I am pleased to write this letter of support on behalf of Francis Kuehnle. Regarding their role as an educational leader, Francis has spent extended time and effort to ensure their classroom uses information based on current best practices and is delivered in a way accessible to their students. Francis applied for and received funding from the College of Nursing to update NURS 3640: Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing to incorporate active learning approaches. Francis went above and beyond the usual expectation of CON faculty and spent the summer months doing a comprehensive active learning upgrade to their class. Francis has also been very willing to share their expertise through guest lectures. I have continuously invited Francis to give guest lectures to my class, NURS 3438: Nursing Interventions II, because of their ability to convey information at a level the students can understand while also being presented in a way that keeps the students engaged. This spring semester Francis lectured to my class about healthcare issues of LGBT+ individuals. This class period is two hours long, so keeping the attention of the students can be difficult. However, Francis was able to keep the students engaged and feeling comfortable enough to ask questions despite the potentially sensitive nature of the lecture. Students have independently approached me after class to mention how much they enjoy Francis’s lectures and I have gotten comments in my course evaluations about the positive impact of Francis’s lectures. Regarding their role as a mentor and role model to students, Francis is known within the student body and the faculty for their advocacy and ability to serve as a safe space for students in need. Every term, the graduating class can submit “shout outs” in the student paper to faculty who made a significant impact on their education. Francis has been mentioned in these “shout outs” for their generosity, positive teaching environment, and willingness to promote student success. The students also mention how they feel safe coming to Francis when they are struggling and how Francis will always work to help them. Francis is so well regarded by the students that they have been invited by graduating classes to be a speaker at the pinning ceremony. This is a well-regarded honor among the faculty and demonstrates the respect the students hold for Francis as this speaker is personally invited by that graduating class. Francis has also served as a reviewer for the BSN Admissions Committee, proving to be a strong advocate for equity in the admission process. Francis continuously advocates for students from diverse backgrounds and had been an excellent example of how CON faculty work to meet the qualities held in the pillars of diversity. Finally, Francis has given permission to me to share that they are transgender. As a member of the LGBT+ community, Francis has used their voice to do extensive community outreach. Francis has worked with companies to make their products more LGBT+ friendly, given lectures on LGBT+ awareness and health issues to community groups, and worked with crisis counselors to ensure they are educated on the needs of LGBT+ people. The impact Francis’s presence has made on nursing students and the CON is considerable. They excel as a nurse educator, student advocate, mentor, and representative of the CON faculty. I can’t think of anyone more deserving to be recognized by this award than Francis. 

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I am a former student of Frankie Kuehnle. I had the honor of being in their Psychology class during my third semester of nursing school. Frankie Kuehnle exemplifies academic excellence, teamwork and problem solving, and most of all, compassion, and care for students. Frankie would always go above and beyond their students in ways that many students have learned to seriously appreciate. They have the ability to meet each individual student where they are and find solutions to meet their students’ needs. In my experience, Frankie Kuehnle has been a huge part of my support system during school, and I am so thankful for them. They are incredibly down-to-earth and easy to talk to about anything that was concerning me. I was a very high-strung, anxious student in their class, and they always knew how to quell my fears while also being able to support me throughout my academic endeavors. My relationship with Frankie did not start during my third semester, but rather when I first stepped foot at the University of Iowa’s College of Nursing. From day 1, I was terrified of what nursing school had in store for me. Frankie was one of the first people to make me feel truly supported at the College of Nursing. It doesn’t stop there. Frankie is also very knowledgeable. Even before you know you have a question or are confused, whether it is during school or during clinical hours, they are always available to either answer questions, clear up common misunderstandings, and make students, including me, feel comfortable bringing up concerns to them. Psychology can be very emotionally taxing and for a lot of us, this is our first exposure to severe mental illness. There is no real way of preparing for what you see sometimes. However, Frankie would always be there to support us through such a new experience, and I will forever be grateful for the knowledge that they’ve imparted to me. Frankie Kuehnle is a force to be reckoned with. It would be amazing to see them be recognized for their efforts and what they do to help support the Nursing Students at Iowa every day.