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Heidi M. Meyer is Associate Professor of Nursing and currently serves as the Chief Nursing Administrator for the Department of Nursing. A proud Gustavus alumna, she brings to her work a deep commitment to the College’s liberal arts mission and to preparing graduates who have strong clinical reasoning abilities, are intellectually curious, and grounded in compassionate care. She teaches across the nursing curriculum and at times contributes to interdisciplinary offerings, including the Public Health minor. Recent courses include Public Health Nursing, Transitions to Professional Practice, Capstone Clinical, Research and Ethics, and a May study-away course, Health Across Borders: Exploring Social Determinants of Health in Sweden and the U.S.

Dr. Meyer’s scholarly expertise centers on emotional intelligence, clinical reasoning, and innovative teaching strategies in nursing education. Her doctoral work examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and clinical reasoning in senior nursing students, and she is certified in the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences, including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS), and the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL). She has also contributed to multisite studies focused on simulation debriefing and the development of clinical judgment in baccalaureate nursing education.

A strong advocate for active, experiential learning, Dr. Meyer has been recognized with competitive grants and scholarships that have advanced simulation-based education and strengthened the integration of clinical reasoning across the curriculum. Her teaching is informed by a belief that learning is relational and reflective; she challenges students to move beyond memorization toward deep understanding, emotional awareness, and sound professional judgment. She is particularly passionate about helping students integrate the science of nursing with the human experience of care.

At Gustavus, Dr. Meyer has served in numerous leadership roles, including Department Chair/Chief Nursing Administrator and Faculty Senate representative. She contributes to college-wide initiatives related to academic affairs, strategic planning, accreditation, and wellbeing. She is an internal facilitator for the Nursing National Advisory Board and serves on the Public Health Minor Advisory Board. Beyond campus, she is active in the Minnesota Association of Colleges of Nursing, currently serving in a leadership capacity, and has completed Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) evaluator training. 

Dr. Meyer’s favorite aspect of her work is mentoring students and faculty—whether guiding independent student research, supporting future nurse educators as a graduate preceptor, or walking alongside seniors as they transition into professional practice. She values the close-knit Gustavus community and the opportunity to know students not only as learners, but as whole people with unique goals and gifts.

Through the Gustavus Japanese Studies Department, students study the Japanese language, literature, history, politics, art, and religion. Plus, there's a required semester abroad in Japan, and faculty mentoring.

Kathy Lund Dean holds the Board of Trustees Distinguished Chair in Leadership and Ethics, a position uniquely designed to engage external stakeholders with students, faculty, and program opportunities. This role supports three main strategic focus areas:

1. Increase Gustavus’ national and international footprint through scholarship and high profile recognitions
2. Increase and broaden career readiness through alumni engagement
3. Increase and deepen opportunities for experiential learning for students across campus

Kathy explores experiential education’s impacts on students, learning outcomes, and teaching practice, especially links between student mental health and experiential learning. In managerial practice, she examines remote work and why managers and executives resist remote work so strongly. Last, her partnership with the City of St. Peter and City Council allows her research insights into how municipal leaders prioritize very different constituent issues and resolve serious conflict.

Her scholarship encompasses more than 100 journal articles, book chapters, and books. Books include “The Ethical Professor: A Practical Guide to Research, Teaching and Professional Life” (published both in English and Chinese); "Course Design and Assessment" (2022, Edward Elgar) and "How to Become an Effective Journal Editor in Business and Management A Guide to Developing Authors" (2024, Edward Elgar).

Getting Gustavus' brand recognized outside the United States is a key focus. She won a Fulbright Specialist role to assist institutions under-represented in academic scholarship, an editorial role she will be continuing with the Journal of Management Inquiry. She has worked with business school colleagues at Rikkyo University supported by a Fulbright award, creating an exchange agreement between Rikkyo College of Business and Gustavus. Kathy holds joint appointments at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

Kathy is passionate about engaging students in learning about investing and markets. She advises student members on the Board of Trustees Investment Committee as well as the E. Terry Skone Investment Club on campus, where students work with large endowments and portfolios and make important decisions. The Skone Club won a Magnuson Leadership & Service Award for its long-term positive impact on learning, outreach, and philanthropy, donating more than $135,000 in scholarship money back to the College. 

Her conflict resolution practice takes many forms. As a certified mediator, a Minnesota Rule 114 qualified neutral, and faculty Ombuds, she helps others talk through and resolve complex issues from an impartial and non-judgmental perspective. At the Academy of Management, Kathy supports ethical practice and manages difficult situations as a member of the Ethics Adjudication Committee and the Ethics Education Committee. 

She is a Chicago native and has lived in seven U.S. states and two countries. Prior to joining the Gustavus faculty, Kathy was Professor of Management at Idaho State University for ten years.