Officials announced the founding dean of the School of Nursing, Jean E. Johnson, will take charge of the school as interim dean.

Provost Christopher Bracey said in a release Monday that Johnson, the first dean of the nursing school, would return to the position “effective immediately.” The announcement comes after officials began the search for an interim dean for the nursing school in March after former Dean Mei Fu, the school’s third dean since July 2021, resigned two months into her tenure.

“From the beginning, Dr. Johnson has been a champion of nursing education at GW and an innovative and dedicated leader for students, faculty and staff,” Bracey said in the release. “Her vision of excellence for nursing education has been foundational for the school’s continued growth, and her experienced leadership will ensure it remains on a trajectory of success in its second decade.”

Former Dean Pamela Jeffries vacated the position in July 2021 after six years in the role to head the nursing school at Vanderbilt University. Following Jeffries’ departure, Pamela Slaven-Lee, the School of Nursing’s senior associate dean for academic affairs, led the school as an interim dean from July 2021 until January 2023, when Fu took over the position.

Bracey said at a Faculty Senate meeting in March that Forrest Maltzman, a professor of political science and the former provost, would oversee the nursing school and help appoint an interim dean while officials search for Fu’s permanent replacement.

Johnson, who served as dean from 2010 to 2014, originally left the position to work on a year-long project in collaboration with the University of Cape Town to improve educational and workplace conditions in a South African children’s hospital. Johnson returned to the nursing school as a faculty member in 2015 and has since held several positions, including interim executive director of GW’s Center for Health Policy and Media Engagement and president of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, the release states.

During her four-year tenure, Johnson received praise for including faculty in decision making processes, rallying faculty around the decision to move the school to the Virginia Science and Technology Campus and encouraging distance and simulation educational models within the school. During her tenure, Johnson doubled enrollment at the nursing school and created an accelerated bachelor’s degree program, according to the release.

“I am honored to serve as the interim dean of the School of Nursing,” Johnson said in the release. “The School of Nursing has made great progress since its inception, with many of the programs being ranked in the top 10 of the country and faculty research having a national impact on policy and patient care.”