Two Indiana University School of Nursing faculty members have been appointed to endowed positions that will advance health equity and strengthen the preparation of future nurses. The IU Board of Trustees approved the appointments of Amy Knopf, PhD, RN, FAAN, as the Rose Cole Mays Professor in Health Equity, and Megan Stuffle, DNP, RN, as the Centennial Endowed Director in Nursing Education.
“These appointments recognize the outstanding contributions Dr. Knopf and Dr. Stuffle are making to nursing and the communities we serve,” said Dean Janet S. Carpenter, PhD, RN, FAAN. “Amy’s work to address health inequities and Megan’s leadership in nursing education reflect the breadth of our mission and the many ways our faculty are working to improve health. I am excited to see how their leadership in these roles will shape the future of nursing research, education, and practice.”
Knopf’s professorship was established in 2026 through a generous gift from Professor Emerita Rose Mays, PhD, RN, FAAN, an alumna of the IU School of Nursing who served on the school’s faculty for 37 years. During her tenure, Mays specialized in pediatric nursing education and led pioneering research and community programs focused on health promotion and disease prevention among vulnerable adolescents. She further advanced the school's mission through eight years of leadership as Associate Dean for Community and International Affairs, overseeing community engagement initiatives and student clinical placements.
“Dr. Mays made important scientific contributions to the school and to the greater Indianapolis community, and it is an honor to carry forward her legacy through this professorship,” Knopf said.
“In this professorship, I will prioritize research that moves us beyond documenting health inequities and toward the development, implementation, and scale up of interventions that change the structural factors driving the inequities we observe,” she continued. “My research is driven by my commitment to justice, which is grounded in the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics, whose ninth provision calls us to work at the structural level ‘to promote social justice, eliminate health inequities, and facilitate human flourishing.”’
The Centennial Endowed Director in Nursing Education was established in 2015 by Chancellor's Professor Emerita Diane M. Billings, EdD, RN, FAAN. Over a distinguished academic career spanning more than three decades, Billings played a transformative role in advancing the science of nursing education, integrating technology into teaching, and preparing generations of nurse educators and scholars. The endowed directorship supports research or developing innovations that target pedagogy and development of best practices for educating nurses.
Stuffle’s work will focus on preparing practice-ready nurses through simulation, the responsible integration of artificial intelligence, and evidence-based strategies that strengthen clinical judgment.
“Building on my work in simulation-based education, faculty development, and educational innovation, I aim to develop and evaluate learning approaches that help students navigate increasingly complex healthcare environments while effectively leveraging emerging technologies without losing sight of the human-centered nature of nursing care,” she said.
Ultimately, the work will better prepare graduates to deliver safe, high-quality care and improve patient outcomes, Stuffle added.
These appointments are a point of pride for IU School of Nursing, recognizing Knopf and Stuffle’s expertise and providing dedicated support for their continued contributions.
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About IU School of Nursing
The IU School of Nursing is annually ranked among the top nursing schools in the nation. Founded in 1914, the school offers programs from the BSN through the post-doctorate and is composed of campuses in Bloomington, Fort Wayne, and Indianapolis. The IU School of Nursing is ranked No. 13 in the nation for undergraduate nursing programs and its online MSN in Nursing Education is ranked No. 6 in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings.
Media Contact: Glenda Shaw | 317-278-2048 | glenshaw@iu.edu