“I’ve always had this curiosity bug,” says Sharon Tucker, dean of �����’s College of Nursing. “Since I was a kid, I used to ask all those ‘why’ questions. I was probably terribly annoying, but I wanted to know things.”

One of the first she remembers asking was why her grandmother died of cancer when other grandmothers didn’t. Tucker was 5. She would eventually learn that genetics, environmental factors, age and lifestyle can all play a part. But as a child, she simply wanted to understand why some people got sick and others didn’t.

That question, along with an aunt who was a nurse, led Tucker to nursing.

“Nursing gave me a way to translate my curiosity into service,” she says. By her second year of nursing school, she knew she wanted to pursue research, earn a Ph.D. and teach.

“Dr. Tucker’s research supports our efforts to empower nurses and elevate clinical excellence to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care.” — Kelly Edmondson, Orlando Health’s senior vice president of nursing and patient care services

On Thursday, Oct. 29, Tucker was officially invested as the Orlando Health Endowed Chair in Nursing, recognizing her service to nursing education, evidence-based practice and healthcare innovation. She is the second faculty member to hold the position, which UCF Pegasus Partner Orlando Health established in 2009 to support nursing research with a direct impact on patient care — the kind of work Tucker has pursued throughout her career. The investment also positions Tucker to help shape what’s next in nursing education, workforce development and patient care, advancing UCF’s commitment to preparing the healthcare leaders Florida and the nation will need in the decades ahead.

“Dr. Tucker’s research supports our efforts to empower nurses and elevate clinical excellence to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care,” says Kelly Edmondson, Orlando Health’s senior vice president of nursing and patient care services. “It is an honor to continue to partner with UCF to strengthen the nursing workforce and create a healthier future for all.”

The title is new. The curiosity behind it is not. Curiosity drives Tucker’s questions; evidence is how she answers them. Together, they have driven her career and practice defined by wanting to know more about: what it means to care for someone, what it takes to lead well and why it all begins with the self.

‘A Chart Doesn’t Provide the Whole Picture’

Tucker began her career in intensive care at the Mayo Clinic, caring for people during some of the most critical moments of their lives. There, she saw how some health crises were unavoidable, while others could be prevented or improved through healthier behaviors. But changing those behaviors, she learned, was rarely simple. A person’s history, circumstances and support systems all mattered.

She wanted to understand all of it, not just the illness.

In the late 1980s, while working as a nurse counselor at the Sexual Assault Resource Service in Minneapolis, Tucker had an experience that changed how she approached the people in her care.

“Because of her, I learned the importance of seeing things from the patient’s perspective, being open to the reality that there can be more than one truth and understanding each person’s journey is critical to truly helping them.” — Sharon Tucker, Orlando Health Endowed Chair in Nursing

“This patient had endured a lot of adversity and taught me how to help help someone heal,” says Tucker. Because of her, I learned the importance of seeing things from the patient’s perspective, being open to the reality that there can be more than one truth and understanding each person’s journey is critical to truly helping them. That was pivotal for me.”

That lesson stuck.

For nearly 40 years, understanding the world from the other person’s point of view has been Tucker’s guiding philosophy. From the ICU to the dean’s office, Tucker has built a career spanning patient care, research, teaching and leadership, publishing more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, securing more than $40 million in research and training funding, and helping advance evidence-based practice across the profession. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a distinguished fellow of the National Academies of Practice in Nursing.

She is also a board-certified adult psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist and integrative nurse coach — two credentials that reflect her interest in the whole person, not just a diagnosis, and a focus she would also turn on herself.

“I know at the core of who I am that science improves lives,” says Tucker. “Evidence-informed care is really important to me, but I have to apply the evidence we get from research within a patient’s preferences and circumstances. A chart doesn’t provide the whole picture of a patient. It has critical information but what’s missing is often just as important.”

Focusing on what’s missing led Tucker to wonder how prepared future nurses are to enter a field where five nursing roles rank among the 30 most stressful jobs in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. She didn’t guess. In 2009, she and two colleagues developed a self-efficacy assessment now used by more than 4,000 people in over 40 countries to identify learning gaps and strengthen evidence-based practice.

“Developing that scale continues to teach me that capability, context, confidence and culture all matter,” says Tucker. “Today, it informs how I approach education, leadership and implementation science: we must assess where people and organizations are, build the right supports and create conditions where evidence can become routine practice rather than an extra task.”

The question, in other words, is never just what people should know. It’s what they need to put that knowledge into practice.

‘The People Who Show Up Run the World’

After years in hospital leadership, Tucker recognized the same resistance to change she had seen in individual patients. Even when people understand what needs to change, acting on it can be difficult.

“We all want to keep doing what we know, what’s comfortable, especially when we’ve already got enough on our plate or are feeling overwhelmed,” she says.

Tucker knows that feeling herself. In 2007, while balancing hospital leadership, university teaching and raising two young daughters, she began a three-year Robert Wood Johnson Nursing Executive Fellowship. At the time, she was accustomed to translating scientific research into evidence-based bedside care. Sharing her research findings came easily. Sharing her opinions was another matter. The fellowship asked her to do exactly that, and left her with a question: How do we influence meaningful change?

“… I teach all my students, you have to step up to the mic whenever you can and voice your opinion. That’s how we influence change. The people who show up run the world. I think in nursing that’s more important today than ever.” — Sharon Tucker, UCF College of Nursing Dean

“That experience taught me to be courageous and to step up to a mic when I didn’t want to,” she says. “It can be uncomfortable, but I teach all my students, you have to step up to the mic whenever you can and voice your opinion. That’s how we influence change. The people who show up run the world. I think in nursing that’s more important today than ever.”

The fellowship, like the patient years ago, pointed Tucker back to individuals. Being good at one thing, she learned, doesn’t mean someone feels prepared for the next. A leader’s job, like a clinician’s, starts with the person, not the task. That means getting curious about the people doing the work: what motivates them, what challenges they face and what support they need to succeed.

Now, in her second year as dean, Tucker is applying that lesson to the next chapter of the College of Nursing. She is asking how artificial intelligence could change both the profession and the way nurses are taught. Her vision for what’s next focuses on what’s always been important — empowering highly skilled and practice-ready nurses, research opportunities that improve care for patients, and the partnerships, like the one with Orlando Health, that make it all possible.

“The evidence, the practitioner and the patient are all important,” she says. “As are continuing to promote a culture of honesty, trust, well-being and professional growth.”

Tucker is equally committed to all of those when it comes to herself. She recently competed a six-month dean development program and led her leadership team through a book club on The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.

“When things get challenging, I return to the belief that people can grow, organizations can change and nursing has a powerful role in improving health and well-being,” she says. “That focus helps me stay grounded: Listen carefully, act with integrity, use evidence wisely, and keep the person at the center of the work.”

For Tucker, that person includes herself.

‘Present, Resilient and Always Moving Forward’

Endowed gifts provide permanent support, generating annual resources that strengthen UCF year after year. Through , endowments help power student success, groundbreaking research and community impact for generations.

For 20 years, Tucker has journaled and meditated, but her longest-standing practice is more about momentum than stillness. Tucker has been running for 40 years, including competing in several marathons. The miles give her space to think and a chance to test what she believes about herself.

“Running has taught me so much about myself, what I’m capable of, and what I can give to others, mainly because it gives me a chance to have some silent time to think,” she says. “When you’re running, you have to be present, resilient and always moving forward.”

At 5, Tucker wanted to know why. Today, backed by the Orlando Health Endowed Chair and a university committed to shaping the future, she is still asking bold questions, helping launch new ideas, stronger nursing leaders and better outcomes for the patients they serve.

UCF Pegasus Partner Orlando Health has named , dean of �����’s College of Nursing, the Orlando Health Endowed Chair in Nursing.

The prestigious endowed faculty position, which will support Tucker’s nursing research, teaching and scholarly activities, is just the latest example of how UCF is leveraging industry partnerships to drive real-world impact.

Tucker is a distinguished scholar in both psychiatric mental health nursing and evidence-based practice who has made sustained impacts on the field, for nurses and patients alike. She is nationally board certified as an adult psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist and integrative nurse coach.

Her research, which has been published in more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and presented around the world, focuses on behavior change through mental health and wellness interventions and organizational change through evidence-based practice.

“With its partnership, Orlando Health is elevating excellence in education and research to support future Knight nurses and improve the health of our communities.” — Sharon Tucker

“I am incredibly honored to be named to this esteemed endowed position, and grateful for Orlando Health’s support of the college,” says Tucker. “Partnerships are powerful and with its partnership, Orlando Health is elevating excellence in education and research to support future Knight nurses and improve the health of our communities.”

In addition to the new endowed chair appointment, Tucker holds the prestigious distinctions of fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and fellow of the National Academies of Practice in Nursing.

Orlando Health has been a long-standing partner ɫ���� and the College of Nursing. The Orlando Health Endowed Chair in Nursing was established in 2009, and Tucker is the second faculty member to be named to the appointment. It was formerly held by Professor Emerita Mary Lou Sole, the previous dean and a renowned critical care researcher.

Kelly Edmondson, Orlando Health’s senior vice president of nursing and patient care services, says the partnership speaks to the organization’s mission to improve the health and quality of life of the individuals and communities they serve.

“Dr. Tucker’s research supports our efforts to empower nurses and elevate clinical excellence to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care,” Edmondson says. “It is an honor to continue to partner with UCF to strengthen the nursing workforce and create a healthier future for all.”

In 2023, Orlando Health became one of �����’s inaugural Pegasus Partners with a $5 million commitment to support the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion as well as provide tuition assistance and additional paid internships for UCF nursing students.

to support the College of Nursing

Philanthropic support is critical to the creation of endowed faculty positions, helping UCF attract and retain nursing experts, and support groundbreaking research that impacts the profession and the health of communities. Help launch more faculty experts to lead nursing into the future by joining �����’s Go for Launch campaign.

Elected leaders joined founding donors to celebrate the pavilion’s opening on �����’s at Lake Nona. They gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and toured the pavilion, which will help to address Florida’s critical nursing shortage. Fittingly for Florida’s Premier Engineering and Technology University, the pavilion also features the latest in immersive modeling and simulation technologies.

“This facility will help strengthen Florida’s nursing talent pipeline in ways that make communities across our state healthier.” — UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright

“The Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion is a powerful example of what is possible when vision, community and partnership come together. Built with the generous support of state leaders, donors and health care champions, this facility will help strengthen Florida’s nursing talent pipeline in ways that make communities across our state healthier,” says UCF President Alexander N. Cartwright. “Together, we are fueling hands-on learning, enabling new research and discovery, and preparing generations of Knight Nurses who will have a lasting impact on the lives of those they serve.”

With the opening, UCF will increase access to its accredited and nationally ranked nursing degree programs and graduate an additional 150 newly licensed nurses annually. These graduates will have a direct impact on the state. Of the 17,000 Knight nurse alumni, 85% live and work in Florida, and nearly 60% remain in Central Florida.

Located next to the College of Medicine and in Lake Nona’s Medical City, a nationally recognized hub of healthcare innovation, the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion will bolster interdisciplinary collaboration to prepare providers to thrive in the workforce and deploy cutting-edge research to solve the industry’s greatest challenges and ensure a healthier future for all.

Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson played a vital role as Senate President in securing about $43 million in state funding for the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion, as well as additional funding for state university and state college nursing initiatives throughout Florida.

“We worked very hard to secure the funding,” he says. “When you think about state-of the-art nursing, when you think about doubling the capacity of nursing, this couldn’t come at a better time. Florida is growing 400,000 people a year still. We’re going to continue to grow.”

“Thanks to the leadership of Governor DeSantis and the Florida Legislature, the state continues to invest in key academic programs that set an example nationwide,” says State University System Chancellor Ray Rodrigues. “The new Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion at the ɫ���� is no exception — by providing innovative educational opportunities for nursing students now, Florida is ensuring a promising future of skilled nurses that will care for our communities.”

The Power of Partnerships

The Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion, which came to fruition through $43 million from the State of Florida and over $29 million from private donors, will directly impact the community that created it and will be a longstanding symbol of what can be achieved through the power of community partnerships — unleashing potential for generations to come.

“We are honored to be part of this transformative moment for Central Florida,” says Kenneth Robinson, president and CEO of Dr. Phillips Inc. and the Dr. Phillips Foundation. “This investment will help address the nursing shortage, strengthen our healthcare system, and expand access to exceptional education and career opportunities. By supporting this project, we’re helping to graduate more Knight nurses who will make a lasting impact. We’re proud to stand with UCF and our community partners to shape a healthier, brighter future.”

Founding donors of the facility also include the Helene Fuld Health Trust; UCF Pegasus Partners AdventHealth, Orlando Health, Nemours Children’s Health and Addition Financial; Zaby and Suree Vyas; and many others.

“Today we are witnessing the power of partnerships,” says Professor Emerita Mary Lou Sole, who, as the previous College of Nursing dean, led the efforts to advocate and raise funds for the new building. “The Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion is the result of the collective efforts ɫ���� and this community to come together to solve one of our greatest healthcare challenges. We are incredibly grateful for the support, which will have an immeasurable impact for generations to come.”

Inside the Future of Nursing

Every aspect of the 90,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility was thoughtfully designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and student success and well-being.

“The Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion will serve as a catalyst for ensuring a brighter, healthier future,” says new College of Nursing Dean Sharon Tucker. “In this space, UCF will strengthen and empower future nurses and nurse leaders to advance healthcare innovation and collaboration to improve evidence-based patient care and outcomes.”

On the second and third floors is a hub of healthcare innovation, the Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation, Technology, Innovation and Modeling (STIM) Center. UCF is Florida’s first simulation center to earn three international accolades in the field and the new, expanded space will build upon its global leadership to innovate healthcare education using the latest immersive technologies to prepare nurses for practice as compassionate, skilled providers.

The second floor also features the Dr. Colleen Conway Welch Virtual Reality Learning Studio, a makerspace design studio to accelerate nurse-led innovations, a home health apartment to meet growing demand for home-based healthcare, and the Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation Healthy Aging Research Lab for interdisciplinary research and innovations led by renowned aging expert Ladda Thiamwong.

Upon entering the pavilion, students, faculty, staff and visitors are greeted with the inspiring “” public art commissioned by Florida’s Art in State Building program. The first floor also includes three large high-tech learning studios, the Zaby and Suree Vyas Collaboration Concourse, the Martin Andersen-Gracia Andersen Foundation Study Cafe and a student success suite.

The opening comes a little over a year and a half after the groundbreaking in January 2024. UCF built the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion in conjunction with HuntonBrady Architects, Ayers Saint Gross and DPR Construction.

�����’s Industry Partners Highlight Transformational Impact

AdventHealth

“At AdventHealth, we’ve seen firsthand the extraordinary caliber of nurses who graduate from UCF. They bring clinical excellence, compassion and an unwavering commitment to their patients — values that perfectly align with our mission to provide whole-person care. As the demand for skilled nurses continues to grow, we’re happy to support this exciting new chapter for the UCF College of Nursing. And as a UCF alum, I’m excited to welcome even more outstanding Knight nurses to AdventHealth.”

-Cathy Stankiewicz, (MSN’11), chief nursing officer, Central Florida Division

Helene Fuld Health Trust

“The Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation, Technology, Innovation and Modeling Center at UCF exemplifies our mission to support the education of nursing students. Simulation is a critical component [of] nursing education and will continue to be in the future, and we’re proud to make this investment to strengthen nursing skills and improve the welfare of our communities.”

-Robert Campbell, vice president of Trust & Fiduciary Services at HSBC, who oversees the trust

Nemours Children’s Health

“Growing and solidifying the nursing workforce is critical to care delivery across the healthcare sector. Through our longtime relationship with the UCF College of Nursing, we have seen firsthand the benefits of hiring their well-trained, work-ready graduates. The new nursing pavilion will be a tremendous asset in our continued collaboration, partnership, and investment to support the education, development, and maturation of emerging nurses.”

-Nicole Johnson, (DNP’17), senior vice president and chief nursing and patient operations officer  

Orlando Health

“It is an honor and privilege to be associated with UCF, and we are thankful for our partnership with the university, nursing professors, and students.”

-David Strong, president and CEO