This will be my final Dean’s Message for The Gator Nurse magazine. As of June 30, I have stepped down from the dean’s position and have returned to a faculty role with the College of Nursing. The decision to step down was a very difficult one for me, and one that I did not take lightly. Together, we have accomplished much in the last 10 years, and while there is always more to do, I think this is the right time for me personally and professionally to step aside for a new leader of the college. There are many exciting opportunities ahead for a new dean to seize upon and elevate the College of Nursing further.

I am pleased to welcome Debra Lyon, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN, executive associate dean and Kirbo Endowed Chair, as the interim dean for the College of Nursing. Her appointment is effective July 1, until a new permanent dean is selected. Dr. Lyon brings a wealth of leadership experience to this role — she has served as a trusted resource for department chairs and deans alike, as well as a delegate to various committees of the university and academic health center. I am confident that she will be a great steward of our college’s momentum and growth.

I consider myself an innovative person — which some institutions do not always encourage because it means taking risks. At UF, innovative opportunities abound and taking risks is our daily business! I discovered that among the brightest and most accomplished colleagues, if we could dream it, we could do it! As alumni of this wonderful university, you should all feel pride in having that innovative spirit as a core component of your foundational education. I know I am grateful for the many doors that have opened before me at UF.

For the next year, I am taking a sabbatical and pursuing some new research and collaboration opportunities. I am looking forward to spending more time with my husband, children and grandchildren. Like many of you, I am a firm believer that family should always come first, and it is my intent to spend as much time as possible with my six grandchildren, who seem to be growing up right before our eyes! My husband, Bob, and I also plan to do quite a bit of traveling, which was put on hold during the pandemic. In fact, as you read this, I am checking off an item on my bucket list: visiting London! There are so many more adventures we are anticipating.

It has been a true honor to serve as your dean for the last 10 years, and to follow in the footsteps of some of nursing education’s trailblazers. While I had not set out in my career with a vision of being a dean, it has, undoubtedly, been the most rewarding — and the most challenging — role I have had in my nearly five-decade career. I am grateful for having such an amazing group of alumni, faculty, staff and students to share this journey. I am excited to enter the next stage of my career — that of cheerleader for all of you!

Anna M. McDaniel
Dean and the Linda Harman Aiken Chair