Howard Karl Butcher

Howard Karl Butcher, RN, PhD, is the PhD Director for the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. The College’s PhD program prepares nursing scholars to generate knowledge grounded in caring in nursing theory fundamental to the discipline of nursing and to nursing situations. The PhD program has four areas of caring science research: aging across the life span; health equity; holistic health; and transforming healthcare environments. PhD students work closely with faculty leaders, scholars, and mentors to design, conduct research, develop, and communicate nursing knowledge that contributes to caring science as related to health outcomes. As future nurse scientists, PhD graduates are mentored on how to build a program of research that contributes to the well-being of individuals
and communities.

“What really attracted me most to this role is my passion for teaching and mentoring future nursing scholars. I have learned the seeds of academic career success are woven and intertwined with caring mentoring relationships. Mentors serve as caring teachers, wisdom-givers, guides, advocates, coaches, guardians, role models, and as sponsors to students. The distilling of counsel, support, advise, knowledge, opportunity, and friendship that arise out of professional mentoring relationships profoundly benefit a student’s career development,” said Dr. Howard Butcher.