Dr. Hollis Franco was drawn to helping others, especially with behavioral health issues prior to beginning her nursing career as her mother worked as a behavioral health nurse and a school nurse. She is an advocate for people suffering from overwhelming stress and other issues related to mental health and mental illness. She loves to teach and also recognizes that students are often bombarded with family, work, and school stressors. She understands the power of the nurse's presence by listening to her students as they verbalize that they are having trouble coping and achieving a life balance.
She expeditiously guides and directs students with accessing additional resources including but not limited to academic counselors and the dean of students to develop a plan to help the student with their priority needs. Dr. Franco knows how important it is that her students feel valued by her. When people feel valued they are more likely to learn and enjoy life. Dr. Franco's faculty colleagues say that she is caring, compassionate, and an example of an ideal faculty member and role model for the discipline of nursing. We need more faculty and nurses in the practice setting like Dr. Franco, especially in the practice specialty of psychiatric mental health nursing. Thank you, Dr. Franco, for your service to your students, faculty colleagues, university, and the community.