Chancellor Miranda meets ‘Chancellor’ and ‘Miranda’

On a cloudy Thursday afternoon at Twin Brook Dairy Farm in Union, about 60 miles northwest of Chicago, UIC Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda met her namesakes.

“Chancellor” and “Miranda,” identical twin Jersey calves born April 13, were named in honor of the university’s newly invested chancellor to symbolize and celebrate UIC College of Nursing’s dedication to rural health.

“It was wonderful to have a personal interaction with the faculty, staff, partners and places that enable our College of Nursing to commit to rural health education and practice,” Miranda said. “And how could I not be honored to have such cute namesakes?”

The McHenry County dairy farm in Union, Illinois, population 551, is one of several farms that host field trips for students in UIC’s rural nursing concentration and certificate program, developed at the Rockford campus. These visits give students a first-hand look at the unique health and wellness challenges farming families face daily.

The May 9 visit by Miranda and the UIC delegation brought unusual fanfare to calf naming for Twin Brook owners Jim and Jill Sewell, who treated the chancellor and the other UIC visitors to a full tour of the farm after introducing the calves.

Among other guests at the farm were UIC Nursing Dean Eileen Collins and Laura Monahan, Rockford campus director, who spearheaded the naming and the visit.

“We’re not just honoring our esteemed new leader with this gesture; we’re calling attention to the diversity of populations UIC Nursing both educates and serves,” Monahan said. “It’s a visible, symbolic moment to celebrate UIC’s impact in Illinois beyond the city where it’s based.”

Approximately 1.5 million people live in rural counties across Illinois, where they face longer wait times or must travel farther to see health care providers. In Illinois, rural counties have a shortage of mental health providers, and there are half the number of physicians per 100,000 residents compared to urban counties. Nurse practitioners can provide relief for this two-pronged crisis. In addition, it is estimated that Illinois will have a shortage of 15,000 registered nurses by 2025.

— Written by Liz Miller