Deans

The current dean of the MSU College of Nursing is Leigh Small, who was appointed to the role by the MSU Board of Trustees in October 2022. Learn more about each previous dean below.

Leigh Small, PhD, RN, PNP-PC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN

Dean and Professor
(2022-present; interim dean 2021-2022)

Leigh Small is the tenth dean of the College of Nursing and stepped into the role in November 2021 as interim dean and was appointed by the MSU Board of Trustees to the permanent role in October 2022. She previously served as the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the college. With nearly 30 years as a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner, Small’s research portfolio is based on positive approaches to parenting, child development, motivational interviewing and interactions between parents and young children. Given that foundation, she is committed to the health and well-being of families, studying child maladaptive responses to hospitalization as well as obesity interventions with young children and their parents. She has spent nearly 20 years in nursing education.

Randolph Rasch, Ph.D., RN, FNP, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN 

Dean and Professor
2015-2021

Randolph Rasch is the ninth dean of the College of Nursing. Dean Rasch is a fellow in the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, a distinguished scholar in the National Academies of Practice, and has worked as a family nurse practitioner for more than 10 years. At the heart of his drive is the knowledge that the nursing profession is poised to have a significant impact on healthcare delivery. His research efforts have been in the areas of primary care and community health; specifically analyzing the roles, functions, and appropriate skill mix for all levels of the profession.

Mary H. Mundt, Ph.D., RN, FAAN

Dean and Professor
2006-2015

Mary Mundt was the eighth dean of the College of Nursing. Mundt expanded the college’s academic programs by adding the Nurse Anesthesia MSN concentration in 2008, creating an international partnership with Chongqing Medical University in China, admitting the first cohort of students to a new DNP program in 2013, and leading the 2012 CCNE reaccreditation process for the BSN and MSN programs. She was instrumental in getting a $7.45 million competitive grant from NIH for construction of the Bott Building for Nursing Education and Research that opened in 2012. One of her most important accomplishments while at Michigan State University was developing the infrastructure to enable the college to move to a high of 12th in nursing schools with NIH funding.

Marilyn L. Rothert, Ph.D., RN, FAAN 

Dean and Professor
1993-2006

Under Dr. Marilyn Rothert’s direction, the college successfully prepared for the 1994 NLN accreditation visit. As a visionary leader of the college for 13 years, Rothert presided over an era of continuous achievements including a significant increase in undergraduate and graduate enrollments, the development of several innovative programs, and a doctor of philosophy in nursing and post-doctoral program. The college also established a clinical track for faculty appointments and created a faculty practice plan. In her 42-year career at Michigan State University she has made lasting contributions to the College of Nursing even after her departure in 2006. As dean, her visionary leadership started the campaign to build the Life Sciences Building addition, which broke ground in the fall 2009.

Kathleen G. Bond, EdD, RN 

Dean and Professor
1991-1993

Under Dr. Kathleen Bond’s direction, the college went through an intensive strategic planning process, as well as expansion of off-campus degree programs and on-campus undergraduate enrollment.

Gwen R. Andrew, Ph.D. 

Acting Dean and Professor
1989-1991

Dr. Gwen Andrew reorganized the college structure and consolidated the undergraduate and graduate programs into academic affairs. She led the faculty in planning for the future through a series of task forces. She also established the Nursing Research Center and was instrumental in the development of a formalized clinical preceptor role in the college.

Gladys Courtney, Ph.D., RN

Dean and Professor
1981-1989

Gladys Courtney succeeded Dr. Payne as Dean of the College of Nursing, serving from 1981 until 1989. Under her leadership, the College became integrated into every aspect (and committee) of the University, the number of doctorally prepared faculty grew rapidly, research programs were developed and funded, and the College expanded its outreach programs. 

Isabelle K. Payne, EdD, RN 

Director and Professor
1971-1980
Dean and Professor
1980-1981

Dr. Isabelle Payne was Assistant Director of the School of Nursing from 1965-1971. She became director in 1971, and in 1980, the School of Nursing became the College of Nursing and she was appointed as its first Dean. During her tenure, the College of Nursing moved to the Life Sciences Building and the Multimedia Learning Laboratory was activated. In addition, the Division of Continuing Education for Nurses was created and the school of Nursing received a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation for development of the graduate program and Faculty Development Programs.

Gwendoline R. MacDonald, Ph.D., RN 

Director and Professor
1965-1971

During her years as director, Dr. Gwendoline MacDonald faced the formidable task of seeking budgetary support and raising educational standards. Her expertise in visioning for the future, evaluating the current situation, and developing criteria and guidelines for progress laid the groundwork for accomplishments in the following decade. Under her tenure, programmatic growth including increases in undergraduate numbers and the number of faculty occurred.

Florence C. Kempf, MA, RN 

Director and Professor
1950-1964

Florence Kempf was appointed as the first director and sole faculty member of the Department of Nursing in 1950 with seventeen women under her direction. Her expectations of the nursing curriculum included providing the student with learning experiences in nursing, encouraging personal growth, and assisting in the development of social sensitivity and responsibility. In her 14 years as director of the School of Nursing, Kempf's efforts focused on the selection of clinical sites, recruitment of faculty, selection of students and the creation and maintenance of financial support for students.

Fellows

The College of Nursing is home to several faculty members who have make considerable contributions to the nursing field and, thus, have been honored as fellows by national organizations. Below are our current fellows.

Fellows in the American Academy of Nursing

The American Academy of Nursing fellows are nursing leaders in education, management, practice and research. Fellows represent association executives; university presidents, chancellors and deans; state and federal political appointees; hospital chief executives and vice presidents for nursing; nurse consultants; and researchers and entrepreneurs.

Nancy Artinian

   PhD, RN, FAHA, FPCNA, FAAN
   Senior Consultant

Susan Weber Buchholz 

      Ph.D., RN, FAANP, FAAN
      Associate Dean for Research
      Director, Ph.D. Program
      Professor

Barbara Given 

Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FAPOS
Associate Dean Emeritus
University Distinguished Professor

Mildred Horodynski 

Ph.D., RN, FAAN
Professor Emerita

Rebecca Lehto

      Ph.D., RN, FAAN
      Associate Professor

Mary Mundt   

Ph.D., RN, FAAN
Dean Emerita

Lorraine Robbins  

Ph.D., RN, FNP-BC, FAAN
Associate Professor

Marilyn Rothert 

Ph.D., RN, FAAN
Dean Emerita

Leigh Small

    PhD, RN, PNP-PC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN
    Dean and Professor

Gwen Wyatt 

Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FAPOS
Professor Emerita

Fellows in the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP)

The FAANP program was established in 2000 to recognize nurse practitioner leaders who have made outstanding contributions to healthcare through clinical practice, research, education or policy. Fellows of AANP are visionaries and, as such, hold an annual think tank to strategize about the future of nurse practitioners and healthcare.

Susan Weber Buchholz 

      Ph.D., RN, FAANP, FAAN
      Associate Dean for Research
      Director, Ph.D. Program
      Professor

Kathy Dontje 

Ph.D., FNP-BC, FAANP
Associate Professor 

Denise Soltow Hershey 

Ph.D., RN, FNP-BC, FAANP
Associate Professor

Annie Kao

    Ph.D., RN, FNP-BC, FAANP
    Associate Professor

Linda Keilman 

DNP, GNP-BC, DEGN, FNAP, FAANP
Assistant Professor

Randolph Rasch 

Ph.D., RN, FNP, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN
Dean (2015-21) and Professor

Ann Sheehan

     DNP, RN, CPNP, FAANP
     Assistant Professor

Mary Smania 

DNP, FNP-BC, AGN-BC, FAANP
Assistant Professor, Health Programs

Leigh Small

      PhD, RN, PNP-PC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN
      Dean and Professor

Fellow in the Academy of Nursing Education

The NLN Academy of Nursing Education fosters excellence in nursing education by recognizing and capitalizing on the wisdom of outstanding individuals in and outside the profession who have contributed to nursing education in sustained and significant ways.

Kathleen Poindexter

Ph.D., RN, CNE, ANEF
Associate Professor, Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

Teresa Wehrwein

Ph.D., RN, NEA-BC, ANEF
Associate Dean Emerita, Associate Professor Emerita

Fellow in the American Psychosocial Oncology Society

The purpose of Fellow status in the American Psychosocial Oncology Society is to recognize and honor outstanding contributions to the science and practice of psychosocial oncology. Membership in the Fellowship is not purely honorific, however: it carries an expectation of ongoing contributions to and leadership within the society.

Barbara Given 

Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FAPOS
Associate Dean Emerita
University Distinguished Professor

Charles W. Given

.     Ph.D.
      Professor Emeritus

Rebecca Lehto

Ph.D., RN, FAPOS, OCN
Associate Professor

Gwen Wyatt

Ph.D., RN, FAAN, FAPOS
Professor Emerita

Fellow in the National Academies of Practice

The National Academies of Practice is a non-profit organization founded in 1981 to advise governmental bodies on our healthcare system. Distinguished practitioners and scholars are elected by their peers from fourteen different health professions to join the only interprofessional group of healthcare practitioners and scholars dedicated to supporting affordable, accessible, coordinated quality healthcare for all.

Leigh Small

   PhD, RN, PNP-PC, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN
   Dean and Professor
 

Randolph Rasch  

Ph.D., RN, FNP, FNAP, FAANP, FAAN
Dean (2015-21) and Professor