Nancy Hodgson has been named the Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor in Nursing. This named professorship was established in 1992 as a tribute to Dr. Fagin and her accomplishments as Dean of Penn Nursing and as a vehicle to continue her vision of nursing as a research-based practice discipline with a vital role in shaping the world’s health care. 

“Nan is a nationally recognized nurse scientist in gerontology and psychiatric nursing,” said Penn Nursing Dean Antonia Villarruel. “She brings an incredible wealth of knowledge, leadership, and experience to her new role at Penn Nursing. She has expertise in blended learning and a passion for educating the next generation of nursing leaders. She embodies the spirit of Penn Nursing Dean Emerita Claire M. Fagin, after whom this professorship is named.” 

“As a proud Penn Nursing alumna, I am tremendously humbled and honored to be named the Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor in Nursing,” said Dr. Hodgson. “Claire Fagin’s fearless work has had a profound influence on my life and work, including my passion to help our frailest patients live to their fullest capacity. I’m thrilled to be able to expand my work to advance research and policy through this chair.” 

Dr. Hodgson, who is also chair of Penn Nursing’s department of biobehavioral health, is an internationally recognized nurse scientist. She is a leading gerontologist with a strong program of research focused on incorporating evidence-based findings into geriatric nursing practice to conquer challenges in palliative care such as promoting dignity, minimizing symptoms, and honoring peoples’ preferences for care at the end of life and advancing palliative dementia care.  Her research has been published in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, and she is co-author of Better Living with Dementia: Implications for Individuals, Families, Communities and Societies (Elsevier), based on a MOOC with over 80,000 participants worldwide.  For more than 20 years, she has received continuous research and training grants from both federal agencies and private foundations, including the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Hodgson has served as director of Penn’s Hillman Scholars Program in Nursing Innovation. She is an academic research representative on the Pennsylvania Long-Term Care Council, a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the Gerontological Society of America, and was recently appointed to the thirteenth cohort of the Penn Fellows Program for 2021 (Almanac May 25, 2021).