The University of Iowa Eight Over 80 Award

Pamela Willard is a true community servant whose advocacy for public health, nursing, and lifelong learning has helped change lives.

After serving as a community nurse in New York City, Philadelphia, and California, Willard came to Iowa City to work for Johnson County Public Health. She then earned a master's degree in preventive medicine from the University of Iowa. In 1985, she began teaching clinical nursing at the UI College of Nursing, and she remained in this role until 2004.

During that time, Willard helped modernize public health systems in the Slovak Republic, after the fall of the Soviet Union, and she has hosted and mentored Croatian nursing scholars. In recognition of her exemplary contributions to public health nursing, the Iowa Public Health Association honored Willard with the Lillian Wald Award in 2004.

She then joined the UI College of Public Health, where she worked as a mentor for a decade, connecting graduate students with practicum opportunities that aligned with their interests and helping them hone their critical-thinking skills. Willard also has been a board member and chair of the Johnson County Board of Health and served on committees for the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Willard remains involved with many community organizations, including the Iowa Women's Foundation, the UI Retirees Association, the Center for Worker Justice, the League of Women Voters, and the Johnson County Interfaith Coalition. Additionally, she is a valued committee member and treasurer of the UI Senior College Committee, which offers dozens of classes to her fellow retirees.