Dean Kirschling’s Legacy: Making UMSON a better place to work and learn, grounded in civility, respect, and inclusion.
It would be natural to imagine that last fall, when Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean, announced her retirement at the end of this academic year, the UMSON community would enter a period of reflection and, perhaps, would slow down the pace as an era came to a close. But that would be antithetical to the nature of Kirschling’s consistently forward-looking, exceptionally productive tenure, a decade-plus not only of the dean herself quite literally rolling up her sleeves to get things done but of constant growth, evolution, and a revolution in the core work of the School. The pace has quickened, the momentum propelled forward as we look toward a future that is defined and driven by the important work that has been and continues to be done at UMSON and by UMSON students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
This is Kirschling’s legacy – one focused on making UMSON a better place to work and learn and marked by significantly elevating the School’s local, state, national, and even international impact and reputation.
Summarizing the extensive accomplishments and providing all of the details of how the School has grown and evolved during Kirschling’s deanship would be impossible with the limited pages we have here (in fact, there are nearly 500 news releases chronicling this work on our website). But certain themes emerge from her tenure.
Emphasis on Expanding the Nursing Workforce
In response to national calls and local needs, UMSON has continued to drive (often in very creative ways) toward building the nursing workforce – through growing its student body; expanding its academic programs and physical footprints both in Baltimore and at the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) in Rockville, Maryland; partnering with practice sites; and increasing diversity among its student body and employees.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
UMSON became the first University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) school to formalize a leadership position dedicated to DEI, and the School has worked continuously to provide programming and professional and driven by the important work that has been and continues to be done at UMSON and by UMSON students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Summarizing the extensive accomplishments and providing all of the details of how the School has grown and evolved during Kirschling’s deanship would be impossible with the limited pages we have here (in fact, there are nearly 500 news releases chronicling this work on our website). But certain themes emerge from her tenure. development to students and employees to increase equity, justice, and respect. Our In UniSON position statement reflects our commitment to doing the continued hard work of nurturing an anti-racist environment and to honoring and celebrating community members who have opened doors and who continue to do so.
Contributions to Nursing Science
In raising the profile of nursing research, UMSON has focused on the importance of “bench to bedside to community.” Kirschling created a research-intensive academic unit, diversified UMSON’s research faculty, and promoted interprofessional approaches to research that have far-reaching impacts on health care. Support of UMSON’s PhD program, among the first in the nation when it was established more than four decades ago, and of the School’s PhD students and postdoctoral fellows has been a hallmark of her tenure.
Promotion of Community, Academic, and Practice Partnerships
Providing opportunities for students, contributing to the health and well-being of our local and global communities, and bolstering the nursing workforce all require collaborative efforts, and Kirschling has emphasized developing beneficial and sustainable partnerships with entities such as Paul’s Place, a nonprofit community-serving organization in West Baltimore where UMSON faculty and students provide clinical care to residents; community colleges state- wide to create a pipeline to UMSON’s BSN program; and University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) hospitals to promote clinical opportunities for students, care coordination among clinicians, cooperative research opportunities, and more.
Nursing on a National Stage
Kirschling’s legacy may be no more evident than in how she has elevated UMSON, and nursing in general, at the national level. Through her involvement in national organizations, her policy and advocacy efforts statewide and federally, and her emphasis on workforce issues and the value of interprofessional education, UMSON and the work it undertakes is more visible than ever.
THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN THE SPRING 2023 ISSUE OF NURSING FOR/UM MAGAZINE.
View a timeline of UMSON's accomplishments under Kirschling's tenure.