University of Cincinnati
11/30/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/30/2025 17:11
UC Nursing Professor Emerita Karen Bankston is named a Great Living Cincinnatian
UC Nursing Professor Emerita Karen Bankston is named a Great Living Cincinnatian
By Cedric Ricks Email CedricEmail Cedric 260-415-8554
3 minute read November 30, 2025 Share on facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print StoryLike
Karen Bankston, PhD, professor emerita in the UC College of Nursing, is one of four individuals named Great Living Cincinnatians by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.
The honor is given to individuals to recognize their business and civic attainment on a local, state, national or international level; leadership; awareness of the needs of others, and distinctive accomplishments that have brought favorable attention to their community, institution or organization.
The Cincinnati Enquirer featured Bankston's journey in a news story.
Bankston is longtime champion of the College of Nursing. She earned her PhD, in nursing research, organization behavior, in 2005 and joined the college's faculty in 2012 as an associate dean for clinical practice, partnership and community engagement.
Dr. Karen Bankston addressing students at the University of Cincinnati. Photo/UC Marketing + Brand.
In that role, which Bankston held for six years, she was responsible for developing and maintaining partnerships and collaborations with nursing and other disciplines to provide leading-edge clinical experiences for students and effective and efficient environments that support practice and teaching for College of Nursing faculty/staff.
Bankston has more than 40 years of experience in hospital administration serving as senior vice presidents for patient care and operations at University Hospital and a senior vice president for external affairs with The Health Alliance. She also served as a senior vice president/CEO for the Drake Center.
She also helped launch the Center for Closing the Health Gap.
Bankston, who was raised in Youngstown, Ohio, pursued nursing at Youngstown State University. She began her career as an emergency department nurse, a demanding experience she credits with cultivating her rapid assessment and decision-making skills.
"I absolutely believe that being an ER nurse was the foundation for my abilities and my successes in administration because you have to really do quick assessments, synthesize information, make a decision, evaluate your decision," Bankston told The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Read about Dr. Karen Bankston's honor in The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Featured image of Dr. Karen Bankston at the University of Cincinnati. Photo/UC Marketing + Brand.
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- College of Nursing
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