Dear College of Nursing Alumni,
As I write this note, I do so with a full heart and a sense of celebration. After 50 years as a nurse, and after a career that has taken me around the world and from clinical practice to research and finally to the extraordinary privilege of serving as dean of our College of Nursing, I will be retiring July 1. While goodbyes are never easy, I am genuinely joyful as I reflect on the people, purpose and progress that have filled these decades.
When I think back on the work we have done together, I'm reminded that the college's story is ultimately told through the people who carry its values into the world. Throughout my research career, I've seen how a careful question and a committed team can change practice and improve outcomes, sometimes in ways that are felt years later in a patient's life. Alumni like you bring that same spirit to every setting, no matter the challenge: You advance patient care at the bedside, lead clinical teams, open community clinics, generate evidence that strengthens care and mentor the next generation. You have shown, day after day, that nursing is both a science and an advanced profession, grounded in compassion.
I want to thank you for the many ways you have supported and strengthened the college over the years — by staying connected, hosting students and new graduates in your units, precepting, guest lecturing and advocating for our profession when it mattered most. Many of you have also supported scholarships and program growth, often quietly and without fanfare. These acts ripple outward, creating and expanding opportunities that allow our Rush brand of excellence to thrive.
Alumni like you...advance patient care at the bedside, lead clinical teams, open community clinics, generate evidence that strengthens care and mentor the next generation. You have shown, day after day, that nursing is both a science and an advanced profession, grounded in compassion.
Nursing has changed in remarkable ways during my time at the college. New technologies, new evidence, new models of care and new expectations for advanced practice education. Yet what has not changed is the core of who we are: professionals committed to safety, equity and dignity for every person entrusted to our care. I stepped into the role of dean during the 2020 pandemic, and I will never forget what those unpredictable times revealed about this community. You all showed your courage, adaptability and calm leadership, as well as your willingness to show up for patients, nursing students and for one another even in the face of a level of uncertainty we never could have anticipated. It was an honor to witness that strength, and it remains one of the clearest examples of why I am so proud to be part of this profession.
As you look ahead in your own careers, I hope you will continue to lean into curiosity. Continue to care for yourselves and one another as intentionally as you care for patients. And if you can, continue opening doors for students and early-career nurses. Your guidance can be the difference between someone simply getting through a shift and someone discovering a long-term path in nursing.
Although I'm retiring from my role, I'm leaving with tremendous confidence in the future you are building. I know the college is in good hands, with Dr. Julie Hoff, PhD, RN, stepping in as interim dean, and I look forward to seeing all she and this community will accomplish together. The care you deliver and the questions you ask matter more than you know. Thank you for letting me share this journey and for representing our college with such excellence. I look forward to following your accomplishments and applauding all the good you continue to bring to healthcare.
Gratefully,
Christine M. Kennedy, PhD, RN, FAAN
John L. and Helen Kellogg Dean, College of Nursing