Recent activities include a faculty award presented at the United Africans of Utah’s African Festival, meetings with international delegations from the Country of Georgia and South Korea, poster presentations at national and local conferences, published research articles, professional development attendance, and student academic milestones.
Award
At the United Africans of Utah’s African Festival, Dr. Sara Simonsen received the Best of Africa Community Award “In recognition of your outstanding contribution to the advancement of the Best of Africa Community.” The African festival celebrates Africa and shares African heritage with the community.
Events
Dean Marla De Jong, Dr. Diane Chapman, Dr. Deanna Kepka, Dr. Schola Matovu, and Dr. Katie Ward, along with Juan Carlos Negrette and Kristina Zhorayeva from the University of Utah Health Sciences Office of Global Health, met with a delegation from the Country of Georgia – Ramaz Kukuladze, President of Alte University, Tamta Rcheulishvili, Consul at the Consulate General of Georgia in San Francisco, and Mariam Neparidze, Tech and Innovation Officer at Consulate General of Georgia in San Francisco – to discuss possible mutually beneficial opportunities for collaboration. Dr. Ann Butt facilitated a tour of the College of Nursing Simulation Center.
Dean Marla De Jong recently hosted Dr. Young Mee Ahn, Dean of the Inha University School of Nursing in South Korea, and Casey Hyun, Vice President of the University-Industry Foundation at the University of Utah Asia Campus. In alignment with a Memorandum of Understanding focused on academic cooperation between the two institutions, the delegation – joined by Dr. Valerie Flattes, Dr. Linda Hofmann, Sonja Jensen, Dr. Schola Matovu, Dr. Cathy Maxwell, Dr. Zoe Robbins, Dr. Josh Wall, and Dr. Andrea Wallace – engaged in discussions around the roles of nurses in South Korea and the United States, the structure of each school’s nursing education programs, shared research interests, and opportunities for student and faculty exchanges. They also explored potential joint initiatives aligned with South Korea’s Regional Innovation System and Education (RISE) plan. Following the meeting, Dean De Jong led a tour of the College of Nursing building, and Dr. Ann Butt facilitated a visit to the College’s Simulation Center, showcasing an innovative learning environment that supports nursing education and practice.
Presentations
Dr. Erica Nelson presented a poster titled ¡Comuniquémonos! Transforming the Health of Latinas through Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Care at the National Association of Hispanic Nurses’ 50th Annual Conference in Dallas. Co-authors Dr. Teresa Garrett and Dr. Ana Sanchez-Birkhead collaborated to develop the project and abstract. As a member of the Membership Committee, Dr. Nelson helped plan and implement Student Bootcamp, a pre-conference designed to support nursing students as they transition from the classroom to the clinical world. Dr. Nelson and team members led an innovative Mock Codes Interactive Workshop that provided high-impact, hands-on training for 35 nursing students.
The College of Nursing was well-represented at the Summer 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium held on July 31. The following students presented posters:
- Aisha Adwish: Exploring Parent Knowledge, Trust, and Messaging Around HPV Vaccination (Research Mentor, Dr. Deanna Kepka)
- Dominique Garay: How Do Patient-Reported Symptoms and Their Associated Attributes Differ Among Children Under 12 Years Old with Cancer From Their Primary Guardian’s Report (Research Mentor, Dr. Lauri Linder)
- Grace Lennartson: Self-Interpretation of Symptoms in Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients: A Comparison Study of Symptoms with Other Cancer Types (Research Mentor, Dr. Lauri Linder)
- Jude Ogundipe: Improving HPV Vaccine Promotion in Utah: Insights from Healthcare Providers (Research Mentor, Dr. Deanna Kepka)
Phoebe Ojo: Understanding Pediatric Oncology Clinicians’ Workflow in Relation to the Electronic Health Record and Symptom Assessment (Research Mentor, Dr. Lauri Linder)
Recognition of Clinical Work
On Pulse, Melisa Wright recognized Dr. Amanda Al-Khudairi, writing, “Thank you for your prompt response in helping an anxious patient obtain the information she needed.” Dr. Linda Hofmann echoed the recognition, writing, “This is a well-deserved recognition! Our patients are fortunate to have a provider like you, and I know you also role model and teach this skill to our students. Congratulations, and thank you!”
Professional Development
Dr. Schola Matovu and Dr. Michelle Litchman attended the Sixth Annual Convocation for Betty Irene Moore Fellows in Washington, DC. Megan Hansen highlighted events and activities from the convocation in an article titled Betty Irene Moore Fellows gather in the nation’s capital for sixth annual convocation, and quoted Dr. Matovu, “Our strategic communications sessions affirmed the power of nursing voices to shape public narratives and influence change. Surrounded by visionary nurse leaders, scholars and changemakers, I deepened my understanding at this year’s convocation of how communication, policy and human-centered innovation can amplify impact.”
Student Recognition
Rachael Alexander successfully passed oral and written exams, and defended her proposal titled Family Caregiver Impact on Palliative Care and End-of-Life Healthcare Utilization for Adults with Advanced Cancer. Committee members are Dr. Caroline Stephens (Chair), Dr. Lissi Hansen, Dr. Eli Iacob, Dr. Elizabeth Sloss, and Dr.Djin Tay.
Publications
Boon JT, Grubbs B, Patel MR, Dunavan J, Knickerbocker KJ, Maxwell CA. Mitochondrial fitness science communication: A qualitative study. J Am Geriatr Soc. Epub ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.70019
Cummins MR, Wong B, Wan N, Han J, Shishupal SD, Gouripeddi R, Ivanova J, Franklin A, Johnny J, Ong T, Welch BM, Bunnell BE. Social vulnerability, lower broadband internet access, and rurality associated with lower telemedicine use in U.S. Counties. JAMIA Open. 2025;8(4):ooaf056. https://doi.org/10.1093/jamiaopen/ooaf056
Maxwell C, Hartley G, Chow EL, Elchert DM, Goldblatt L, Holmboe E, Kolasa K, Pfeifle A, Rajasekaran S, Schwartzberg J, Talib Z. Redefining aging: A call to action for society to address a demographic shift in health care. NAM Perspectives. 2025. https://doi.org/10.31478/202507b
Turner CA, King AJ, Tovar I, Millar MM, Codden RR, Guo J-W, Johnson S, Kirchhoff AC, Raber M, Sheng X, Kepka D, Warner EL. Evaluating the feasibility of web-monitoring methodology for measuring exposure to online cancer misinformation. JMIR Cancer. 2025;11:e65887. doi: 10.2196/65887
Vielot NA, Bucklin IK, Westfall K, Kepka D, Zimet G, Zorn S. How immunization information systems inform age-based HPV vaccination recommendations in the United States: A mixed-method study. Vaccines. 2025;13(7):716. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines13070716