What happens when history becomes the classroom? During the College of Nursing's first participation in a University of Arizona study abroad program in Italy, professor Tarnia Newton helped students explore ancient cities, compare health care systems, and examine how history, culture, and public policy continue to shape health equity and patient care today and in the past.

University of Arizona College of Nursing alumna Chloe Zimmerman ('26) recently traveled to rural Belize, providing nursing care through mobile medical clinics serving communities with limited access to health care. Working alongside faculty member Stephanie Tippin and an interdisciplinary team, Zimmerman assessed patients, provided health education, participated in home visits, and helped care for nearly 100 patients each day. The experience exposed her to the challenges of delivering care with limited resources while strengthening her clinical judgment, cultural awareness, and compassion.

Chiyoung Lee, PhD, RN, assistant professor at the University of Arizona College of Nursing, has received a prestigious National K12 Clinical Pain Career Development Award, supported by the National Institutes of Health's HEAL Initiative. The three-year award will provide more than $560,000 and will support her research on innovative, non-drug approaches to managing knee osteoarthritis pain, including precision brain neuromodulation. The nationally competitive award also provides advanced training and mentorship as Lee develops new treatments that could improve pain management and quality of life for people living with chronic knee pain.

More than 12,000 Arizonans were diagnosed with Valley Fever in 2025, making early recognition of the disease a critical public health priority. College of Nursing faculty member Mary Estrada, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, co-authored a journal article that provides nurse practitioners with an evidence-based framework to improve the diagnosis and management of Valley Fever. Her research is incorporated into the college's nurse practitioner curriculum, preparing graduates to recognize the disease sooner, reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and improve patient outcomes.

The College of Nursing has received a prestigious $1 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) T32 training grant to launch the THRIVE program, which offers financial support and advanced research training to PhD students. The award will help prepare the next generation of nurse scientists and expand the college's nationally recognized research enterprise.

Two University of Arizona College of Nursing faculty members have received prestigious University of Arizona Provost awards for outstanding achievements in mentorship and research. Helena W. Morrison, PhD, RN, FAHA, earned the Provost's Mentoring Future Scholars Award for her dedication to developing future nurse scientists, and Ashley A. Lowe, PhD, MSPH, received the Provost's Early Career Scholars Award for her innovative research advancing school-based asthma care across Arizona. These honors recognize their significant contributions to the university and to the future of healthcare.

College of Nursing PhD candidate Jacquelyn N. Martin has received the Frederick Lange Memorial Endowment Award to support innovative dissertation research on how family relationships can improve the emotional well-being of Latina breast cancer survivors. Drawing on her nursing career and Puerto Rican family heritage, Martin's culturally responsive study aims to help health care providers better support survivors and their families and to advance health equity for an underserved population.

From AI-powered virtual patients to immersive simulation experiences, College of Nursing faculty showcased cutting-edge approaches to nursing education at an international conference in Mexico. Discover how the trip strengthened cross-border partnerships and opened doors to future collaboration.

As a nursing student, Dominique Zuniga (’25) helped turn community concerns into action by advocating for infrastructure improvements that could improve health outcomes for residents of Summit, Arizona. Her leadership, service, and commitment to health equity have now earned her national recognition. Her story highlights how nurses can drive meaningful change by addressing the social and environmental factors that shape community health.

The University of Arizona has appointed Cindy J. Rishel, PhD, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, as interim dean of the College of Nursing. A longtime faculty member, award-winning educator, architect of the college's Executive Health Systems Leadership DNP program, and alumna of the college, Rishel brings more than five decades of nursing and leadership experience to the role.