School of Nursing student lounge named for former faculty member, dean

Dr. Cynthia Flynn Capers had a huge impact during her time as the dean of what was formerly known as the University of Akron’s (UA) College of Nursing.

In recognition of her contributions, the University of Akron Board of Trustees approved on Sept. 12 the naming of a room in Mary Gladwin Hall, in Capers’ honor.

The Dr. Cynthia Flynn Capers Cameos of Caring Student Lounge will be located in Room 205 of Mary Gladwin Hall, which houses UA’s School of Nursing. The room currently serves as a storage space. It will be converted to have a kitchenette, couches, whiteboards, study tables and a library that will give nearly 800 UA nursing students a space of their own to study and socialize. Renovations should be complete by the end of the 2024-25 academic year.

Capers joined the University in 1997 and became dean in 2002. While she was dean, Capers established the Cameos of Caring program, an event that recognizes outstanding nurses in the Akron and Canton area. Through this initiative, Capers worked with corporate partners and donors to establish an endowment that has surpassed $1 million. The School of Nursing allocates more than $40,000 annually from this fund for student scholarship support.

“Dr. Capers’ legacy of leadership, both to the University as a whole, as well as its nursing programs, is without peer,” said College of Health and Human Sciences Dean Dan Friesner. “Her leadership in developing Cameos of Caring, in particular, has provided critical financial support for numerous students that enabled them to complete their nursing degrees. We are extremely pleased to honor Dr. Capers’ legacy, and her commitment to students, by naming the School of Nursing Student Lounge in her honor.”

Capers also established the Cynthia Flynn Capers Endowed Fund for Nursing Student Leadership. She led the College of Nursing until 2007 and later retired from the University as special assistant to the provost and coordinator of academic leadership initiatives.

Capers is an award-winning community activist who has served on nonprofit boards and as an advisor to organizations around Akron and nationally. In 2022, former Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan named Capers one of four honorary chairs of the Akron Bicentennial Commission.

Capers' efforts to reengage community partners to strengthen enrollment, student support and stability were instrumental in supporting the overall student experience. Recent alliances now include full scholarships with Summa Health and Akron Children's Hospital, as well as an agreement to support dual appointments of faculty with MetroHealth, which will result in considerable cost savings for the School of Nursing.

The work and legacy of Capers have led to increasing undergraduate and post baccalaureate enrollment, with current forecasts projecting enrollment growth in doctoral, graduate and traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), accelerated BSN and registered-nurse-to-BSN programs.

Media contact: Cristine Boyd, 330-972-6476 or cboyd@uakron.edu.