Distinguished Alumni Award

Judith B. Igoe, 61BSN, has made the world a healthier place for children. The associate professor and director of the Office of School Health at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center's School of Nursing is a leader in her field, with a national reputation for her expertise and commitment. Throughout her lifetime, Igoe has been a visionary and indefatigable advocate for schoolchildren and school nurses alike.

With innovative ideas and interdisciplinary approaches, this University of Iowa graduate has managed to significantly transform policy development for school health programs, shaping them to meet the wellness needs of school-age children and the educational needs of school nurses.

Early in her post-UI career, as one of the nation's first pediatric nurse practitioners, Igoe developed the specialty area of school nurse practitioner, running the prototype program at the University of Colorado School of Nursing. This is just one of many visionary developments to her credit. Igoe also created the School Nurse Achievement training program, which includes a series of training modules to help school nurses work with special needs children; the SHARE program, which brings together nursing faculty from across the country for educational programs and collaborative experiences in school health; and the HealthPACT program, which offers creative aids aimed at educating children and their families about the healthcare system and how to use it more effectively.

Igoe's ability to work effectively with healthcare providers from different disciplines-and with state, national, and international agencies-has garnered global attention for the often-overlooked issue of promoting schoolchildren's health. A renowned crusader in the field, Igoe recently assisted the American Academy of Pediatrics with literature reviews for the Health, Mental Health, and Safety in Schools project, and she often travels to Washington, DC, to participate in school health task forces.

Several different national agencies have recognized Igoe's relentless commitment to the cause of healthier children. Among her many professional accolades are the William A. Howe award from the American School Health Association, the John C. MacQueen Lecture Award from the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, and the Milton J.E. Senn Award of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

This national recognition has not shifted Igoe's focus from serving as a mentor for other school nurses or from advancing the field of school nursing. She has developed several summer institutes for nursing educators and is a prolific writer who has published two books, produced 26 book chapters, and authored 45 articles. She also established the Office for School Health at the University of Colorado School of Nursing.

Igoe credits her well-rounded University of Iowa education as the inspiration-and preparation-for her many professional accomplishments. Her remarkable international contributions to the field of school health nursing have connected Iowa with the rest of the world in the cause of improving children's health.