Lynn Rew, EdD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, retired from The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing in December 2024, closing a remarkable chapter of over 41 years of dedication, scholarship and mentorship. Since joining the faculty in 1983, Rew has made a lasting impact on the School, its students and the nursing profession. She held the title of Denton & Louise Cooley and Family Centennial Professor and was awarded Emerita status upon her retirement.
Her career has been distinguished by numerous prestigious awards and honors, reflecting her significant contributions to nursing education, research and mentorship. Some of her notable accolades include being inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame in 2019 and receiving the Dean’s Excellence in Research Award at The University of Texas at Austin in 2017. She was also named a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 1991 and has earned multiple Dean’s Excellence Awards in areas, such as research, writing and teaching. Rew’s impact extends beyond her own work; she has mentored multiple nursing scholars, including a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar mentee, and has earned recognition as a top educator, including receiving the 2020 Outstanding Graduate Teacher Award at UT Austin.
In addition to her honors, Rew’s research has made a significant impact, particularly in areas related to adolescent health, homelessness and sexual health. She has been the principal investigator on multiple National Institutes of Health-funded studies, including a $2.7 million project on promoting responsible health behaviors in homeless youth. Her research also includes exploring the health-risk behaviors of youth, genetic testing in adolescents and examining the role of companion animals in Mexican-American populations. Her work has been supported by numerous grants, such as those from the National Institute of Nursing Research and has contributed to advancing health care for underserved populations.
Reflecting on her career, Rew shared that her greatest accomplishments were the students she taught who excelled in research and writing.
Rew’s passion for nursing education was sparked during her early years as a bedside nurse.
“I was always interested in the teaching aspect of bedside nursing as a new graduate nurse,” she explained. “After about five years of practice, I decided to tiptoe into graduate school and see what else I could do. There, I really fell in love with what I saw professors’ lives and practices were like. I also had a favorite aunt who was a teacher, and I internalized a lot of her enthusiasm as I grew up.”
When reflecting on her time at the UT Austin School of Nursing, Rew recounted one of her favorite traditions: the barbeques with PhD students that used to be held at Dean Emerita Billye Brown's house during the summer.
Now in her retirement, Rew is preparing for an exciting new chapter. She sees this change as an opportunity to participate in new activities, make new friends and volunteer.
Rew encourages current and future School of Nursing students and faculty to embrace their roles fully.
“Enjoy every day of your life and honor your calling as a nurse,” she concluded.
In parting, Rew expressed heartfelt gratitude for her colleagues and students.
“I just want to thank everyone—faculty, staff and students—for the joy and support you brought me over these many years at the School of Nursing,” she added. “You all have enriched my life immensely.”