The University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing appointed Margaret Q. Rosenzweig, PhD, FNP, AOCNO, FAAN, Distinguished Professor of Nursing, as the Nancy Glunt Hoffman Endowed Chair in Oncology Nursing, effective April 1. Serving in an endowed chair role is one of the highest honors a university can bestow upon a member of its faculty. Pitt Nursing was among the first in the nation to have an endowed chair in oncology nursing. Formerly held by Catherine Bender, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor of nursing, Rosenzweig is the second faculty to be appointed to this prestigious position.
“I am so grateful to now have this role,” Dr. Rosenzweig said. “I want to strengthen our collaborative research efforts, reach out to involve the bedside and chairside staff oncology nurses in our work and support them in theirs, and continue to reach out to our beautiful Pittsburgh community to ensure that all patients in all neighborhoods are receiving the amazing cancer therapy and supportive care available in this region.”
J. Roger (CBA ’60) and Lee Glunt created the Nancy Glunt Hoffman Endowed Chair in Oncology Nursing to honor Roger’s late sister, Nancy, a 1962 BSN graduate, who passed away from cancer. Leading the fundraising efforts for the chair, Glunt was already a valued member of the Pitt Nursing community. He had supported the School of Nursing since 1997, when the University’s Board of Trustees assigned him to help the school achieve its goal for the first capital campaign.
“I am very excited,” said Glunt. “I have known Dr. Rosenzweig for quite a while and when Dr. Cathy Bender announced her retirement, I began thinking that she was someone at the university that was most qualified and well-respected for the role. She has done incredible research and is a great mentor. , Her research will expand the scope of the chair, which is good and positive. We feel the chair will be in good hands.”
Rosenzweig has made substantial research contributions, particularly in understanding the social detriments of health in cancer care. Notably, her work highlighted disparities in symptom management among low-income Black women with breast cancer, leading to the development of interventions aimed at addressing these disparities. Her current research focuses on understanding and mitigating racial disparities in symptom management and treatment adherence during breast cancer chemotherapy. Dr. Rosenzweig has secured funding from various sources, including the National Cancer Institute, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Genentech Corporation, and the University of Pittsburgh’s Clinical Translational Science Institute.
Her research has resulted in numerous prestigious accolades. Dr. Rosenzweig was inducted into Sigma’s Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame; she received the Friends of the National Institute of Nursing Research President’s Award, the Oncology Nursing Society Public Cancer Education Award, and is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.
“Dr. Rosenzweig’s appointment acknowledges her current work's significant and respected impact. I am confident she will further enrich oncology nursing, leaving a lasting imprint on the university and society at large,” said Christine E. Kasper, PhD, RN, FAAN, FASCM, dean and professor.
Rosenzweig has authored over 130 peer-reviewed publications and has been invited to speak at prestigious conferences and events, including the Oncology Nursing Society Congress and the National Institute’s workshop on Social Determinants of Health and Cancer Outcomes.
She mentors and guides students, post-doctoral fellows, and medical trainees in research and clinical practice. Her mentorship extends beyond academia to community engagement, where she promotes careers in the health sciences among underrepresented groups.
Rosenzweig actively engages with community cancer programs, serving in leadership roles and advocating for cancer patients and families. Community groups have recognized her efforts, and she continues collaborating with community advocates to support cancer care initiatives. She also serves on various committees and boards, including the Pennsylvania Cancer Care Disparity Committee and the American Cancer Society Board of Directors for Western Pennsylvania advocacy, demonstrating her commitment to advancing cancer care locally and statewide.