Dear Duke University School of Nursing Community,

This fall, I delivered our annual State of the School address to recognize and celebrate what our community has achieved in the past year, and to look ahead as we plan for our second century. Even in the face of uncertainty in higher education and healthcare, our community has the tenacity and the talent to lead meaningful change and build a stronger future. Together, we win as a team and remain focused on bringing outrageous ambitions to life.

We must acknowledge the vital importance of supporting access to nursing education, a key component of building the future nursing workforce. We must evolve with the shifting healthcare landscape, using our position as a leading global academic institution to be an innovator in how we use AI, telehealth, and other technologies.

In the face of challenges related to funding and research policy, we must work harder than ever to advance nursing science with the goal of shaping and scaling nurse-led models of care, which we know have tremendous impact and value for individuals, families, and communities.

In this Fall/Winter 2025 issue of Duke Nursing Magazine, we highlight some of the transformative research being led by Duke Nursing faculty in addiction, stigma, rural health, and beyond. Duke’s passionate and dedicated nurse scientists are making an impact and effecting change at Duke, nationwide, and globally. Their work is foundational in designing and growing nurse-led models of care, which are crucial for improving health outcomes for all people and meeting goals of value-based care. Only through consistent dedication to nursing science can we ensure that these models are created and implemented.

Together, we are shaping a future defined by excellence, innovation, and collaboration. To each of you in our vibrant community of alumni, faculty, students, staff, and friends, I say thank you for your role in advancing the future of Duke University School of Nursing.

Sincerely,
Michael V. Relf, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN
Mary T. Champagne Distinguished Professor of Nursing
Dean, Duke University School of Nursing
Associate Chief Nurse Executive for Academic Partnerships and Innovation, Duke University Health System