Feature Stories
Linda Scott, '95
Linda Scott earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from Michigan State University in 1979. Her dream of becoming a nurse was rooted in her desire to make a difference in the lives of people. However, it was not until she pursued a Master of Science in nursing at Grand Valley State University in 1995 when she fully realized her potential to affect change.
Scott began her career as a nurse clinician. She was a champion for equitable and accessible health care for diverse and vulnerable populations. Through community service activities, she mentored minority and disadvantaged youth who aspired to be professional nurses. After completing her degree at Grand Valley, she became a professor for the Kirkhof College of Nursing. During her tenure as a professor from 1998-2012, Scott was the recipient of three major teaching awards: the Pew Excellence in Teaching Award (2000), GVSU Outstanding Teaching Award (2003), and the Glenn A. Niemeyer Outstanding Faculty Award (2009). She was also integral to the development and implementation of several curricular initiatives and nursing programs including the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program offered by the Kirkhof College of Nursing.
Scott is also a nurse scientist. She is one of few nurses to ever conduct research on nurse fatigue and patient safety. In 2011, she was appointed by the Director of the Michigan Department of Community Health to serve on the Michigan Taskforce for Nursing Practice. More recently, she was selected by the American Nurses Association to serve on the steering committee to address nurse fatigue issues.
Her research has received a wide range of recognition. Scott is the recipient of awards from the Midwest Nursing Research Society, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing, and the American Nurses Foundation.
In 2008, she was inducted as a fellow into the American Academy of Nursing, the nursing profession’s highest honor. This recognition was the first for any member of the nursing faculty at GVSU. Scott’s track record of noteworthy, relevant, and timely contributions are a result of the strong foundation achieved during her graduate studies at GVSU.
As she continues to demonstrate a commitment to and a passion for the delivery of quality health care, Scott is now a new chief academic officer at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing, where she is spearheading the strategic revision of a new nursing curriculum. She is the Chancellor’s appointed representative to the Urban Serving Universities Consortium, which is charged with recommendation development that may increase the enrollment of underrepresented minorities in higher education.
She currently lives in Chicago, Illinois.
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