Mary Kovarna, professor and chair of nursing, recently was a keynote speaker at the Iowa Nurses Association Legislative Day in Des Moines.

Mary Kovarna, professor and chair of nursing at Morningside College, recently was a keynote speaker at the Iowa Nurses Association Legislative Day in Des Moines.

As one of the keynote speakers, Kovarna spoke about “Turning Apathy into Action.” She also helped coordinate an interactive session on “Stating Your Case: The Nuts and Bolts of Your Message.”

The mission of the Iowa Nurses Association is to connect, support and advocate for Iowa nurses and nursing practice.

More than 250 Iowa nurses and nursing students attended the Legislative Day and then went to the state Capitol to lobby for health-related issues. There were 32 Morningside students at the event that met with senators and representatives and articulated positions on current bills and legislative action.

Kovarna joined the faculty at Morningside in 1995. She has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Iowa, a master’s degree in nursing from South Dakota State University and a doctorate in educational administration from the University of South Dakota.