When we think about improving health, most of us imagine clinics, hospitals, medications, diagnostic tests, or health education campaigns. And yet some of the most meaningful health work I have
My Story and Journey
My Formative Influences: Shaped by Jjajja’s Love
My personal and scholarly journey is deeply inspired by my Jjajja (grandmother), who raised me during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in rural Uganda. Amid poverty and limited access to health care, I witnessed her serve as an informal village nurse— delivering babies, providing herbal remedies, and caring for families with compassion and courage. Though she could neither read nor write, she modeled resilience, leadership, and service. These experiences fueled my passion for nursing and for scholarship that takes a holistic approach to understanding and addressing the needs of underserved grandmother-caregivers. Today, my work continues to honor her legacy by advancing equity-centered research, education, and service that bridges communities in Uganda, Utah, and the global context.
Advancing global aging, nursing and grandparent-caregiving through research, education, and leadership to ensure dignity and opportunity for all.
Core Values:
- Empowerment: Creating pathways for nurses and communities to lead with confidence and vision.
- Service: Strengthening health and well-being by honoring and uplifting communities whose needs are too often unmet.
- Advocacy: Harnessing research, teaching, and leadership to ensure all voices are recognized in health care
Professional Roles:
Principal Investigator – The Matovu Research Lab
By Dr. Schola Matovu | Nursing Professor | Nurse Scientist | Director of Global Learning and EngagementJuly 14, 2026 What does global learning actually require? For many people, the phrase
By Dr. Schola Matovu | Nursing Professor | Nurse Scientist | Director of Global Learning and EngagementJuly 7, 2026 Did you know that a maize (corn) field in Uganda could
By Dr. Schola Matovu | Nursing Professor | Nurse Scientist | Director of Global Learning and EngagementAttending the Betty Irene Moore Nursing Innovators and Leaders Convocation in Washington, DC, once
By Dr. Schola Matovu | Nursing Professor | Nurse Scientist | Director of Global Learning and EngagementJune 23, 2026 Redefining the Trenches There is a phrase we use often in
Dr. Schola Matovu | Nursing Professor | Nurse Scientist | Director of Global Learning and EngagementJune 16, 2026 What if you had just five minutes… to make someone care about
