Mary Lou Sole, dean of UCF’s College of Nursing, has announced her retirement effective Summer 2025. Sole was appointed dean in 2015 after serving as interim dean since 2013.
She joined UCF in 1991 as a visiting associate professor after previously serving as an assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Nursing in San Antonio.
“At that time, I moved from being a small fish in a large pond at an academic health sciences center to a big fish in a small pond in a school of nursing,” she says.
In 1991, UCF’s nursing program admitted only 60 students per year and had approximately 15 faculty members.
“But, as a faculty member, this meant we taught students in both the classroom and clinical setting,” says Sole. “To me, this was the best part as it really enhanced learning.”
In her more than three decades since, Sole has witnessed — and played a key role — in the incredible growth and impact of UCF’s nursing program. Today, UCF’s College of Nursing has more than 2,700 students, 75 faculty members and 16,000 Knight nurse alumni.
Unleashing Potential in Healthcare
When Sole was appointed dean of UCF’s College of Nursing, her vision was to build upon its existing strengths to foster the development of new educational programs and research to become a national leader in nursing education. She’s fully realized that vision and much more.
Sole has maintained a steadfast commitment to academic excellence, fostered a culture of innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration, and advanced the college’s teaching and research capabilities.
“Dean Sole’s legacy at UCF is one of extraordinary vision and commitment, leading a College of Nursing that stands out as a national leader in academic excellence, research, and innovation,” says Michael D. Johnson, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Through her dedication to the healthcare education and the nursing profession, Dean Sole has advanced UCF’s impact in profound ways, ensuring our graduates are well-prepared to shape the future of healthcare in Central Florida and beyond.”
While Sole has been at the helm of the college, UCF has continued to provide a high-quality nursing education that has earned national recognition with reaccreditation in 2017 and ranked among the nation’s best from the bachelor’s degree to the doctorate by U.S. News & World Report. Graduates also continue to exceed both state and national first-time pass rate averages on the national registered nurse licensing exam (NCLEX-RN) and nurse practitioner board certification exams.
Sole facilitated the expansion of degree programs to increase access and evolve to meet the changing healthcare environment, adding the adult/gerontology acute care nurse practitioner graduate degree program, launching the state’s first online Ph.D. program designed for nurse scientists, and innovating education with the B.S.N. to Ph.D. program track and healthcare simulation graduate program.
To meet the growing demand for its programs, Sole has increased the college’s faculty by more than 27% in the last decade and expanded research areas to include acute care, gerontology (aging), and simulation. UCF’s College of Nursing now boasts 21 national fellows, three Sigma International Researcher Hall of Fame recipients, and 11 internationally certified simulation experts.
Over the last decade, with the addition of more experts, Ph.D. programs and postdoctoral opportunities, UCF’s College of Nursing has vastly expanded its research prowess and funding. In 2014-15, when Sole was appointed dean, the college had 10 funding awards totaling $98,400. In the last academic year, the college had 31 awards totaling $3.29 million and was ranked No. 35 among U.S. nursing schools for federal funding.
A champion of technology to foster learning, Sole also led UCF to global prominence in healthcare simulation. UCF’s Simulation, Technology, Innovation and Modeling (STIM) Center has two international accreditations and provides more than 11,000 contact hours annually in simulation-based experiences to prepare UCF nursing students, and students from other healthcare disciplines, for practice.
Collaborating to Impact Communities
Beginning with her tenure as interim dean, Sole has advanced community partnerships with healthcare organizations across Central Florida. Most recently, UCF has welcomed four Pegasus Partners committed to advancing nursing education, research and practice: AdventHealth, Orlando Health, Nemours Children’s Health and Addition Financial.
“Our longstanding partnerships have had an immeasurable impact on nursing education, research and care,” Sole says.
Community partnerships have also been critical to the creation of the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion, the new home of UCF’s College of Nursing in Lake Nona. Once open in Fall 2025, the state-of-the-art facility will allow UCF to increase enrollment to address the nursing shortage and with an optimal location on UCF’s Academic Health Sciences Campus, will foster greater innovation and collaboration to solve the world’s most pressing healthcare challenges.
At the time of her appointment, one of Sole’s goals was to facilitate the move of the College of Nursing to Lake Nona. The new building is a transformational project that is the culmination of years of work, advocacy and collaboration, including working closely with the UCF Foundation, philanthropic organizations and community partners to secure private support, and comes at a critical time where nurses are needed at all levels.
“With the Dr. Phillips Nursing Pavilion, UCF will unleash potential that will have an immeasurable impact for generations to come,” she said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Bringing the building’s vision to a reality is the crowning achievement on what has been a storied career in academia and nursing.
Ensuring Nursing’s Bright Future
No doubt Sole has come a long way from her upbringing in a small town in Ohio where, at that time, career options were limited. Sole chose nursing to follow in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother, and “I’ve never looked back,” she says of her nearly 50 years in the profession.
“I love this profession and the greatest part is that you can do whatever you want. No other profession, in my opinion, offers such an abundance of opportunities to follow your passion and make an impact doing what you love,” she says. “Through nursing, I have been able to care for patients at the bedside, advance nursing science through research, and impact future generations as an educator and leader.”
Sole has maintained an active scholarship during her tenure as dean. A certified critical care clinical nurse specialist, Sole focused her research on preventing complications and improving outcomes for critically ill patients who are on a ventilator. Her research, which received more than $4 million in funding and was published in more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, has influenced the standard of nursing critical care in the U.S. and around the world.
In addition, Sole played an active role in educating and mentoring future generations of nurse scientists and she will continue to impact future nurse scientists. In 2021, she provided a personal donation to establish the endowed Dr. Mary Lou Sole Family Reach for the Stars Scholarship to support Ph.D. students.
Prior to her dean appointment, Sole held various administrative and leadership roles in UCF’s nursing program. In 2008, Sole was named a Pegasus Professor, UCF’s highest faculty honor, and in 2010, she was appointed as the Orlando Health Endowed Chair in Nursing. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and American College of Critical Care Medicine, and is a member of the Sigma International Researcher Hall of Fame.
“What a journey it has been,” Sole says. “I am incredibly proud of all that we have achieved together. It is a testament to the dedication of our faculty and staff, the support of our community, partners and alumni, and commitment of our students. UCF College of Nursing will continue to ‘Charge On’ to ensure a healthier, brighter future for all.”
“At UCF, I have truly been able to unleash potential beyond my dreams and I am incredibly grateful,” says Sole. “I have been supported by the university, our community and our partners to reach for the stars and positively impact nursing’s future.”
