The Virginia Nurses Foundation (VNF) honored Dr. Cindy Rubenstein, the founding Director of Nursing at Randolph-Macon, with a Leadership Excellence Award at its annual VNF Gala this November.

Rubenstein earned recognition in the Nursing School Dean/Director category, which recognizes nurse leaders serving in an educational administrative capacity who demonstrate advocacy, vision, and collaboration to improve patient care and the nursing workplace.

Rubenstein joined the RMC faculty in 2018, successfully developing a new BSN program at the College. That program gained accreditation in 2021 and graduated its first class of nurses in May of 2023. She also serves as the president of the Virginia Association of Colleges of Nursing and is a leader in workforce development through the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center.

“I am honored to receive this recognition for my role in developing the BSN program at Randolph-Macon and for helping to establish Virginia’s inaugural nursing workforce center,” said Rubenstein. “This award recognized my leadership and commitment to excellence to make these nursing workforce initiatives possible.”

VNF supports the 140,000+ registered nurses across the Commonwealth by providing nursing scholarships and working to improve the health of all Virginians by advancing the future of nursing.