On November 17, 2025, Linda D. Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FNAP, FAAN, Dean Emerit of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing and member of the Madison Metropolitan Chapter of the Links, Inc., passed away at the age of 69. Her sudden passing came just 1 week after she stepped down from her position as Dean.
A native of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Scott came to Madison in 2016 to serve as the eighth dean and first Black dean of the School of Nursing. Previously, she was the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing. In 2023, Umoja profiled Scott as she assumed her elected position as the 30th president of the American Academy of Nursing and its Board of Directors, the leading professional society in nursing that represents more than 4 million nurses nationwide. Scott became a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 2008 and presided over her last meet as president in October 2025.
Scott earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Michigan State University, and a doctorate from the University of Michigan. She also worked in the field as a pediatric critical care nurse and nursing administrator before moving into higher education.
Fewer than 10% of nurses are people of color and fewer than 5% are Black. Scott took these statistics to heart and saw the opportunity at UW-Madison to diversify the nursing workforce. As of 2023, 28% of undergraduate students in the School of Nursing were students of color. Scott made several administrative and cultural chances to make these gains, including hirst the school’s first Associate Dean of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Under Scott’s tenure, the undergraduate nursing program elevated to 8th overall and 5th among public universities in the US News & World Report rankings.
But Scott did not stop with getting more students of color into nursing. She also held a value for cultural competence and advanced education for all nurses, regardless of race. She infused this into the work of both the School of Nursing and the American Academy of Nursing.
In her message honoring Dean Emerit Scott, UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin remembers Scott as “a teacher, leader, mentor, colleague, advocate, and friend. I appreciated her kindness and commitment, her passion for advancing the nursing profession and reducing nursing disparities, and her dry sense of humor.”
Current American Academy of Nursing President, Dr. Debra J. Barksdale, and CEO, Dr. Suzanne Miyamoto, wrote: “Dr. Scott was a deeply caring, thoughtful, and pragmatic visionary. Most memorably, Linda…was an extraordinary human being. She radiated warmth and gave generously her time and proudly showed her passion.”
Judge Nia Trammell, president of the Madison Metropolitan (WI) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, wrote in memory of Dean Scott: “We gained a sister in friendship and service when she joined the Links in 2018. She will be remembered for her kindness, work ethic, and infectious positive attitude; she will be missed dearly.”
The School of Nursing will hold a celebration of Scott’s career on Friday, December 19, 2025 at 3 PM in Signe Skott Cooper Hall.
