We all have childhood dreams of what we want to be when we grow up, but how many of us become the princesses or dragon slayers that we dream of? Not many. While most of us have woven paths for our lives that diverge from those childhood imaginations, Linda Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FNAP, FAAN, has never wavered.
It is an honor to lead the UW–Madison School of Nursing at this special time in our history as we approach our centennial year, 2024. This milestone is an opportunity to celebrate the impact that our students, faculty, staff, and alumni have had on the health of populations by developing knowledge, providing care, informing policy, and on advancing the nursing profession itself.
As our students prepare to contribute to a nursing workforce with an aim to build health equity, they must be aware of and willing to disrupt sources of disparities. To do so, they must be encouraged to recognize, embrace, and trust their capacity to lead and create change. Cultivating a leadership mindset and identity is integral to nursing education. I can proudly say that it is a point of distinction at the SoN.
For the second straight year, the UW–Madison School of Nursing has been selected as a Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award recipient by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.