IU School of Nursing

For nearly three decades, Beverly C. Flynn, PhD, RN, helped shape the Indiana University School of Nursing, not only through her scholarship and teaching, but through a bold vision that extended far beyond campus. She believed education was the pathway to opportunity, understanding, and equity. More than 20 years after her passing, her influence continues to open doors for students and faculty.

Flynn served as a School of Nursing faculty member for 29 years, from 1970 until her retirement in 1999. As a teacher, mentor, and colleague, her impact was felt across the school, the university, and in communities worldwide.

Education as the Way

When Flynn passed away in 2005 at age 69, her commitment to education did not end. Through a bestowed endowment, the Beverly Flynn Endowed Fund for Health Policy Leadership was established to support educational experiences in health policy, health delivery systems, and international health. The fund enables students and faculty to explore global health systems, engage in service learning, and immerse themselves in diverse cultures—expanding their understanding of healthcare delivery and policy across populations.

Her son, Bryan, recalled that education was also central to their family life. 

“Getting an education was their number one priority for us,” Bryan said of his parents, who both held PhDs while raising him and his sister in Columbus, Indiana. “I remember my dad telling us about growing up as a tenant farmer. He had dirt floors in his house, and the first time he had running water was when he went to college. He knew education was the key to a life beyond poverty.”

Bryan earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from IU Bloomington in 1999 and 2000, though he soon discovered he “hated being a CPA.” He went on to own and operate four HotBox Pizza franchises across Indiana before retiring, and today, focuses on raising three young sons and producing woodworking content on his YouTube channel—carrying forward the curiosity and drive his parents instilled in him.

Even after retiring, Dr. Flynn remained deeply engaged in learning and service. She became involved with the Hispanic community in Columbus, and she and her daughter, Nicole, spent six months living with a host family in Costa Rica, immersing themselves in the language and culture.

A Global Vision in Action

Global engagement was not simply a professional focus for Flynn—it was a way of life. As director of the School of Nursing’s international programs, she built relationships that expanded opportunities for students and faculty worldwide. She also founded the Institute of Action Research for Community Health, which, because of her leadership, was designated a World Health Organization Collaborating Center in Healthy Cities in 1991, according to a 2005 oral history of her life published in Public Health Nursing.

For Bryan, his mother’s global interests remain vivid childhood memories.

“I was very fortunate at an early age to travel around the world, Egypt and Kenya, all over Europe, and we even lived in England for a time,” he said. “Seeing the world at such a young age and understanding what’s happening outside of America is what my mom wanted for us. She always said, ‘Travel. See the world. Get out of the bubble most Americans live in and see how other people live.’”

That philosophy lives on through the endowment that bears her name, ensuring new generations of nursing leaders step beyond borders to better understand and advocate for communities everywhere.

Advancing Advocacy and Policy Leadership

For Sharron Crowder, PhD, RN, recipient of the endowed fund, carrying forward Dr. Flynn’s vision is both an honor and a responsibility.

“Her leadership in health policy and advocacy expanded my own vision for what nurses at IU School of Nursing, and across the nation, can achieve,” said Crowder, clinical professor and assistant dean for Health Policy Initiatives.

To remain true to Flynn’s legacy, Crowder connected with emeriti faculty and studied her life’s work. One of the most significant outcomes of the endowment has been the creation and growth of the school’s legislative fellowship programs.

“With this support, 19 students have now completed fellowships, 15 through the School of Nursing (with state Rep. Edward Clere) and four through our partnership with AARP-Indiana (with Legislative Director Ambre Marr),” Crowder explained. “Additionally, other students have been afforded opportunities to attend state and national conferences. These emerging nurse leaders are already influencing health systems, taking on leadership roles, and integrating policy and advocacy into education and practice.”

The endowment also supported the launch of a faculty health policy mentoring program and expanded Crowder’s own leadership development through national and international conferences, service in national organizations, and federal policy experience in Washington, D.C.

“These experiences strengthened my contributions to the School of Nursing and ultimately helped position me to be competitively selected for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellowship in 2019,” Crowder said. “As a result of my year in Washington and placement with the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Workforce, I returned and transformed the School of Nursing’s health policy courses and collaborated to expand our initiatives.”

A Signature Event: The Policy Academy

Launched in 2023, the Policy Academy has become a signature School of Nursing event. Support from the Beverly Flynn Endowed Fund for Health Policy Leadership allows Crowder and her team to host prominent state and national speakers while offering mentorship sessions for attendees in the areas of academia, clinical practice, research, and leadership.

“Our 2026 theme, ‘Catapulting Leadership Roles Across the Health Policy and Advocacy Landscape,’ reflects our commitment to equipping future leaders to influence the healthcare challenges of today and tomorrow,” Crowder said.

“None of this would have been possible without the vision and support of Dr. Flynn’s endowment.”