July 11, 2025
Dear UT Social Work Community,
Our school mourns the loss of Dr. Donna Rolin, who died Monday, July 7.
Donna joined our school in 2017 when she became co-director of our Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. She also served the UT School of Nursing as a clinical associate professor and the director of their psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program.
Her work was interdisciplinary by nature. She often collaborated across the Forty Acres on projects with UT Social Work, the School of Nursing, and Dell Medical School, including several efforts that focused on patients who are survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.
Donna was described by her peers as a warm, generous person who was deeply compassionate, a devoted mentor, and an advocate for mental health care and interprofessional collaboration. In the words of Dr. Eun-Ok Im, dean of Texas Nursing, "Donna truly embodied what it means to be a nurse educator. Her extensive background in psychiatric nursing and her prolific research advanced both knowledge and practice in our field."
Memorial services for Donna are pending, and an announcement will be made when details are available. Please join our community as we celebrate her life and remember her lasting contributions to our University.
With gratitude,
Allan Cole
Dean
UT Social Work
