UVA Nursing Voices on Capitol Hill: Student, Dean, and UVA Health Leadership Engagement at AACN 2026
UVA School of Nursing was well represented in Washington, D.C., during the 2026 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Student Policy Summit and Deans Annual Meeting, reflecting the school’s long-standing commitment to student advocacy and national leadership in academic nursing. The two events brought together nursing students and deans from 47 states for a coordinated week of learning, leadership, and federal advocacy. SON students Hannah Licklider and Cindy Tran participated in the Student Policy Summit alongside Dean Marianne Baernholdt, who joined nursing school leaders from across the country for the concurrent Deans’ meeting. Lynn Boyle, federal relations professional at UVA Health, also was in attendance.
At the Student Policy Summit, students examined how federal policy translates into real-world impact by shaping nursing education, research funding, and workforce development. They heard directly from leaders at the Health Resources and Service Administration and the National Institute of Nursing Research, explored how nursing leadership contributes to sustainable health systems, and developed skills for crafting effective messages for policymakers. Students also gained firsthand insight into bipartisan lawmaking and put advocacy into action during Capitol Hill visits with lawmakers and staff, joined by nursing deans from across the country, including Dean Baernholdt.
During Capitol Hill visits, participants advocated for federal investments to strengthen nursing pathways, including increased funding for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research, support for legislation addressing the national nurse faculty shortage and clinical preceptorship capacity, and explicit recognition of post-baccalaureate nursing programs (MSN, DNP, PhD) as professional degree programs. Collectively, these priorities reflect the scale and urgency of workforce challenges facing academic nursing nationwide.
Hannah Licklider, a Clinical Nurse Leader student and U.S. Air Force second lieutenant, brought prior experience from AACN’s Graduate Nursing Student Academy. Cindy Tran, a BSN student and former president of AAPINSA, brought leadership experience from UVA’s Building Empathy program and inter-professional initiatives across nursing and medicine.
At the same time, the AACN Deans Annual Meeting convened nursing school leaders to address the evolving landscape of academic nursing, with discussions focused on leadership, workforce development, policy priorities, and innovation in nursing education. Deans exchanged practical strategies to support faculty and students, strengthen academic programs, and advance the mission of nursing education nationally.
From research to workforce policy, the week reinforced nurses’ essential role as advocates, leaders, and architects of the healthcare system.