management, MS, and PhD from the UConn School of Nursing, Dr. Perry-Eaddy has been with the school for many years. she is currently an active member of the International Society of Nurses in Genetics, Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators, American Thoracic Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. In 2022, she was named a National Institute of Health (NIH) PRIDE Functional and Translational Genomics Summer Institute Trainee, and in 2021, Dr. Perry-Eaddy was named a NIH K99/R00 MOSAIC Scholar of which she is currently funded. She is an active member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators, American Thoracic Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine where she is an editorial board member for Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. 

Alumnae Mary Ann Camilleri ‘78, Christine Rodriguez ‘16, ’19, Dr. Lisa A. Wiese ’91, Dr. Jane K. Dickinson ’00, and Lisa A. Davis ‘83 were also selected as 2024 fellows, following a competitive, rigorous application process.   

“We are thrilled to welcome Eileen, Mallory and all of our UConn Nursing Alumni to this prestigious community of nurse leaders,” says Victoria Vaughan Dickson (Ph.D., RN, FAAN), Dean of the School of Nursing. “As one of nursing’s highest honors, the American Academy of Nursing induction is a recognition of the tremendous expertise of these individuals and the impressive contributions they have made throughout their careers to improve the health of individuals and communities, locally and globally.”    

The School of Nursing would like to congratulate these newest Fellows as influential nursing leaders who are advancing health equity for all.     

“A robust, geographically dispersed nurse faculty workforce is essential to producing the nursing workforce needed to meet US health care needs,” the NFLP states. The School of Nursing applies for NFLP funding each year to support nurses pursuing doctoral education who are interested in becoming nursing faculty.

NFLP- eligible students enrolled in either the DNP or PhD programs at UConn may apply for funding in Fall 2024. The NFLP funds cover tuition and other qualified cost for up to five years, with a maximum of $40,000 per year. Students awarded the NFLP funding may cancel 85% of their loan in return for serving four consecutive years as faculty in any accredited school of nursing or precepting advanced practice nursing students within an academic-practice partnership framework for four years.

The Project Director (PD) for this award is Dr. Annette Jakubišin-Konicki (PhD, ANP-BC, FNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN). Dr. Jakubišin-Konicki is the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. The award administration is through the cooperative efforts of the UConn School of Nursing, Financial Aid and Bursar’s Office. The applications, available in fall 2024 will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority funding is given to those with prior NFLP funding, pursuing doctoral nursing education and meeting the eligibility requirements.

“The Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) is essential for expanding nursing training capacity. It supports nursing doctoral education, increasing the pool of qualified nursing faculty. By offering low-interest loans, it encourages doctorally prepared nurses to become effective faculty scholars and reduces the associated financial barriers through loan cancellation.”- Dr. Annette Jakubišin-Konicki

In receiving this award, UConn’s School of Nursing hopes to further expand the accessibility and the capabilities of its students. The opening of the application cycle for the upcoming academic year will occur in August.

For any further information, please contact Dr. Jakubišin-Konicki at annette.jakubisin_konicki@uconn.edu.

The criteria for making it onto the Dean’s list includes: twelve or more calculable credits taken in the semester, rank in upper 25th percentile in School or College and a minimum semester Grade Point Average of 3.000, and no grade below a C, including the actual letter grade awarded in any pass/fail course taken, in the semester.

The Dean’s List recognizes students’ dedication and pursuit of academic excellence.  The UConn School of Nursing is very proud of our students, and we want to take the opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishment of these 173 students. – Dr. Annette T. Maruca, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor

Each school within the university has a different GPA criterion to make it onto the Dean’s list; this semester the School of Nursing required a 4.000 to be eligible for its Dean’s List. To see a complete list of all Schools and Colleges view the Registrars Website.

Please see the list below for the Spring 2024 School of Nursing Dean’s List:

1. Ysabel Agawin
2. Nolan Christopher Alexander
3. Taylor Jade Ashby
4. Morgan Schoenmann Ayoub
5. Lillian Paige Baldieri
6. Courtney Paige Balerna
7. Nicole Elizabeth Ballas
8. Sarah Gwenyth Belanich Barstow
9. Adrianna Marie Bartlett
10. Olivia Avignon Bassi
11. Katelyn Mary Baumgartner
12. Mariel Louise Beebe
13. Sophia Rae Beland
14. Phoebe Elizabeth Bergstraser
15. Julia Camille Berube
16. Melanie Isabelle Bisbee
17. Lena Grace Bosco
18. Megan Lynn Boswell
19. Emma June Bourassa
20. Baylee Brooke Braun
21. Molly Kathryn Brett
22. Julia Rose Brunetti
23. Emily C Bueti
24. Carlyn May Burba
25. Michaela Angel Bureau
26. Matthew Thomas Burrell
27. Lauren Madelyn Canniff
28. Abby Morgan Card
29. Joseph Jackson Celio
30. Nancy Che
31. Elizabeth Grace Clavell
32. Jade T Claxton
33. Alexandria Lynn Conde
34. Alyssa Paige Condon
35. Ashley Rose Coon
36. Braydon Michael Cretella
37. Kailey Noelle Croke
38. Erin Leigh Cronin
39. Allison Cruger
40. Abigail Grace DeKemper
41. Emmalee Patricia Deojay
42. Katherine Marie Devito
43. Halle Marie Dixon
44. Leo Tran Long Doan
45. Victoria Bitally Doncell
46. Tahmia Espinal
47. Lauren Rose Ferguson
48. Samantha Michell Fernandez
49. Nashelee Marie Ferrer
50. Justin Andrew Fifield
51. Willard August Fiore
52. Michael Fiorito
53. Amber Leigh Forgacz
54. Courtney Brooke Garland
55. Madi R Gaynor
56. Abigail Elizabeth Glynn
57. Dana Ann Goldberg
58. Emily Elizabeth Gorman
59. Courtney Michelle Graham
60. Abby Elizabeth Gwizdz
61. Samantha Kelly Halloran
62. Kathryn Grace Hanrahan
63. Jennifer Ann Harden
64. Lyndsey Nicole Hassenfeldt
65. Jessica L. Heller
66. Olivia Joan Hendershot
67. Abby Herkert
68. Brenda Hidalgo
69. Bonita Huang
70. Ehsan Ibet
71. Khadija Ibrahim
72. Kaya Isabella Indyk
73. Pola Luna Indyk
74. Destiny Nicolle Jones
75. Ria Karun
76. April Elizabeth Kelly
77. Kelly McElvaney Kirby
78. Whitney Sara Knight
79. Varada Vijayalaxmi Konappanavar
80. Kristen Elizabeth Konz
81. Caroline Patrice Kopfmann
82. Erin K LaFleur
83. Kylie Hoi Kiu Lam
84. Krystof Jan Lee
85. Sylvia Lemanski
86. Teresa Rose Leopold
87. Jessica Erin Lewis
88. Eliana Likorama
89. Jessica Marianne Link
90. Emily Anna Longtin
91. Melissa Stowell Lowry
92. Maxine Rose Lynch
93. Lauren Mahler
94. Michaela Marie Mahoney
95. Thaiyeba Mahzabin
96. Caitlin Ashley Mancuso
97. Jonathan Shane Marquez
98. Vincent R. Mascoli
99. Luke Joseph Maynard
100. Amanda Elizabeth Mccarthy
101. Molly Joan Mcelhinney
102. Nicole Cathleen McMeekin
103. Paige Michele McNally
104. Allison Christine McSally
105. Emma Hays Meehan
106. Isabela Kamalini Mejias
107. Megan Elisabeth Michael
108. Megan Ann Minicucci
109. Kaelynn Marie Mirabile
110. Caitlin J Miranda
111. Joanna Elizabeth Moomjian
112. Anastasia Mae Mozonski
113. Abigail Anna Mullen
114. Annmaria Rose Murphy
115. Lauren Naclerio
116. Olivia Christine Napoli
117. Hailey Alicen Nardelli
118. Andrea N Ngo
119. Catherine Marie Noonan
120. Elias Ahmad Noori
121. Amber Olgac
122. Kaitlyn Oliveira
123. Emily Anne Olsen
124. Olivia Kate Orphanos
125. Emily Diane Papp
126. Gianna Marie Patino
127. Grace Harrington Pena
128. Riley Peragine
129. Alissa Marie Perdomo
130. Skylar P Phan
131. Hannah Catherine Pierson
132. Madeline Quinn Plumb
133. Erica Lilia Poehailos
134. Mariella Kate Polizzi
135. Samantha Elizabeth Price
136. Behzad Ali Qurbani
137. Izabella Maya Raviv
138. Fernanda Reyes
139. Madison Rocha
140. Kayla Rose Rodriguez
141. Sophia Abigial Rogers
142. Amanda Marie Romero
143. Kayla Peyton Roy
144. Juliana Aurora Sassano
145. Madison Nicole Sastram
146. Elena Rose Schaumburger
147. Nadine Farah Schmitt
148. Abigail Ryan Schwartz
149. Maryam Shabazz
150. Allison Ann Sidell
151. Caitlyn Ashley Sroczenski
152. Ashley Rose Stone
153. Jillian R Sutton
154. Madison Rose Taddeo
155. Gwen Natsumi Takagi
156. Karen Lorraine Tirgrath
157. Mary K Tobin
158. Rosa K. Tomasto
159. Hailey Tompkins
160. Hannah Victoria Trocchi
161. Michael Tufano
162. Zaheer Uliv Turtem
163. Dana Usarz
164. Victoria Maria Vidal
165. Lucy Marie Weissauer
166. Emma Marie Wilke
167. Madeleine Maeve Willett
168. Frances Seaver Wilson
169. Benjamin Avery Wood
170. Alex N Young
171. Lauren Margaret Young
172. Carolyn Anne Zimmer
173. Catrina Lynn Zinni

Congratulations to all UConn students receiving this distinctive honor!

The AACN Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award recognizes significant innovation and excellence in teaching and learning approaches in nursing education. The award is given to educators with five or more years of experience in a faculty position, holding a doctoral degree in nursing or related discipline, or a master’s degree in nursing. Award recipients have demonstrated success in acting as a role model for creating and sustaining a culture in nursing education.

Dr. Kelley was recognized for her strategic vision and achievement as a nursing leader integrating innovation theory and application content into the core curriculum of all nursing degree programs at the University of Connecticut, School of Nursing. Dr. Kelley was appointed as the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation Visiting Professor for Innovations and New Knowledge in 2018 and charged with completing this strategic initiative. Since her appointment Dr. Kelley’s has led numerous innovative initiatives for both undergraduate and graduate students. In addition to providing innovation lectures in all degree programs, she leads the Honors Innovation Thesis pathway that provides undergraduate students the option to pursue a nursing innovation idea for their honors thesis.

Dr. Kelley has developed, implemented, and serves as the director of the Healthcare Innovation Online Graduate Certificate Program that brings together healthcare professionals who share a common goal of developing innovative solutions to address complex patient care issues.  A seed grant opportunity created by Dr. Kelley provides support to Healthcare Innovation graduate students in their innovation development efforts. The annual Healthcare Innovation award recognizes notable students and faculty for these innovation efforts.

Most recently, Kelley was awarded a common curriculum grant to develop Introduction to Healthcare Innovation, a course for undergraduate students across the University to explore healthcare innovation early in their academic pursuits.

“The opportunities to create positive change in nursing and healthcare are quite vast and noted amongst the nursing profession and healthcare industry. Yet, nurses and healthcare professionals must be prepared on how to create impactful and sustainable change. The ability to create such change is done through formal education and experiential learning,” -Dr. Kelley.

Dr. Kelley goes on to say, “I want to create opportunities for students to be able to question the challenges they see in the day to day, and subsequently explore their ideas on what could be possible in the future. For myself, once I was able to see that I have the ability to create change for the better, I looked at the world in a different way. I want to be able to help students see this as well through these educational learning opportunities. The earlier this is learned in life; the more time is available to make a positive impact.”

In March 2024, Dr. Kelley was inducted into the National Academies of Practice (NAP) as a Distinguished Fellow in the Nursing Academy. The NAP was established in 1981, with the mission to advance interprofessional education, scholarship, research, practice, and public policy. Distinguished NAP fellows, nominated by their peers, demonstrate enduring contributions to their profession over at least 10 years. Dr. Kelley was recognized as a visionary who has ambitiously sought to advance nursing informatics and pioneer nursing and healthcare innovation through intra- and inter-disciplinary practice, research, teaching, and scholarship. Dr. Kelley’s aim to break the status quo in nursing led to her academic and entrepreneurial career trajectory. In addition to her academic role, Dr. Kelley is the founder and CEO of two healthcare technology companies, Nightingale Apps and iCare Nursing Solutions.

Dr. Kelley also serves as the Co-Director of the Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center with Co-Director Leila Daneshmandi PhD, Assistant Professor of the College of Engineering.  Dr. Kelley’s healthcare technology background aligns well with the mission of the Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center, established in 2023. The purpose of this partnership between the School of Nursing and the College of Engineering is to foster and advance healthcare, workforce, and economic development to promote the ideation, creation, and commercialization of new evidence-based technologies that can address clinical unmet needs for the betterment of healthcare quality. The Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center is focused on four core pillars: research, education, community engagement, and technology transfer.

Making up the largest group of healthcare professionals, registered nurses use, develop, test, evaluate, and purchase healthcare technologies to support daily care delivery. Engineers have the technical knowledge, skills, and abilities to actualize new technologies. The interdisciplinary collaboration between these two disciplines, especially if begun early in the innovation and invention process will lead to lasting benefits and impact on society.  Kelley and Daneshmandi have implemented several initiatives already, including the Nursing and Engineering Innovation Fellowship Program. In this program, undergraduate nursing and engineering students apply for a competitive one-year fellowship opportunity to work in teams to identify an unmet healthcare need and develop a healthcare technology prototype solution. The Nursing and Engineering Fellowship is currently funded by a Venture Well Courses and Program Grant awarded to Kelley (Principal Investigator) and Daneshmandi (Co-Investigator).

“To innovate is to bring forward positive change for others. I am fortunate to be in an environment at the University of Connecticut School of Nursing where innovation is valued and palpable amongst the faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community. Generous philanthropic gifts, grant awards, and an overall supportive culture for innovation across the School and University at large have allowed us to continue to advance the nursing profession through our strategic educational efforts in preparing the next generation of nurses,” says Kelley.

“Dr. Kelley’s commitment to integrating innovation in teaching and learning approaches in nursing education has made significant contributions to the nursing profession”, says Dean Victoria Vaughan Dickson “we congratulate her on her recognition as a visionary leader by the AACN’s Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award and her induction as a Distinguished fellow in the National Academies of Practice.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center, please contact either tiffany.kelley@uconn.edu or leila.daneshmandi@uconn.edu.

Monday, April 22 was the final pitch day and culmination of the Technology Innovation and  Entrepreneurship courses for Spring 2024. The two-part series is offered by the College of Engineering and the School of Business.

The course is led by Dr. Leila Daneshmandi, Assistant Professor in Residence of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the College of Engineering and Director of the Entrepreneurship Hub (eHub) and Sam Nanayakkara, Professor and entrepreneur. 

Professor Nanayakkara is a serial entrepreneur specialized in startup operations and digital technology who uses his skill sets as an adjunct professor within the School of Business.   

Students in the TIE courses hailed from the College of Engineering, the School of Business, and the School of Nursing. This year the course opened to nursing students, a partnership through the Nursing and Engineering Innovation Center. 

The student ventures that presented were Green Grid Farms, Puppy Palace, Transplant Rescue, KLAD, eKardia, and Alevia Pharma OraSpray. 

“These students have worked hard over one or two semesters building technology-enabled ventures in areas that require significant innovation to drive change,” says Daneshmandi. “Today is a time of celebration as they look back at all they have achieved.” 

Engineering Associate Dean Leslie Shor, Connecticut Invention Convention Executive Director Nick Briere, Nursing Visiting Professor Tiffany Kelley, Connecticut Technology Council Executive Director Melina Erwin, FORGE Senior Program Manager Aaron Monikowski, Entrepreneur Mori Beheshti, and UConn Digital Media and Design Graduate Student Nooshin Farashaei judged the event. 

This year’s event also featured two new additions.  

Thanks to the Connecticut Invention Convention, the UConn community heard from three young inventors in the K-12 inventor space. Kaylee Vengruskas presented the Bucket Unstucker, a device to prevent 5-gallon buckets from sticking together while stacked. Rhea Doshi presented CocoPure, a filtration device to clean drinking water. Finally, Liam Jurado presented his 3D printed device to easily pull Play-Doh from its plastic container. 

The judges were impressed with the children’s inventions, and encouraged them to consider additional aspects for their budding entrepreneurial projects. 

The group also heard from top student ventures making waves outside of the TIE course. They include ParticleN, Genesist, and Toribio Labs Zemi Platforms, some of which were alumni of past TIE courses.  

“Engineering faculty and staff are paving the future of entrepreneurship and innovation,” said Dean Kazem Kazerounian who attended the event to meet the students. “I applaud Professor Daneshmandi and her colleagues for inspiring these students and promoting the College as an epicenter of entrepreneurship and innovation.” 

More information about the College of Engineering’s technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship courses, which are open to undergraduate and graduate students from all Schools and Colleges are available through the Entrepreneurship Hub. Photos from the event can be viewed online. 

This year the Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree Recipient was Chief Mutáwi Mutáhash (Many Hearts) Marilynn “Lynn” Malerba. Chief Malerba assumed the lifetime position as the 18^th Chief of the Mohegan Tribe, also becoming the first female Chief in the tribe’s history. She previously served as Chairwoman of the Tribal Council, and as Executive Director of Health and Human Services in Tribal Government.

Prior to her current role, Chief Malerba had a career as a registered nurse, who became the Director of Cardiology and Pulmonary Services at Lawrence + Memorial Hospital. She was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in science from Eastern Connecticut State University and an honorary doctoral degree in humane letters from the University of St. Joseph. Additionally, she received a Doctor of Nursing Practice at Yale University, along with being named a Jonas Scholar, and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Connecticut, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the College of St. Joseph.

Chief Malerba is Chairwoman of the Tribal Self-Governance Advisory Committee of the Federal Indian Health Service (IHS), a member of the Tribal Advisory Committee for the National Institute of Health, a member of the Justice Department’s Tribal Nations Leadership Council, and a member of the Treasury Tribal Advisory Committee.

Chief Malerba currently holds the position of U.S. Treasurer, appointed by President Biden, making history by becoming the first Indigenous person to do so. Locally she served as a Trustee for Chelsea Groton Bank, Board Chair for the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, and on the Provost’s Advisory Committee Member for the Harvard University Native American Program.

“Chief Lynn Malerba is a visionary leader who has spent her entire career redefining what it means to dedicate one’s life to helping the community.” stated Dean Victoria Vaughan Dickson. “For her steadfast commitment to service as a nurse, scholar and leader and advancing health equity for Tribal communities, Chief Malerba received the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa at the UConn Nursing commencement.”

A Bachelor of Science was given to 131 students this year and there were three valedictorians: Taylor Ashby, Melissa Lowry, and Annmaria Murphy. The Regina M. Cusson Healthcare Innovations Award went to Amy Setesak (BS). The Carolyn Ladd Widmer Undergraduate Leadership Award was presented to Senior Class President, Zaheer Turtem. The Clara Williams Holistic Nurse Award went to Shivanie Harbaran, and the Sigma Theta Tau honor was presented to Travis Lee Engle.

Four students graduated with a Doctor in Philosophy degree (PhD). Among them, Yuxuan Yang received the Carolyn Ladd Widmer Award for Outstanding Research and Sigma Theta Tau honor.

There were 16 Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP) recipients. The Josephine Dolan Award for the Scholarship of Application went to Patricia Simonowicz. The Sigma Theta Tau honor went to Krystal Myers. And the Eleanor K. Gill Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice was presented to Nadejda Maseto.

The master’s degrees were divided into seven categories: Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (18), Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (3), Family Nurse Practitioner (9), Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (23), Post-Graduate Certificate NNP (2), Nurse Leader (3), and Nurse Educator (9).

The Eleanor K. Gill Award for Excellence in Clinical Practice was presented to five master’s students: Danielle Rosenberg (Primary Care), Arianna Burkard (FNP), Christopher Smith (NNP), Desiree Mahone (Nurse Leader), and Colleen Bradley (Nurse Educator). Emily Coyne received the Sigma Theta Tau honor.

Among the alumni, three rewards were presented. Dr. Desiree A. Díaz (PhD, FNP-BC, CNE, CHSE-A, ANEF, FSSH, FAAN), Professor and Director of Hispanic Serving Healthcare Professional Graduate Certificate and the Undergraduate Simulation Coordinator at the University of Central Florida, was awarded the Beverly Koerner Outstanding Alumni Award for Education in Nursing. Evelyn Gonzalez (BSN, MSN), Director of Clinical Workforce Development at Memorial Healthcare System in South Florida, received the Carolyn Ladd Widmer Outstanding Alumni Award for Leadership in Nursing. Dr. Olga F. Jarrin Montaner (PhD, RN, FAAN), Hunterdon Professor of Nursing Research at Rutgers University, was given the Marlene Kramer Outstanding Alumni Award for Research in Nursing.

Dr. Juliette Shellman (PhD, RN) serves as the Director for three departments: the International Center for Life Story Innovations and Practice, the Online Graduate Certificate in Life Story Practice and Research, and the Long-Term Healthcare Management Certificate Program. She was awarded the E. Carol Polifroni Scholarship of Praxis Award for her dedicated work at UConn’s School of Nursing.

Lastly, four faculty members were presented with the Pellegrina (Peggy) Lacovella Stolfi Clinical Teaching Award: Kate O’Brien (MSN, RN, NPD-BC, CCRN), Naomi Yates (MSN, BSN, RNC-OB, efm-C), Anna Riley (MSN, BSN, RN, RNC-OB, RNC-IAP, C-EFM, C-ONQS), and Amanda Darcey (MSN, RN, CWCN).

A big congratulations to all award recipients, and an even bigger congratulations to the School of Nursing’s Class of 2024. You may not be students any longer, but you are and always will be huskies forever!

“I enjoy helping people be the best they can be,” she says. “Doing everything I can to help patients get to their highest level of wellness and helping families understand and support their loved ones made nursing a simple choice.”

That philosophy has guided her up through the ranks at UConn Health, and continues to guide her today as an assistant vice president in its Office of Accreditation and Regulatory Affairs, where she’s spent the last five years.

Abromaitis’ time as a UConn nurse goes back to when she worked per diem, primarily in the medical surgical unit, starting in 1991. But her connection to UConn goes back more than a decade earlier, when she was an undergraduate student in Storrs, studying for the nursing degree she’d get in 1981.

We have so many amazing nurses at UConn who do amazing work and deserve to be honored. — Debra Abromaitis

After some time away from UConn in the late 90s that included living overseas while volunteering at the American Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, she returned to UConn Health, first as a nursing supervisor UConn John Dempsey Hospital (2001 to 2007), then as a staffing and payroll manager (2007 to 2013), director of patient support services (2013-2018), and compliance officer (2018-2019), before joining her current office, which helps prepare accreditations and certifications.

“I educate, guide, advise, support and audit areas to ensure everyone understands the health care regulations, and that we are following the rules to ensure we are all doing the right thing, and I am the first contact when regulatory bodies come for surveys and investigations,” Abromaitis says. “I try to think of how we can improve care to make it better for all. I don’t think of how we can get ready for a survey, I think of how we can get ready for the next patient.”

She’s known for that last statement. She’s also known informally as “The Regulator,” in that she equips UConn Health’s clinical staff with resources to keep current on all regulatory matters and to refer to for timely guidance.

“Deb has made a significant impact on patient care at the bedside and beyond,” according to one of her several nominations for a 2024 Nightingale Award for Excellence in Nursing. “Regardless of her role, her focus has always been to put patients first, and keep them safe. Many of you may carry around the Pocket Guide and not know where this came from.”

The Pocket Guide is one of the tools the Office of Accreditation and Regulatory Affairs created under Abromaitis’ leadership, and is lauded as crucial reference.

Her nominators also recognize Abromaitis for providing emergency guide brochures and a safe evacuation toolbox for each UConn John Dempsey Hospital unit, and backing it up with training and rounding.

“She has left an impact not just on procedure, but also on the people she has mentored and guided,” says another of her nominators. “When faced with a complicated dilemma, we often take a step back and ponder, ‘What would she do in this situation?’”

Caryl Ryan, chief nursing officer and the UConn John Dempsey Hospital chief operating officer and vice president for quality and patient care services, has been at UConn Health since before Abromaitis first arrived.

“Deb Abromaitis is an outstanding nurse and clinical leader,” Ryan says. “Deb really represents the qualities of Florence Nightingale, witnessed by her compassion and dedication to our patients along with her extraordinary focus within patient safety and quality as recognized by her exemplary leadership within our Department of Regulatory and Accreditation.”

Colleagues nominated more than 30 UConn Health registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and nurse anesthetists for 2024 Nightingale Awards.

“I am so very proud of all of the nominees and the Nightingale award winners,” Ryan says. “I thank all of our Nightingales for their dedication to clinical excellence and the patients we serve.”

Abromaitis says she wasn’t expecting this honor, and Ryan surprised her by calling her into the CNO’s office, where Abromaitis’ staff already was in place to hear the news.

“I am so honored and humbled,” Abromaitis says. “We have so many amazing nurses at UConn who do amazing work and deserve to be honored. Florence Nightingale was so hard working, devoted to serving others, she transformed nursing into a respectable profession. To be recognized by those I have worked with, those I have hired, those I have managed for an award in Florence Nightingale’s name… Words cannot express what that means to me.”

Things will look a bit different this May, some 141 years after that humble gathering.

In the newly launched website dedicated to this year’s graduates, you will meet Huskies who are veterans, Huskies who are philanthropists, Huskies who are already well into professional careers, Huskies who saw UConn as the pathway to a new life, and Huskies who are carrying on a family tradition of earning a UConn degree.

More than 8,000 degrees will be awarded to Huskies who have come from as far away as Malaysia and as close to home as Mansfield, their ranks full of doctors, nurses, dentists, teachers, Air Force officers, professional basketball players, engineers, entrepreneurs, attorneys, farmers, artists, social workers, pharmacists, chemists, biologists, journalists, and other things that J.M. Hubbard and his audience of six could have scarcely conceived all those years ago.

One thing hasn’t changed, though: the commitment to education for and by the public that rests at the heart of UConn’s mission.

The Class of 2024, having weathered the COVID-19 pandemic and a host of less dramatically disruptive challenges, strides forward in May to serve their towns, state, nation, and world. In big and small ways, in endeavors that will make headlines and in everyday acts of grace that will never be known by more than a handful of people, the newest UConn Husky alums will make the world a better place.

Congratulations, and remember: you may no longer be students today, but you’ll always be Huskies Forever.

This year, UConn has surpassed all records with over 50,000 applications for the class of 2028.  With more Huskies coming to UConn, we are excited to announce that the School of Nursing can join in on this momentous celebration.

As a nursing shortage continues to plague the nation, the UConn School of Nursing is excited to enroll its largest class for the 2024 academic year. With over 3,800 applications for the class of 2028 and a projected enrollment of 225 for this class, this makes UConn Nursing highly competitive.

According to the 2023 data released by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the number of students in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs decreased by 1.4% last year, ending a 20-year period of enrollment growth in programs designed to prepare new registered nurses (RNs).

There is hope, however. This year, the UConn School of Nursing saw a 32% increase in applications to their four-year undergraduate program over the record-breaking year of applications in 2023. UConn Nursing has also seen an increase in their One-Year Accelerated Nursing Degree Program known as CEIN. This January began the largest cohort with over 150 students.

“It is gratifying to see the interest in UConn Nursing and speaks to our stellar faculty and the high-quality nursing education that our graduates receive,” Dean Victoria Vaughan Dickson says. “It is a challenging time for our profession, and for healthcare in general. We need well-prepared nurses to address the complexities of patient care today. I am inspired by the commitment of our students to their nursing education journey; and confident that as UConn Nurses they will be prepared to address the patient care needs of Connecticut and beyond.”

In January 2020, the School received just under 2,000 applications, in January 2021 2,338 applications, in 2022 2,497 and in 2023 2,871 applications for its undergraduate program on the Storrs campus. This year with over 3,800 applicants as of March 4^th, the school has seen the highest jump. This high enrollment draws high hope that more students are interested in nursing.

As the UConn School of Nursing continues to increase enrollment, the school is underway with its plans for expansion into their new building. According to the AACN’s report

of 2021-2022 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, “U.S. nursing schools turned away 91,938 qualified applications (not applicants) from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2021 due to insufficient number of faculty, clinical sites, classroom space, and clinical preceptors, as well as budget constraints.” As the population of nurses continues to decline due to turnover and retirement, the UConn School of Nursing is working with State Leaders to bring awareness to the shortage and address it with the ongoing plans that UConn Nursing has to help address the issue. The new home for the UConn School of Nursing is set to open in Fall of 2026 which will allow for a larger class size, state of the art learning and additional faculty. UConn nursing will bring more nurses than ever before into the workforce.

To learn more about the programs offered at the UConn School of nursing please visit: www.nursing.uconn.edu.

Evaluations for promotion, tenure, and reappointment apply the highest standards of professional achievement in scholarship, teaching, and service for each faculty member evaluated. Applications for promotion and tenure are reviewed at the department level, school or college level, and finally at the Office of the Provost before recommendations are forwarded to the Board of Trustees.

This process involves significant work on the part of each faculty member, as well as assistance and support of colleagues and administrative staff who provide guidance and manage many of the logistics through each stage of the promotion and tenure cycle. It is a notable milestone for each faculty member awarded these promotions, as well as for their colleagues.

The listing of faculty promoted and/or granted tenure is listed below, organized by school, college, or other academic unit. Please join us in congratulating our colleagues on this momentous occasion.

Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources

Promotion To Professor

Jason Henderson, Plant Science and Landscape Architecture

Elaine Lee, Kinesiology

Charles Towe, Agriculture and Resource Economics

Promotion To Associate Professor

Neha Mishra, Pathobiology and Veterinary Sciences

Promotion To Associate Professor And Tenure

Sohyun Park, Plant Science and Landscape Architecture

Haiying Tao, Plant Science and Landscape Architecture

Promotion To Associate Professor In-Residence

Maryclaire Capetta, Kinesiology

Eleni Diakogeorgiou, Kinesiology

Promotion To Extension Professor

Thomas Worthley, Extension

Promotion To Associate Cooperative Extension Educator

Shuresh Ghimire, Extension

Business

Promotion To Professor

Resul Cesur, Finance

Vishal Narayan, Marketing

Promotion To Associate Professor And Tenure

Stefan Hock, Marketing

Chrstina Kan, Marketing

Tao Lu, Operations and Information Management

Promotion To Associate Professor In-Residence

Alexander Amati, Finance

Engineering

Promotion To Professor

Ali Bazzi, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Kay Wille, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Liang Zhang, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Promotion To Associate Professor And Tenure

Derek Aguiar, Computing

Necmi Biyikli, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Kristin Morgan, Biomedical Engineering

Sina Shahbazmohamadi, Biomedical Engineering

Xueju Wang, Materials Science & Engineering

Yuanyuan Zhu, Materials Science & Engineering

Yi Zhang, Biomedical Engineering

Tenure As Associate Professor

Shalabh Gupta, Electrical & Computer Engineering

Promotion To Professor In-Residence

Reza Sheikhi, Mechanical, Aerospace & Manufacturing Engineering

Fine Arts 

Promotion to Professor           
Solomiya Ivakhiv, Music

Promotion to Associate Professor and Tenure 

Jennifer Scapetis-Tycer, Dramatic Arts

Sophie Shao, Music

Alexander Woodward, Dramatic Arts

Law

Promotion To Professor And Tenure

Jessica De Perio Wittman

Promotion To Clinical Professor

Mary Beattie

Promotion To Associate Clinical Professor

Ashley Armstrong

Rachel Reeves

Rachel Timm

Liberal Arts and Sciences

Promotion To Professor          

David Embrick, Sociology

Delia Furtado, Economics

Debarchana Ghosh, Geography

Julie Granger, Marine Sciences

Jason Hancock, Physics

Jie He, Chemistry

Nicholas Leadbeater, Chemistry

Marcus Rossberg, Philosophy

Beth Russell, Human Dev And Family Sciences

Michael Whitney, Marine Sciences

Sarah Willen, Anthropology

Yaowu Yuan, Ecology And Evolutionary Biology

Jing Zhao, Chemistry

Promotion To Associate Professor And Tenure

Dexter Gabriel, History

Aoife Heaslip, Molecular And Cell Biology

Sean Li, Mathematics

Daniel McCarron, Physics

Linnaea Ostroff, Physiology And Neurobiology

Alexandra Paxton, Psychological Sciences

Evan Perkoski, Political Science

Debapriya Sarkar, English

Ilya Sochnikov, Physics

Clay Tabor, Earth Sciences

Tracy Llanera, Philosophy

Xiang Chen, Geography

Tenure As Associate Professor         

Scott Wallace, Journalism

Promotion To Professor In-Residence     

Lisa Blansett, English

Michael Finiguerra, Ecology And Evolutionary Biology

Susan Herrick, Ecology And Evolutionary Biology

Sherry Zane, Women’s Gender And Sexuality Studies

Promotion To Associate Professor In-Residence

Jessica Dafhne Aguirre, Chemistry

Anne Basaran, Communication

Tianxu Chen, Economics

Sarah Decapua, English

Jeffrey Divino, Physiology And Neurobiology

Vindya Pathirana, Mathematics

Promotion To Clinical Professor     

Nicole Gallagher, Speech, Language, And Hearing Sciences

Promotion To Associate Clinical Professor

Kacie Wittke, Speech, Language, And Hearing Sciences

Promotion To Associate Research Professor     

Jamie Vaudrey, Marine Sciences

Library

Promotion To Librarian 2
Thomas Lee, Academic Engagement

Promotion To Librarian 3
Roslyn Grandy, Academic Engagement
Edward Junhao Lim, Academic Engagement
Renee Walsh, Academic Engagement

Neag School of Education

Promotion to Professor

Alyssa Hadley Dunn, Curriculum and Instruction

Devin Kearns, Educational Psychology

Allison Lombardi, Educational Psychology

Bianca Montrosse-Moorhead, Educational Psychology

Jennie Weiner, Educational Leadership

Promotion to Associate Professor and Tenure   

Grace Player, Curriculum and Instruction

Nursing 

Promotion To Associate Professor and Tenure

Louise Reagan

Promotion to Associate Clinical Professor

Valarie Artigas

Denise Bourassa

Social Work

Promotion to Professor

Kathryn Libal

The National Institutes of Health National Center on Sleep Disorders Research has awarded $3.5 million to a team of researchers led by Nancy S. Redeker, senior associate dean for research and scholarship in the School of Nursing. The grant will fund research looking at how behaviors and social factors affect sleep quality among Black and Hispanic women of childbearing age. The research is designed to be the foundation for future health promotion programs to address sleep quality and its negative effects, including pregnancy outcomes and lifelong heart problems.

Other researchers on the team include UConn’s Natalie Shook and Eileen Condon from the School of Nursing, and geographer Chuanrong Zhang, as well as colleagues from Yale University, including certified nurse-midwife Heather Reynolds who will lead the community advisory board. The board will also include members of the Black and Hispanic communities in New Haven, Hartford, and Waterbury, where the researchers will recruit participants for the study.

The researchers will ask women questions about their health and their sleep, including how long they sleep, how regular their sleep is, and what affects their sleep. Women will use a wrist worn device to measure daily sleep and wear a device to determine whether they have sleep apnea. The data will provide information about sleep quality and health in Black and Hispanic women of childbearing age before they get pregnant. The researchers hope to extend this work in the future to develop and test programs to promote sleep health.

“If you sleep well before you’re pregnant, it’s more likely we can support your sleep while you’re pregnant,” Redeker says. Eventually, the researchers hope the studies will reveal ways in which women can increase their odds of a healthy pregnancy and birth, and possibly improve their lifelong health by adjusting their sleep patterns.

“She had a man’s handwriting,” says Thomas Long, a professor emeritus who taught writing in UConn’s School of Nursing. “Her handwriting was big and loopy, even her contemporaries commented on that.”

During Dickinson’s life in the 1800s, Long says, men and women were taught different penmanship styles. Men would learn to make broad strokes, while women were instructed to keep letters diminutive to match the way they were expected to be: petite, quiet, unassuming.

Long’s collection of more than a dozen mostly anonymous scrapbooks from that time – more precisely, penmanship fascicles, commonplace books, and friendship albums – offer example after example of handwriting from the time, much of it female script and, unfortunately, none of it from Dickinson.

But the personalized books, which Long has donated to the UConn Library and Archives & Special Collections, are part of a 19th century practice Dickinson would have known about and in which she may very well have participated.

“People would have passed these books around, in some cases carrying them from town to town, for others to write things in them – verses that were memorized, poetry you wrote, quotable quotes that were overheard. Sometimes you can find pressed flowers between the pages or even small sketches. Also, when people came to visit, they would sign the books, so they served as autograph books, too,” Long explains.

Eventually, book publishers caught onto the practice and began to print blank books with leather covers, much like today’s journals, maybe peppering in empty pages of music staffs or embossed frames screaming for creative attention.

But oftentimes, people handstitched together scraps of paper, a prized possession of the simplest kind.

It’s no wonder, Long contends, that Dickinson left behind such handsewn fascicles with hundreds of her poems in a dresser drawer when she died. Her means of publishing wasn’t eccentric; simply a popular, deeply personal, method for the time.

“Self-publication in handwritten booklets was a much more common way of writing than had been originally thought. It’s the mainstream way 19th century women were published,” Long says. “When you look at these books, you’re seeing what people read and loved. This is the lived experience of poetry in people’s lives.”

Back then, he says, poetry was everywhere in society. It was published in the daily newspaper and sung during Sunday church services. Even today – as the country recognizes National Poetry Month in April – music playlists include songs replete with poetry, and social media posts are captioned with inspirational poetic snips.

Long says poetry is important, first, for pleasure, the simple joy of reading verse, and second, to commemorate the big, beautiful, and dramatic turning points in life – death, birth, marriage, graduation – if only in a greeting card.

“Oftentimes they’re trite, silly, and sentimental,” he says of greeting cards, “but the fact is we turn to poetry in life’s intense moments. There is no more noble medium for expressing the mystery and intensity of our lives. It takes us out of the everyday. The lines of a poem speak to us in a way that a paragraph of prose would not.”

Decades ago, Long happened upon the first commonplace book of his collection at an antiques show in Virginia Beach, the same one where much later he discovered a page from the famed Beauvais Missal.

He describes the initial find as a homemade anthology of verses assembled by someone who lived in Massachusetts. One poem is titled, “Formation of a Lyceum,” another is dedicated to someone called Little Willy. There’s one written on the death of Miss Cogswell and another written on the death of someone named Ranny Harris.

“It was only a little Black girl, for whom the bell did toll,” he reads of Ranny Harris, noting the historical importance of such a poem in antebellum New England.

“Tom has a way of filling the gaps in our collection,” Melissa Batt, an archivist at the Archives, says of his donation. “These are wonderful documents of 19th century writing practices, but they also tell us about the networks of females who contributed to them, the friends, family, mentors, perhaps even lovers, with whom these women circulated.”

In some of the books, the authors practiced their penmanship, Long says. They pressed in newspaper clippings of poems and other items. In one, someone pressed a clover and on the next page another sketched a flower.

Long picks up a book he found among a lot of miscellanea in Plymouth, England, a gift from 19th century playwright James Sheriden Knowles to someone named Jemma Haigh. There are autographs from various people and a pressed lithograph inside.

“Scrapbooks are a way of making meaning of a period in your life – girlhood, young adulthood, a change in one’s life, graduation,” Batt says. “This collection draws us into bigger questions about history and tells us something about the assemblers and the way they’re processing what’s happening around them. It’s really a form of journaling.”

When UConn students visit the Archives for classes and she brings out various objects for study, Batt says the scrapbooks and friendship albums are what they’re drawn to most. Perhaps it’s what they can relate to, she posits.

But what about those who find poetry inaccessible?

“You were schooled during the ‘interpretation regime’ that said there are secret meanings in poems,” Long suggests to someone. “The hunt for hidden meanings gives most of us a headache. Why not look at poetry just for pleasure?

“One of my favorite lines comes from the French poet Stephen Mallarme,” he continues. “It translates roughly to, ‘To precise a meaning erases your mysterious literature.’ Poetry is meant to be lived with and loved. It’s really that simple.”

Taught by Professor Laura Eiss, the students welcomed executives who shared invaluable perspectives on what constitutes effective leadership and the diverse opportunities available within the nursing profession. This event marked the second visit of these executives, reflecting a commitment to exposing students to non-traditional career pathways in nursing. Through sharing personal and professional anecdotes, the executives encouraged students to consider roles beyond the traditional hospital setting, illustrating the myriad ways nurses can positively impact communities.

The executives, stemming from various departments within the State of Connecticut, conveyed their enthusiasm for nurturing the next generation of nurses. This initiative is rooted in a broader workplace effort within the state, highlighting a collaborative approach towards fostering leadership and innovation in nursing. The students, in turn, responded positively to the engagement, appreciating the tangible insights provided by those who have walked similar paths.

Following the discussions, a meet and greet session facilitated networking opportunities for students to interact with the executives on a more personal level. Such interactions not only allowed students to glean further insights, but helped fostered connections that could prove instrumental in their future endeavors.

Dr. Tiffany Kelly’s presentation on nursing innovation served as a fitting conclusion to the event, emphasizing the importance of embracing creativity and adaptability in addressing contemporary healthcare challenges.

“Nurses work in every aspect of health care and are crucial in delivering patient care and transforming systems locally and beyond” Dean Victoria Vaughan Dickson said”, “We are grateful to the State of Connecticut executives for sharing their perspectives and inspiring our students who are poised to become the future nurse leaders our state.”

The presentation served as a catalyst for students to explore potential career paths and leadership opportunities within the State of Connecticut. By exposing them to diverse perspectives and fostering meaningful connections, the event empowered students to envision their roles as future leaders in nursing, equipped with the knowledge and inspiration to effect positive change in healthcare and beyond.

“Our research and scholarship at the School of Nursing is focused on health, including cardiovascular health across the lifespan,” says Dean Victoria Vaughan Dickson. “Our faculty address the heart health continuum from prevention to management of chronic cardiovascular disease.

“We focus on improving outcomes for people with cardiovascular conditions, such as coronary heart disease including those who have had a heart attack, experience arrhythmias, or are living with heart failure. We are especially focused on the needs of individuals, families and communities who are vulnerable due to limited resources, including access to health care. Social and environmental factors are important influences of cardiovascular disease.”

The School of Nursing faculty and students focus on improving important health behaviors such as access to a healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat and low-salt foods. Physical activity and adequate sleep are also critical to preventing heart disease. These behaviors may be particularly hard for individuals who may live in unsafe neighborhoods or have inadequate resources to purchase healthy foods. At UConn Nursing, the emphasis includes both research and practice related to these concerns.

Professor and Senior Associate Dean for Research and Scholarship Nancy Redeker has focused on one of the newly-accepted aspects of heart health – sleep health – for many years.

“Sleep problems are risk factors for heart disease and stroke,” says Redeker. “Sleep apnea, insomnia, and getting less than seven hours of sleep at night can lead to high blood pressure and diabetes, which can lead to heart disease. These problems worsen outcomes for people who already have cardiovascular disease.”

Redeker was honored with the 2023 Katharine A. Lembright Award, which is given by the American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing. The award recognizes cardiovascular research conducted by established nurse scientists. Redeker’s National Institutes of Health-funded research demonstrated that behavioral treatment for insomnia among people with chronic heart failure improved important outcomes, such as fatigue, and function.

There are a variety of nursing responsibilities, and each one involves heart health care.

“At UConn we are preparing nurses with advanced degrees to become leaders, advanced practice nurses and researchers, as well as nurses at the bedside in hospital and other settings,” says Redeker.

“Nurses work in a variety of settings including community and primary care, in addition to acute care hospitals,” Dickson says. “They are often the first and most frequent line of contact with people of all backgrounds and experiences seeking care for heart disease. Promoting health equity associated with cardiovascular disease is of utmost important.”

Dickson also says that the School of Nursing focuses on teaching students to educate and counsel patients after a cardiac event has taken place.

“We want patients to develop skill in protective behaviors after a cardiac event,” says Dickson. “This includes adhering to medication as prescribed, eating a heart healthy diet, obtaining healthy sleep, increasing exercise, and being aware of and managing symptoms. It also includes taking care of other conditions like diabetes, which is a risk factor for poor outcomes.”

Dickson’s particular research focuses on structural and social determinants of health and biobehavioral factors that influence self-care of those with cardiovascular disease or at risk for it.

“My research takes place in the community and focuses on interventions that improve self-care and optimizes the health and well-being of individuals with heart disease.” says Dickson. “An important part of the work we are doing in the School of Nursing is collaborating with our community partners.”

Examples of these collaborations include Professor Louise Reagan’s research on supporting people who have recently been incarcerated to improve management of diabetes; Professor Kelley Newlin Lew’s research with low-income patients with diabetes to improve glucose monitoring; and former Dean Deborah Chyun’s research focused on links between diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Take My Hand has received numerous awards such as the 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work-Fiction, the 2023 Prize for Fiction from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, and the Silver Gavel Award from the American Bar Association. Dolen is a historical fiction writer and currently works as an associate professor at American University.

Copies were gifted by alumna and retired faculty member Lisa-Marie W. Griffiths ’91 MS (MaED, MSN, MPH, WHCNP, APRN/RN) as she was “deeply moved” by the novel.

“As a former UConn Nursing Ethics professor and champion for social justice, I felt that every nurse should read this book. My passion has led me to provide you a copy to help you understand the racism that often exists in our Healthcare system,” she writes in her note that was placed in each book.

Dean Victoria Vaughan Dickson (Ph.D., RN, FAHA, FHFSA, FAAN) presented this gift and expressed her gratitude towards the class. “You came to us at a time when the world was in real turbulence, health care was turned upside down, nursing was faced with unprecedented challenges,” Dickson told students. “I know you are the future of health care, and the future of nursing. I look forward to finishing out the semester with you all!”

Students conveyed their enthusiasm and appreciation for the gift. Amber Olgac shared, “I’m so excited to read this book, and I’m so excited to talk about racism in healthcare because I feel like we don’t talk about it.” Neha Biju agreed that, “it’s a good way to get a new perspective on nursing and different issues we’re going to face.”

Throughout the remainder of the semester there will be ongoing discussions of the book through journal clubs hosted by Assistant Clinical Professor MaryAnn Perez- Brescia and Associate Clinical Professor Michelle Cole. The hope is to bring light to the racial imbalance in today’s health care system and allow students to prepare for their roles as nurses in today’s world.

UConn is already ranked number one in the New England region for its online nursing master’s programs, so it proves exceptional to be ranked within the top ten of the nation. The 2024 online nursing master’s rankings evaluated 204 programs across the country and evaluated more than 1,800 online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. The best online programs include rankings of bachelor’s programs and master’s-level disciplines.

UConn’s School of Nursing offers a significant opportunity for online programs in continuing education. This has grown from past years to include family nurse practitioner, adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, nurse educator, neonatal nurse practitioner concentration, and nurse leader.

The graduate program was established in 1971 and has been accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Its experienced faculty prepares skilled nurse leaders who synthesize the best evidence and translate it into practice to advance health locally and globally. Graduate students are offered flexible online programming, superior clinical experiences, multiple concentration options, and a superior certification pass rate.

“It is an honor to be recognized as a highly ranked nursing program among peer institutions. While only one indicator of success, these top distinctions are a testament to the School of Nursing’s commitment to educational excellence, student success and graduate preparedness.  Congratulations truly belong to our faculty and staff for their dedication and service that has resulted in this incredible outcome.” – Dr. Annette Jakubišin Konicki, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

As the University of Connecticut continues to grow, the School of Nursing is excelling in enrollment and diversity. The past two years have had the highest applicant number in the school’s history, this year exceeding last year’s application by over 30%. Exceeding enrollment numbers and the high demand for nurses are a part of the school’s growing success and have strongly contributed to the need for a larger school, faculty, and student population- all a part of the plan in the new UConn Nursing Building. The new home of UConn Nursing will continue to pave the path in innovative research, world renowned faculty teaching, and diversified programs with increased enrollment and resources.

“The significant rise to #8 in our national rankings demonstrates UConn Nursing’s outstanding program and the school’s commitment to innovative, high-quality nursing education. UConn Nursing faculty are dedicated to preparing the next generation of advanced practice nurses, nurse educators and nurse leaders. Our graduates are poised to address the complexities of nursing care; advance evidence-based practice that promotes health equity; and be leaders who champion the transformation of healthcare. UConn Nursing is proud to recognize our exemplary faculty and students.” – Dean Victoria Vaughan Dickson, PhD, RN, FAHA, FHFSA, FAAN

To review the complete list of the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Master’s in Nursing Programs rankings and to obtain ranking standards, please visit https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/rankings.

For anyone interested in applying for the online Nursing Graduate programs, please contact nursingadmissions@uconn.edu.