UIowa College of Nursing Annual Report 2016-2017

KATHLEEN BUCKWALTER
PhD, RN, FAAN
ANITA STINEMAN
PhD, RN
letter from the
leadership
zerwic to lead the university
of Iowa College of nursing
Julie Zerwic, PhD, RN, FAHA,
FAAN, executive associate dean
of the College of Nursing at the
University of Illinois at Chicago
(UIC), was named eighth dean
of the University of Iowa College
of Nursing effective August 14,
2017. Zerwic earned a Bachelor
of Science in nursing from the
University of Wisconsin–Eau
Claire, a Master of Science in
JULIE ZERWIC
nursing from the University of
PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN
Wisconsin–Madison, and a PhD
from the University of Minnesota. She completed a postdoctoral
fellowship at the University of Rochester before joining the
faculty at UIC in 1993. Zerwic served as department head of
the UIC Department of Biobehavioral Science from 2005 to
2009. During her tenure as executive associate dean at UIC,
a role she held from 2009 to 2017, Zerwic implemented a
strategic plan aimed at improving diversity among faculty, staff,
and students and stabilized college finances by tapping into
new funding sources, including alumni fundraising. She also
created a federally funded collaboration between UIC and City
Colleges of Chicago to provide minority community college
students with research opportunities on the university campus.
She served on the board of directors of the Erie Family Health
Center in Chicago for a decade. Zerwic was named a fellow of
the American Academy of Nursing in 2008 and her research
focus is on factors that contribute to patients delaying treatment
for acute coronary syndrome and stroke. “I am excited to be
joining the University of Iowa. Over the years, I have admired
the accomplishments of the alumni of the College of Nursing
who are leaders in health care in Iowa and across the nation.
I look forward to leading this dynamic and committed group
of students, faculty and staff.”
Dear Friends,
The University of Iowa College of Nursing would like to share with you the
achievements and highlights of 2016-2017. This was a difficult year for faculty,
students and staff as we experienced the death of our dean, Dr. Rita Frantz,
and long time faculty member, Dr. Jo Eland. The quietness in the halls could
be felt as we carried on with heavy hearts.
One thing that we do know for sure, faculty, students and staff are resilient
individuals. There was work to be done—students to educate, new
knowledge to be discovered and disseminated, and engagement activities
to be undertaken. We all owe a special thank you to Dr. Thad Wilson. As
our executive associate dean, he stepped up to assume to role of interim
dean and created an environment of trust and caring, providing the needed
elements for all of us to heal and to support one another.
We would also like to send special thanks to all the faculty, students and staff.
As you review the following pages, you will see that everyone joined together
and resumed their activities—wanting to show their determination to maintain
our high level of excellence in all facets of the College of Nursing’s work. Only
with their commitment to the College and our strategic plan, could we have
achieved all that is contained in these pages.
There will continue to be challenges in our journey, but the College is
‘Moving Forward.’ Dr. Wilson accepted a position as President of Research
College of Nursing in Kansas City in June. This move allows him to watch his
grandchildren grow and to be near family. Although he is no longer strolling
through the halls to visit with faculty, students and staff, he assures us that he
is forever a Hawkeye!
We are having a great time providing interim leadership, but we are all
anxiously awaiting the arrival of our new dean, Dr. Julie Zerwic. We are
certain that the upcoming year will be filled with new challenges and
accomplishments because there is a sense of anticipation in the air—a feeling
that comes with ‘Moving Forward.’
Sincerely yours,
Kathleen Buckwalter, PhD, RN, FAAN
Interim Dean
Anita Stineman, PhD, RN
Interim Associate Dean for
Academic Affairs
COLLEGE OF NURSING
2