For her exemplary contributions and profound impact on the nursing profession, UW–Madison School of Nursing Dean Linda D. Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FNAP, FAAN, has been honored with the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) Lifetime Achievement Award. Noted as being the highest honor awarded by the NBNA, the award recognizes individuals whose cumulative lifetime work places them in a position of high achievement in service to the organization or its mission and vision. She was recognized during a special ceremony on August 9, 2025, at the NBNA President’s Gala in Dallas, Texas, as part of the 53rd Annual NBNA Institute and Conference. In addition to being honored as a lifetime achievement award recipient, Dean Scott also served as the keynote speaker for the conference.
Dean Scott is one of three recipients of the 2025 NBNA Lifetime Achievement Award. Joining her were Drs. Beverly L. Malone, PhD, RN, FADLN, FAAN, and Sandra Millon Underwood, PhD, RN, FADLN, FAAN.
“I would like to thank the National Black Nurses Association for including me in the 2025 cohort of Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, and for honoring me for the work I have done across my career,” noted Dean Scott upon acceptance of the award. “It is also special to share this recognition with Drs. Malone and Underwood. I appreciate that the NBNA shines a light on the excellence of the work being done by its members—nurse leaders with a breadth of talent, who dedicate themselves to identifying and addressing the needs of those around them.”
Dean Scott’s career has been defined by a commitment to advocacy, education, and leadership. From her early nursing aspirations as a child to earning three college degrees and contributing to leadership of various organizations, her nursing journey has reflected her desire to make a difference as a clinician, scientist, professor, and now Dean of the School of Nursing. Her work in research, policy, advocacy, and mentorship has generated impactful change for a wide range of people including students, patients, providers, and underserved and diverse populations. Inspired by trailblazing nurses of color, and empowered by support from family, she has become a champion for health equity and a role model for future generations. Her career reflects a deep dedication to opening doors, elevating voices, and shaping systems that promote health and opportunity for all.
After growing up immersing herself in learning as much as she could about the broad reach and wider representation of the nursing profession, Dean Scott attended Michigan State University in East Lansing, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. She went on to obtain a Master of Science in nursing degree from Grand Valley State, and her PhD in nursing from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Appointed the eighth dean of the UW–Madison School of Nursing in July 2016, Dean Scott provides direction and leadership in educating nurses for the future of care, strengthening the School’s research enterprise, and forging partnerships to improve health outcomes. Prior to coming to the School of Nursing, she served the University of Illinois at Chicago as the College of Nursing’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, with additional responsibilities as the Director of Graduate Studies, PhD Studies, and Urban Health. From 2009 to 2012, she served as associate dean for graduate programs for the Kirkhof College of Nursing at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan.
Her research focuses on health systems and public health, studying the impact of fatigue and sleep deprivation on both nurses and their patients. She has also developed and implemented programs focused on economically disadvantaged students, including racial and ethnic minorities. She has led inclusion efforts across academic degrees, curricula, and universities, including the implementation of holistic review for admission and program initiatives that address the social determinants of student success to maximize retention, progression, and graduation.
Dean Scott has been an active leader of the American Academy of Nursing, serving a two-year term as president-elect followed by assuming the role of Academy president in 2023 through October 2025. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (2008), the National Academies of Practice (2020), and the Academy of Diversity Leaders in Nursing (2024); a current board member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; a past board member for the International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing, and past associate editor for Nursing Outlook, the official journal of the American Academy of Nursing.
For her achievements, Dean Scott was honored with Grand Valley State’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013. In addition, she received the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Pioneering Spirit Award in 2020 for her significant contributions to addressing issues facing acute and critical care nursing practice.
About NBNA
Founded in 1971, the mission of NBNA is “to serve as the voice for black nurses and diverse populations ensuring equal access to professional development, promoting educational opportunities and improving health.” NBNA represents over 350,000 black registered nurses, licensed vocational/practical nurses, nursing students and retired nurses from the USA, Eastern Caribbean, and Africa, through 111 chartered chapters, in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
For more information, visit https://nbna.org.