From the Dean's Desk
From the Dean's Desk
Dear friends,
Spring has finally come to Iowa. Daffodils are blooming, birds are chirping, and lawn mowers are rumbling. Spring is the time when many of us think about commencement, the future, and new beginnings. For me, it is also the time when I have the pleasure of attending the AACN legislative day in D.C. with a few of our students. These students are incredible ambassadors. They are passionate, articulate, and ready to take on healthcare.
Iowa nurses have long had this fighting spirit when it comes to health care and health policy. In 1994, Iowa was one of the first five states in the country to grant nurse practitioners full practice authority. In 2001, Governor Vilsack became the first governor to opt out of the federal requirement for physician supervision of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) for Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement. In 2013 the Iowa Board of Nursing won a landmark case in the Iowa Supreme Court regarding supervision of fluoroscopy, a case successfully argued by Jim Carney, longtime friend and supporter of our CRNA program (see page 10). At its core, this case was about allowing APRNs to practice to the full extent of their license.
Advances in health care policy don’t occur in a vacuum; they are the result of years, or even decades of advocacy work by tenacious health care professionals who, among other actions, use their expertise to inform legislators on the issues. Many of those professionals are nurses, working to improve health care not only for their own patients, but for the broader population.
Our faculty incorporate health policy and advocacy across the curriculum with care and intention. We strive to develop Iowa nurses who are excellent healthcare providers, but also deeply engaged in the world around them. Many students have become directly involved in health policy issues that resonate with them. Others take their newfound awareness and confidence into different policy realms,successfully running for school board or local government. And some, like Rene Buenzow, who you will meet in our cover story, do both.
A common refrain we hear from students as they explore advocacy is that “it’s not as scary as I thought it was going to be.” Watching their confidence build and seeing them become strong advocates for the profession and our patients is truly inspiring.
Have a wonderful summer,
Julie Zerwic, PhD, RN, FAHA, FAAN
Kelting Dean and Professor
College of Nursing alumna Rene Buenzow (23DNP, 00BSN) never imagined getting involved in legislative policy and politics, but when she moved from Iowa to Wisconsin in 2020, everything changed. Buenzow became actively engaged in the fight to achieve full-practice authority for nurse practitioners (NPs) in Wisconsin, even making it the focus of her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project. Now a director-at-large on the board of the Wisconsin Nurses Association and a village trustee for the town where she lives, outside Madison, Wisconsin, she proudly credits the UI DNP program for giving her, “the fire in my belly to pursue some of these areas of interest that I don’t think I would have had the courage to pursue had I not been in this program.”
Rene Buenzow (23DNP, 00BSN) at her DNP project presentation at the College of Nursing in 2023.
Lindsey Henkenius, BSN student
Although she has worked with research assistants for many years, both as a College of Nursing PhD student and as an assistant professor, Claire Shaw (21PhD, 17MSN, 13BSN) had never considered nominating a student for the University of Iowa Office of the Vice President of Research’s Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award. That is, until she met Lindsey Henkenius. A third-semester nursing student from Iowa City, Henkenius joined Shaw’s research team in March 2025 and is “the best undergraduate research assistant I have worked with in my career,” says Shaw.
DNP student organizes community health fair in northwest Iowa
For her Health Systems DNP project, Randi Boell (26DNP) put together a community health fair at her rural, northwest Iowa hospital to increase education on and awareness of community resources.
"It’s kind of a call to duty, a call to action for nurses to help address these social needs that do exist and do contribute to health disparities for patients."
–Randi Boell, DNP, RN
Alum inducted into Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame
Jimmy Reyes (10DNP, 07MSN, 04BSN) is one of seven Iowans inducted into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame for 2026. Reyes is the founder and executive director of MyHealthIowa-MiSaludIowa, an organization that brings free screenings, education, and resources into communities across the state.
“This recognition reflects many years of community-engaged work focused on advancing health equity, supporting immigrant and refugee communities, and
organizing free health screening initiatives across Iowa. Much of this work has been grounded in the values of service and leadership that were shaped during my education at the UI College of Nursing.”
- Jimmy Reyes, PhD, DNP, AGNP, RN, FRE
PhD student receives American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Foundation grant
PhD student Brian Jacobs’ grant proposal, “Intramuscular Pressure and Nociplastic Pain in Fibromyalgia,” was accepted by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Foundation. Jacobs investigates novel tissue biomarkers of pain and symptom severity in fibromyalgia in hopes of clarifying underlying mechanisms of disease, improving clinical diagnosis, and defining treatment endpoints.
UI Faculty and Staff Awards
Recognizing the contributions of outstanding leaders in the college and university community.
- Stephanie White, PhD, RN
2025-2026 Graduate College Outstanding Faculty Mentor - Theresa Bechtel, DNP, RN, PCCN, CNE
2026 Hubbard-Walder Award for Excellence in Teaching - Brian Rechkemmer, BS, AAS
2026 Board of Regents Staff Excellence Award - Nicole Weathers, DNP, RN, NPD-BC
2026 University of Iowa Outstanding Staff Award - Kirsten Hanrahan, DNP,
ARNP, CPNP-PC, FAAN
2026 University of Iowa Outstanding Staff Award - Emily Sargent, MSN, RN
Adjunct instructor, NCEC
David J Skorton Staff Excellence Award in Service to the University
Say hello to Mowgli and Baloo
Therapy dogs Mowgli and Baloo visited the college in December. Their owner, Janel Meints, who coordinates the Csomay Center for Gerontological Excellence, says,
“Animal therapy is powerful—even brief interactions with therapy dogs can lower stress hormones and increase feelings of calm and connection, making them a valuable support in healthcare, education, and crisis settings.”
151 new students started their programs in January 2026
- 39 MSN-EIP
- 84 BSN,
- 28 RN-BSN
Stanik-Hutt recognized for extraordinary leadership
The DAISY Extraordinary Nurse Leader of the Year award celebrates exceptional nurse practitioners whose leadership has significantly advanced the mission of the National Organization for Nurse Practitioner Faculties. Julie Stanik-Hutt, PhD, ACNP/GNP-BC, CCNS, FAANP, FAAN, clinical professor, is this year’s recipient. Stanik-Hutt has more than 20 years of academic teaching experience and directed the college’s Adult/Gerontology Acute Care DNP Program for eight years.
Farag wins national award for nursing research
Amany Farag, PhD, RN, associate professor, received the AONL Foundation Nurse Researcher Award for her innovative work spanning AI-driven nurse scheduling, fatigue assessment and workforce well-being.
This competitive award recognizes her contributions to advancing nursing leadership science at the micro, meso, and macro levels, in alignment with AONL Foundation research priorities. Her scholarship on medication safety, enhanced through technological applications, has demonstrably improved patient safety.”
PhD student joins Emory SDOH-ART fellowship program
PhD student Nayung Youn was accepted to the Emory Social Determinants of Health Advanced Research Training Fellowship Program. This 12-month long research training program supports emerging nurse scientists and faculty as they advance research on social determinants of health. Fellows gain hands-on training with mentors to drive meaningful change and improve health outcomes for individuals, communities, and societies.
Alumni Awards - Call for Nominations
Hawkeye nurses are doing amazing things here in Iowa and across the world. Let’s make sure they’re recognized.
Emerging Nurse Leader and Distinguished Alumni Award nominations are now open!
- Emerging Nurse Leader Award
Honors a UI College of Nursing graduate from the past ten years who is already making a difference through leadership, achievement, and meaningful contributions early in their nursing career. - Distinguished Alumni Award
Recognizes a graduate who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and achievement in nursing, related fields, healthcare, and/or made significant contributions to the field on a state-wide, national, or global level.
Precept for Iowa nursing!
- Support the growth of the nursing profession
- Make a lasting impact on the next generation
of Iowa nurses
Preceptors are needed fall, spring, and summer
semesters for BSN, RN-BSN, MSN-EIP, and DNP
programs.
Email CON-Preceptors@uiowa.edu to learn more.
One Day for Iowa 2026
There is no doubt, 1997 was a monumental year around the world: Madeleine Albright became the first female secretary of state, Princess Diana died, Titanic and Men in Black premiered, Deep Blue defeated Kasparov in chess, and the Backstreet Boys’ “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” was song of the summer.
It was also a monumental year for the College of Nursing, as we celebrated the graduation of the inaugural class of five students from the Nurse Anesthesia program —the very same Nurse Anesthesia program that was ranked No. 1 in the country recently by U.S. News & World Report.
As we prepare to celebrate the program’s 30th graduating class this spring, two dedicated champions have stepped up to support future students through the Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist (SRNA) Scholarship Fund. Both Jim Carney and Cormac O’Sullivan have deep connections to the program and hope to inspire others to join them in support through a generous matching grant opportunity.
Alumni updates
Have you started a new job, gone back to school, or earned an award? Did you have a baby, run a marathon, or write a screenplay? Do you just want to update your former classmates about where you are these days? We want to hear it all!