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Dr. Wilhelm began serving as interim assistant dean in June 2006.
The UNMC College of Nursing is located in Omaha with divisions in Scottsbluff, Kearney and Lincoln. The Scottsbluff division employs 12 faculty members and staff and has 140 students. Faculty members are engaged in teaching, research, as well as nursing practice in hospital, outpatient and community clinic settings.
Virginia Tilden, D.N.Sc., dean of the UNMC College of Nursing, said she is delighted Dr. Wilhelm accepted the position. “As interim assistant dean, she has done an excellent job of leading the Scottsbluff division and has earned my confidence and the respect of the faculty, staff, and the Scottsbluff community.”
Dr. Wilhelm said she was excited with the opportunity.
“I have a passion for nursing in the Panhandle area and believe we are fortunate to have the university system here,” she said. “I always wanted to care for people and learn more about everyone I met. I’ve always been fascinated with the health sciences and nursing research.”
As assistant dean, Dr. Wilhelm wants the division to continue to provide high quality education and innovation in teaching to ensure successful graduates. She also wants to help recruit more qualified nursing students and serve the division’s faculty and staff.
“Our strengths include faculty who have teaching expertise in multiple courses, many years of clinical expertise, and are good nurse researchers,” she said. “We are developing more nursing practice sites for our faculty.”
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It was while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing that she first thought about teaching.
In 1975, she received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Northern Colorado, and her master’s degree in 1995 and doctoral degree in 2000 from the University of Wyoming.
From 1980 to 1985, she served as an instructor at the West Nebraska General Hospital School of Nursing in Scottsbluff. In 1991, she joined the UNMC College of Nursing West Nebraska Division and served as an instructor until 2001 when she was promoted to the rank of assistant professor. She continues to teach graduate and undergraduate level courses at the college.
Dr. Wilhelm, whose nursing specialty area is maternal-newborn and women’s health, has a clinical background in obstetrics and has held nursing positions in several states in the Midwest (Colorado, Arizona, Kansas, Texas, Wyoming and Nebraska).
Her research and scholarship focuses on breastfeeding and issues of menopause. She is a co-investigator on a research grant from the Native American Research Centers for Health to conduct asthma screening in Native American children. She also is a member of a research team to promote infant respiratory health to decrease the incidence and severity of asthma.
Married with a son and two daughters, her hobbies include playing the piano and snow skiing.