UC to Bestow Highest Honor Upon Dedicated Leader in Nationwide Nursing Beverly Malone

Beverly Malone, a force for change in nursing and health care nationwide, will be given an Honorary Doctorate of Science by the University of Cincinnati at Spring Commencement on May 2.

An honorary doctorate is UC's most prestigious award. The special recognition will be bestowed upon Malone, a UC College of Nursing alumna, and three other esteemed recipients during Commencement events held from May 1-2 in Fifth Third Arena. The tradition-rich celebration will be held from May 1-2 in Fifth Third Arena, and it includes multiple ceremonies: the Doctoral Hooding and Master’s Recognition Ceremony at 10 a.m. May 1, and Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies (bachelor and associate degrees) will be presented at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. May 2.

Malone is chief executive officer of the National League for Nursing (NLN) and former deputy assistant secretary for health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Malone’s tenure at the NLN has been marked by a retooling of the league’s mission to reflect the core values of caring, diversity, integrity and excellence, and an ongoing focus on advancing the nation’s health.

Her distinguished career has mixed policy, education, administration and clinical practice. Malone has worked as a surgical staff nurse, clinical nurse specialist, director of nursing and assistant administrator of nursing. During the 1980s she was dean of the School of Nursing at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. In 1996, she was elected to two terms as president of the American Nurses Association, representing 180,000 nurses nationwide. In 2000, she became deputy assistant secretary for health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Just prior to joining the NLN, Malone was general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, the United Kingdom’s largest professional union of nurses, from June 2001 to January 2007. Malone was also a member of the Higher Education Funding Council for England.

In 2010, she was ranked No. 29 among the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare Magazine. Malone is a newly elected member of the Institute of Medicine.

CEREMONY DETAILS

Information about the ceremony

– including when to arrive, where to park, how to take part via social media and more – is available online.

MORE TO LEARN

Further information is available

on the Commencement website.

Related Stories

1

Donor support of UC and UC Health reaches historic level

July 30, 2026

This summer, every law student at the Donald P. Klekamp College of Law who applied for a Summer Public Interest fellowship will receive a fully funded real-world learning experience, expanding opportunities for University of Cincinnati students wishing to pursue real-world experience in public service. This 30% increase in fully funded fellowship participation is a direct result of transformative philanthropy.

2

Four outstanding preceptors recognized for shaping the next generation of nurses

July 28, 2026

Every nursing student’s journey includes a mentor who helps transform theory into practice. In hospitals, clinics, and community settings, preceptors provide hands-on guidance that helps students build confidence, refine clinical judgment, and develop the skills needed to care for patients independently. Each year, the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing recognizes outstanding clinical educators through its Outstanding Preceptor Awards. Nominated by the students they mentor, the awards honor two prelicensure preceptors and two advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) preceptors — one from the Greater Cincinnati region and one from outside the region —whose commitment to teaching has made an extraordinary impact on student learning and professional development.

3

How a UC nurse practitioner turned a clinical problem into digital innovation

July 23, 2026

Nurses spot what others miss. They notice gaps in care, recurring patient questions, and inefficiencies baked into the system, but most never think to turn those observations into something they can build University of Cincinnati College of Nursing alumna Nicole Homan, MSN, APRN, WHNP-BC, did. Through years in maternal newborn care and women's health, Homan kept meeting women who wanted more than a routine office visit could give them.