Marking MLK Day 2025
Dear students, colleagues, and friends:
Today, Jan. 20, 2025, we honor the life and legacy of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose ideas remain a compass for our work together.
Dr. King’s teachings remain steadfast and foundational to how we teach and mentor students, collaborate with and relate to one another, and care for our patients. When we do our best—suspending judgement, checking biases, commit to understanding the impact of social determinants on health, and deploy and model practices that build and foster belonging in our fight for equity—we heed Dr. King’s beliefs.
When we ensure our community of nursing students represents the same rich tapestry of backgrounds as their patients, we honor him. When we teach our students to care across the spectrum of humanity, constantly tethered to compassion, respect, and suspending judgement, we pay him tribute. When we earnestly model connection across difference in ability, race, religion, geography, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and more, we demonstrate growth and his legacy lives. When King’s values are a thread running across our work, from admissions to advising, teaching to training, science to scholarship and service, we center his ideals.
Creating environments of belonging is critical, as is doing so within the parameters of the law. This work takes work, but, as King said, “the ultimate measure of [human beings] is not where [they stand] in moments of comfort and convenience, but where [they stand] at times of challenge and controversy.”
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As we honor this year’s 2025 MLK Award winners, let us also remember that our School is home to previous honorees, too: Jeanne Alhusen, NIH-funded nurse scientist, associate dean, and disability advocate; Cathy Campbell, associate professor and director of Global Initiatives; Ishan Williams, an NIH-funded social and behavioral scientist, gerontologist, caregiver advocate, and professor; Mesha Jones, a nurse leader, faculty member and student mentor, as well as student leaders from our Black Student Nurses Alliance. The spirit of their work is part of an engine of equity driving us forward, sparking new generations of practitioners.
Creating environments of belonging is critical, as is doing so within the parameters of the law. This work takes work, but, as King said, “the ultimate measure of [human beings] is not where [they stand] in moments of comfort and convenience, but where [they stand] at times of challenge and controversy.”
I am grateful that we stand together with Dr. King, and in our work together. May we each contemplate how Dr. King’s work can inform our lives today, and throughout the year.
Be well,
Marianne Baernholdt, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN
The Pew Charitable Trusts Dean and Professor, UVA School of Nursing
Dean of Professional Nursing, UVA Health
Melissa Gomes, PhD, APRN, PMHNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN
Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Ivy Hinton, PhD
Director, Inclusion, Diversity, and Excellence Achievement initiative