Category Archives: Faculty & Staff News

Frances Blackwell Smith, PhD, RN, was one of the original trailblazers of the University of Central Florida nursing program and her impact will continue thanks to a generous gift. The UCF College of Nursing is mourning the loss of a one of its founding faculty members. Professor Emerita Frances Blackwell Smith, who was a faculty […]

The UCF College of Nursing alumna and faculty member is among 15 educators worldwide honored by the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence. Jacqueline LaManna ’13PhD, associate professor at UCF College of Nursing, has been recognized by the National Hartford Center of Gerontological Nursing Excellence (NHCGNE) as a Distinguished Educator in Gerontological Nursing. She […]

The associate professor is among 10 global healthcare simulationists who will be inducted into the Class of 2023 Fellows in January. Recognizing her sustained contributions to the field of healthcare simulation, Associate Professor Desiree A. Díaz has been named a Fellow of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare Academy. Díaz is one of only 10 […]

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the legacy of Joyce DeGennaro ’03, ’09BSN, ’13MSN who passed away in 2020 after a brave battle with Stage IV breast cancer lives on and will have an even greater long-lasting impact thanks to a new endowed scholarship. Meet its first recipient. “The biggest loss is those that will never […]

This Hispanic Heritage Month, meet UCF alumna Veronica Sampayo ’13BSN — a Hispanic first-generation college graduate and nurse practitioner who is championing future diverse providers. The Hispanic and Latinx population continues to grow, and so do the healthcare disparities these communities face. Hispanic Heritage Month serves as a reminder of the importance of a diverse […]

Health informatics expert Azizeh K. Sowan joins the college as the Department Chair of Nursing Practice and is among 10 new faculty members for Fall 2022. In addition to welcoming new cohorts of students who will help address the nursing shortage, UCF’s College of Nursing is welcoming a new department chair and new faculty members […]

UCF Alumni announced its Shining Knights Award recipients for 2022 — 11 winners celebrated for their commitment to the university in the categories of the Michelle Akers Award, Distinguished Alumni, Honorary Alumni, Young Alumni, Distinguished Student and the Champion’s Award. Among this year’s honorees is College of Nursing alumnus and Knight nurse Kenneth Dion ’91BSN. […]

What we feed our bodies not only affects our physical appearance but our brains and cognition, as well. A growing body of research shows diets rich in whole foods and plant-based foods increases our wit and decreases our risk of disease. Associate Lecturer Leslee D’Amato-Kubiet ’13PhD shares her insights and personal story in the latest […]

Organized by the UCF College of Medicine’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the week-long Health Leaders Summer Academy helped students chart their career paths to healthcare professions. They learned about health-centered education tracks and programs at UCF, tour university campuses and facilities, and engaged in activities designed to increase interest, awareness and passion for […]

Fundraising launches for the new, permanent home with expanded space and cutting-edge technology to combat the nursing shortage and foster interdisciplinary research. UCF’s College of Nursing would be able to graduate more nurses and nursing faculty, helping to combat the nation’s critical nursing shortage while fostering more innovation and collaboration with a new building at Lake Nona, […]