Cynthia Flynn Capers

Cynthia Flynn Capers (born January 3, 1945) is an American nurse, educator, researcher and administrator. She is Dean of the University of Akron's School of Nursing, Chair of the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing, national advisor to the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future, and board member of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Early life Capers was born on January 3, 1945, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Education Capers began her nursing education at Freedmen's Hospital School of Nursing (now Howard University Hospital), She graduated from Freedmen's Hospital with her RN diploma in 1965.

She enrolled at the University of Maryland and graduated with her bachelor's degree in nursing in 1968.

Capers was a selected participant of Harvard University's Institute for Management and Leadership in Education in 2001. Her portrait was published in Spring 1997, Vol. 75, No. 1, of The Ivy Leaf, which chronicles the Sorority.

Career

While attending the University of Maryland, she worked in pediatrics as a part-time clinical nurse. After attaining her BSN from the University of Maryland, she moved to Philadelphia and began working at Philadelphia General Hospital (PGH) School of Nursing teaching Maternity Nursing.

After completing her MSN and the course work for her PhD at the University of Pennsylvania, she accepted a position as assistant professor at La Salle University. Concurrently, she completed her dissertation, attained her PhD and began her postdoctoral work.

In 1997, Capers joined the University of Akron, and served in that position until 2012. While at Akron she helped to establish the College of Nursing's Center for Gerontological Health Nursing and Advocacy. addressed how the label of “mental illness” can change across education and race, and how educational attainment and access to healthcare influence a social group's definition of mental illness.

For her postdoctoral research, Capers evaluated the family dynamics of those with adolescent mothers giving birth to premature infants. This work attempts to determine the identifies of adolescent mothers' primary emotional and physical caregivers, and their characteristic challenges and needs to enable health care providers to more effectively support these families.

In addition, Capers has published articles on topics such as obesity, adolescent health, psychiatric nursing, and teaching diversity.

Publications Capers’ published works include:

Awards

1995 Distinguished Nurse Award from the Pennsylvania Nurses Association 1995 Resolution from the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing for Outstanding Contributions 1997 Award for Outstanding Achievement, Leadership and Service from the Medical Society of Eastern Pennsylvania 2006 ATHENA Award for community service and active role in aiding women attain professional excellence and leadership