Melissa Craft Named University of Oklahoma Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing Dean

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. – The University of Oklahoma announced today that Melissa Craft, Ph.D., has been appointed permanent dean of the Fran and Earl Ziegler College of Nursing, effective June 1, pending OU Board of Regents’ approval. Craft has served as interim dean since July 2024.

“Dr. Craft has played a pivotal role in driving the OU College of Nursing’s recent momentum and impressive growth,” said Gary Raskob, Ph.D., senior vice president and provost of OU Health Sciences. “Her passion for advancing the nursing profession and expanding meaningful opportunities for our students makes her the ideal choice to lead our College of Nursing into a bold and promising future.”

Craft currently holds the Robert and Doris Klabzuba Professor of Nursing Science and was named associate dean for clinical affairs, outreach and practice innovation in 2021. In this role, she led the college to successful 10-year accreditation for its academic programs and spearheaded an innovative faculty practice, co-chaired the Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee for the OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center, and actively contributed to interprofessional education and practice. She also maintains a practice with the OU Health Breast Health network, where she counsels high-risk and newly diagnosed breast cancer patients regarding hereditary cancer syndromes.

During her time as interim dean, Craft led record enrollment within the College of Nursing, contributing to an 18% increase in new student enrollment at OU Health Sciences over the past two years. In August 2024, the college also received accreditation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center for nursing continuing professional development. The Nursing Class of 2025 contributed more than 1,000 hours in community service at interprofessional clinics that focus on caring for uninsured patients across Oklahoma.

Since joining the College of Nursing in 2011, Craft has held multiple key positions, including inaugural director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, director of the Clinical Nurse Specialist Program, and interim associate dean for Academic Administration and Graduate Education. Her professional passion has focused on enhancing care for oncology patients and optimizing professional opportunities for nurses. She continues to practice, teach and engage in research focused on using expressive writing and storytelling to help patients process intense or traumatic experiences, such as cancer and post-chemotherapy cognitive challenges. In 2020, she was honored as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing for her extraordinary contributions to improving health both locally and globally.

Craft holds a Ph.D. from Texas Woman’s University and an MS and BSN from the University of Oklahoma.

About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.