A professor for over 38 years, Dr. Elizabeth Lenz, the new dean of nursing, seemed destined to teach.

Lenz walked on to the Ohio State campus two weeks ago replacing Dr. Carole Anderson, who will be the new vice provost for Academic Affairs.

“I came to Ohio State because it has a strong reputation among universities and colleges,” Lenz said. “The very strong faculty was another attraction. The Academic Plan developed by the university is closely aligned with my own values and goals.”

As a dean, Lenz said she defines her role as providing leadership in the College of Nursing.

“I am serving as top administrator of the school. I am responsible for operation and setting priorities for the school. I see myself collaborating with faculty to develop strong curriculum and a development of strong research,” Lenz said.

Lenz said she also hopes to start teaching during winter or spring quarters.

“I plan to teach in the future,” Lenz said. “I love teaching and have taught primarily at doctorate levels. I like guiding lots of research and want to teach undergraduates and graduate students here.”

Sarah Hopkins, the director of research management at the Columbia University School of Nursing, said she has known Lenz for two years and has worked with her on several projects.

“The major study I worked on with Elizabeth was a large randomized trial comparing primary care outcomes to patients treated by nurse practitioners or physicians,” Hopkins said. “Ohio State is truly lucky to have her. She is a leader, a devoted colleague and a mentor, and an outstanding intellectual.”

Lenz said the College of Nursing is ranked 19th in the nation and hopes the school will lead the way in research, especially with projects that will help programs at other institutions.

“Research is top priority to me,” Lenz said. “The goal is to get better. There are several large-scale research projects going on. One is learning how to get people to stop smoking and not restart after quitting. Also, a number of faculty members are conducting bio-behavioral research incorporating biology and physiology. There are excellent research facilities.”

Lenz said another priority is to improve the problem hospitals are facing with the shortage of nurses in the workforce.

“I hope to work closely and collaborate with hospitals and other work places to develop strategies that will not only retain nurses, but also have long-term effects,” Lenz said. “A reason for the shortage of nurses is because there are so many wonderful career opportunities offered for women that weren’t there before.”

Expanding distance learning and upholding the programs that the former dean started are other areas Lenz hopes to improve.

“The college is expanding on distance learning capabilities. One program is a nursing practitioner program that is available online. I also want to continue the programs of Dean Anderson and make them better.”

Anderson said she is giving Lenz plenty of space to make her mark and plant her own programs at the school of nursing.

Born in Rochester, N.Y., Lenz said she moved to Pittsburgh and was raised by two parents who encouraged her to achieve all her dreams.

“My mother is a physician, who practiced in tuberculosis and internal medicine, and my father was a chemical engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon,” Lenz said. “I had a very liberal, feminist upbringing. My mother was a physician before women were physicians. I grew up in a household where education was priority. My grandmother was a nurse. There is a standing tradition.”

Lenz said her education started at DePauw University in Indiana, where she earned a bachelor’s of science in nursing. “I wanted to go into teaching so I went to Boston College and got my master’s degree in public health education,” Lenz said.

She then moved on to get her doctorate in sociology with a specialization in urban sociology at the University of Delaware.