NURSING
THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER
The Michael A. Carter Professorship in Nursing Practice
Empower the future and build on a legacy of leadership by supporting the Dr. Michael A. Carter Professorship in Nursing Practice.
Michael Carter, DNSc, DNP, FAAN, FNP/GNP-BC, who served as dean of the College of Nursing from 1982 to 2000, was a visionary leader who transformed nursing education in Tennessee and beyond. By giving to the Michael A. Carter Professorship fund, you are supporting the future of practice-focused nursing education in Tennessee.
Please visit giving.uthsc.edu/carter to make a gift.
Chancellor
Peter Buckley, MD
Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer
Raaj Kurapati, AIFA
Dean of the College of Nursing
Executive Director and Special Advisor for Rural Health
Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-BC, FAAN, FAANP
Assistant Dean of Community and Global Partnerships
Sara Day, PhD, RN, FAAN
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
Christie Manasco, PhD, RN, CNE, CNEcl
Chair, Department of Acute and Tertiary Care
Sherry Webb, DNSc, RN, CNL, NEA-BC
Chair, Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Mona Newsome Wicks, PhD, RN, FAAN
Interim Chair, Department of Community and Population Health
Alisa Haushalter, DNP, RN, PHNA-BC
Vice Chancellor for Advancement Brigitte Grant, MBA
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Alumni and Constituent Engagement
Chandra A. Tuggle
Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing
Karla Leeper, PhD, MBA, MA
Editors
Chris Green
Peggy Reisser, MASC
Leigh Ann Roman, MASC
Contributing Writers
Peggy Reisser
Leigh Ann Roman
Designer Adam Gaines
Photographers
Jay Adkins
Caleb Jia
Leigh Ann Roman
On the cover: Nursing students and faculty who are involved in rural outreach visit Brownsville in Haywood County, where one of the new grants from the Tennessee Department of Health will allow the college to expand health care access.
< Counting on Nurses Rural impact adds up Bridge Building BSN grad is first to use Bridge to DNP program
Sweet Spot PhD graduate gains vital stroke insights
From the Chancellor
When we set our vision – Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities. – more than two years ago, we knew a major portion of our work would involve expanding access to care in rural areas of our state, where it is sorely lacking. I can say with confidence, Dean Wendy Likes and her team are at the forefront of this effort.
Since launching the UTHSC Nursing Mobile Health Unit in 2023 to offer nurse-led care in Lake and Lauderdale counties, the College of Nursing has been a leader in our statewide rural health outreach.
Most recently, the Tennessee Department of Health named UT Health Science Center as the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence. The university will lead a $12 million project to reduce health disparities for rural Tennesseans. Dean Likes, who is the university’s new executive director and special advisor on rural health, is the principal investigator on the grant. This is a stellar accomplishment for the college and our university.
However, even as the college has dedicated itself to making rural Tennessee healthier, it continues its commitment to train outstanding nurses, who play a major role in accomplishing this.
From the Bachelor of Science in Nursing level to the Doctor of Nursing Practice, the college offers excellence in academic and clinical training. In fact, the Doctor of Nursing Practice program ranks No. 14 in the country among similar programs at public universities.
As the chancellor of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, I am immensely proud to detail the excellent work being done by our College of Nursing at every level. I am grateful to the faculty, staff, students, and valued alumni of the college, who keep their focus on caring for others. This is the essence of our vision, and I am confident we will achieve it together.
With gratitude,
Peter
Buckley,
MD Chancellor
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
From the Dean
This truly has been a watershed year for the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing. The college has solidified its commitment to and expanded its impact on rural health access in Tennessee. Notably, the Tennessee Department of Health has selected UT Health Science Center as the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence. The university will lead a $12 million project to reduce health disparities for rural Tennesseans, thanks to a grant from the Tennessee Department of Health. I am so proud to be the principal investigator on this grant, and I am truly honored to be selected as the executive director and special advisor on rural health for the university.
The college is demonstrating its leadership in health care access on many fronts. With grant support, the college will increase the supply of nurses and open up access to services throughout West Tennessee. The newest grant is a $3.6 million, three-year grant from the Tennessee Department of Health that will provide nurseled care via a medical mobile unit to three rural West Tennessee counties: Hardeman, Haywood, and Dyer. This will build upon the work of the UTHSC Nursing Mobile Health Unit, which has offered nurse-led care in Lake and Lauderdale counties since 2023, providing more than 500 patient encounters in the last year.
In addition, the college’s Delta Nurse Scholars program seeks to improve the transition and retention of BSN graduates to rural hospitals by providing mentoring and support and covering tuition for three years to senior nursing students through a $1.5 million grant. Faculty members from three UT System campuses – UT Health Science Center, UT Southern, and UT Martin – are also leading a UT Grand Challenge grant that will send a mobile health unit branded with One UT messaging from each campus to surrounding counties for education and training. All of these programs will open new frontiers in nursing education and practice to our faculty and students, who will be participating in all of these activities. They show our commitment to the BE ONE UT values and our university’s mission: Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities.
Long known for a dedication to nurse leadership, the college this year has established a new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) concentration for nurse executives. This program will prepare nurse leaders to drive meaningful change, foster innovation, and improve health outcomes within their organizations. We also continue to grow our Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs as we remain committed to our foundational mission of preparing nurse leaders to meet the health needs of the people of Tennessee, the nation, and beyond. Some examples of excellence among our students can be found in the pages of this magazine.
I hope you will enjoy these stories, including one on a PhD graduate who once thought she might not attend college and is now doing pivotal research in stroke patients.
It is my great honor to lead a college that is making a difference in the lives of students, patients, and communities. I credit our wonderful faculty and staff for their unflinching pursuit of excellence, and I offer my sincere thanks to our alumni for their steadfast devotion to our mission and our future.
Sincerely,
Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRN-BC, FAAN, FAANP Dean and Professor
Ruth Neil Murry Endowed Chair Executive Director and Special Advisor for Rural Health UT Health Science Center
From the Alumni Board President
After reading Dean Wendy Likes’ inspiring message, I am filled with pride – pride in our college’s rich legacy, the impactful initiatives currently underway, and the vital role we, as alumni, continue to play in shaping the College of Nursing’s story. It is an honor to be part of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Nursing family and to serve as your Alumni Board president.
Whether you are providing direct care, mentoring the next generation of nurses, leading within your workplace, or giving back to your community in other meaningful ways, you are advancing our college’s mission of preparing exceptional nurse leaders. Your support, both in action and in words, ensures that future nurse leaders are equipped to thrive and contribute to our ongoing legacy.
The College of Nursing continues to lead with purpose, exemplified by bold initiatives such as the expansion of mobile health units and the launch of the Delta Nurse Scholars program. These efforts deliver nurse-led care to some of Tennessee’s most underserved areas, illustrating how innovation and service go hand in hand. And they remind us that advancing our mission requires all of us – united by our vision, compassion, and commitment.
As your Alumni Board, we are committed to supporting this important work and invite you to join us. Service is the core of our chosen profession, and there are more ways than ever for alumni to remain engaged with the College of Nursing. Consider volunteering your time, supporting student scholarships, mentoring or precepting students, networking with fellow alumni, or attending upcoming events. To find more ways to connect, visit uthsc.edu/nursing or follow us at facebook.com/nursing.uthsc. And be sure to mark your calendar for our inaugural all-colleges Health Science Center Weekend, set for April 16-18, 2026!
It is a privilege to serve alongside you. If you would like to get involved with alumni events, please contact Bettye Durham at bdurham@utfi.org. To explore giving opportunities, please contact Brigitte Grant at bgrant@utfi.org.
Warmest regards,
Sandy Bateman President, Alumni Board of Directors BSN ’79, MSN ’81
$5,630,547
Total Grant Funding
$82,455
Total NIH Funding
$321,000 Awarded in Scholarships
621
Total CoN Enrollment
(FY2025)
411
Nursing Students Received Scholarships
30
Faculty Grant Submissions
160
Faculty Presentations
61
Faculty Journal Publications
Data on this page was collected by the College of Nursing for FY2025 (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025).
Meeting the Need in Rural Communities
Rural health outreach has been a significant focus of the College of Nursing in recent years. Tennessee ranks No. 44 in the nation for health outcomes, and some of the poorest counties in the state are near neighbors to UT Health Science Center’s main campus in Memphis.
The College of Nursing saw a need for rural health care outreach and began the work. The response has been overwhelming. The college currently has $28.9 million in active grants with a rural health focus. This support allows our students and faculty to make a difference in rural communities.
Dean Wendy Likes was recently designated as the executive director and special advisor on rural health for UT Health Science Center. In addition, the university has
been selected as the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence by the Tennessee Department of Health. The Department of Health is providing $12 million to the university over four years to help close the gaps driving health disparities for rural Tennesseans. Dean Likes is the principal investigator on this grant.
The following pages present details of the College of Nursing’s rural health efforts, including the Center of Excellence grant, the annual impact of the UTHSC Nursing Mobile Unit outreach to Lake and Lauderdale counties, and details of a new $3.6 million mobile health outreach initiative to Haywood and Hardeman counties. We look forward to continuing to realize the vision of the university: Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities.
Nursing and dental students from UT Health Science Center provided health screenings to Lake County students.
Rural Grants at a Glance
$12 MILLION
Four-year grant for the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence
$4 MILLION
Four-year grant for midwifery education
$3.98 MILLION
Four-year grant to increase health care access in Lake and Lauderdale counties with a mobile health unit offering nurse practitioner services
$3.6 MILLION
Three-year grant to increase health care access in Hardeman, Haywood, and Dyer counties with a mobile health unit offering nurse practitioner services
$1.5 MILLION
Three-year grant to support nursing graduates in their transition to work in rural or underserved hospitals
$2.6 MILLION
Four-year grant to support Doctor of Nursing Practice students
$500,000
Grant to send vans to three rural regions for health care education
$364,000
Two-year grant to provide specialized sickle cell education for rural providers
$300,000
17-month grant for Tennessee Rural Nurse Scholars
$100,000
Grant to address vaccine hesitancy in rural areas
College of Nursing Integral to Selection of UT Health Science Center as Rural Health Care Center of Excellence
The Tennessee Department of Health has selected the University of Tennessee Health Science Center as the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence and awarded the university a $12 million grant to lead a fouryear initiative to help close the gaps driving differences in health outcomes for rural Tennesseans.
Tennessee ranks 44th in the nation for health outcomes, and rural residents suffer major health disparities when compared to urban residents. More than 1.5 million Tennesseans live in rural and underserved communities. Twenty-two counties do not have a hospital, and 55 counties have no birthing facility, according to the university’s grant application.
The Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence will build on the university’s existing strengths throughout the state and expand public-private partnerships to create a system in which rural communities can thrive. A key component of the center of excellence involves administering and supporting grants that will be distributed to address rural health concerns across the state at the grass-roots level. Of the $12 million in the grant, $7 million
will go to these planning and implementation grants.
“Since 2019, we’ve made record strides to expand opportunity for Tennesseans, particularly across our rural communities,” Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said. “As we continue to invest in and strengthen rural Tennessee, I’m grateful for our partnership with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, which will ensure that every family has access to enhance their health and wellbeing to build a stronger, healthier Tennessee for generations to come.”
The team leading the Center of Excellence includes faculty and staff members of the university statewide. College of Nursing Dean Wendy Likes, PhD, DNSc, APRNBC, FAAN, FAANP, is the principal investigator. She is also the executive director and special advisor for rural health for UT Health Science Center.
“We are honored that the UT Health Science Center has been selected to lead this important initiative for the state and look forward to collaborating with stakeholders across Tennessee to work toward the goal of improving health care in rural Tennessee,” Dr. Likes said.
Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner John R. Dunn, DVM, PhD, EMBA, with Dr. Wendy Likes and Dr. Jim Bailey at the first Steering Committee meeting for the Center of Excellence.
UT Health Science Center Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD, said, “The health of rural communities in America is a national problem. We are extremely grateful and excited to partner with other vital institutions across Tennessee in enabling excellent care and innovation as a model for improving rural health care across America.”
As Tennessee’s statewide public academic health science institution, UT Health Science Center is a leader in improving health care for Tennesseans. The university’s geographic reach covers the state with its main campus in Memphis and educational and clinical campuses at major hospitals in Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville, as well as clinical sites statewide. Additionally, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has extension offices in all 95 counties, offering additional venues to reach rural residents.
UT System President Randy Boyd said that the university’s selection to lead the Center of Excellence “is a powerful reflection of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s deep expertise and commitment to improving lives across Tennessee. The new Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence aligns with our Grand Challenges priorities, particularly improving the health and well-being of all Tennesseans. This work will help build lasting partnerships, drive innovative solutions and extend critical care into rural communities that need it most. My thanks to Gov. Bill Lee and the Tennessee Department of Health for entrusting us with this important work.”
During the first year for the Center of Excellence, the commissioner of the Department of Health will appoint a steering committee to serve as an advisory group and partner with center leadership to direct the planning and implementation of grants and other activities.
An internal advisory board will be chaired by Phil Wenk, DDS, to identify communities and partners that will help expand the reach of the Center of Excellence. Dr. Wenk, an alumnus of the UT Health Science Center College of Dentistry, is the retired president and CEO of Delta Dental of Tennessee and current president of the Smile180 Foundation. He is the former chair of the UT Health Science Center Advisory Board.
“Dr. Wendy Likes has taken the lead on a project commissioned by the Tennessee Department of Health, which is consistent with the strategies of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to address health care disparities in our state,” Dr. Wenk said. “UT Health Science Center has been chosen as the Center of Excellence to lead this newly created program, and the charge is to provide innovative recommendations and solutions to improve health care statewide. Dr. Likes has proven her expertise and willingness to lead change throughout her time as the dean of the College of Nursing, and she will engage with other deans and partnerships beyond UT Health Science Center, including the UT System. I look forward to seeing and working with Dr. Likes to find new ways to improve the health of Tennesseans.”
The Center of Excellence will be built around five cores. The administrative core will provide technical support and foster collaboration to drive change in rural health care. The evaluation core will define and share impact. The planning and implementation core will identify and pilot innovative solutions. The sustainability and dissemination core will share best practices across the state. The practice optimization core will partner with health care practices to identify sustainable funding to optimize health care practice.
Nursing students provide health information at the Lauderdale County Health Fair.
Rural Commitment Spans University
UT Health Science Center has demonstrated its commitment and ability to meet the state’s rural health care needs through many projects in recent years.
• The UTHSC Nursing Mobile Health Unit is a fully equipped outpatient clinic led by advanced practice nurses serving Lake and Lauderdale counties. In the last year, the mobile unit has logged 504 patient encounters and 2,870 touchpoints at community events.
• A second grant for mobile nursing outreach was just awarded to the College of Nursing to put an additional nurse-led mobile health unit on the road in Haywood and Hardeman counties.
• The UT Chattanooga Mobile Medical Outreach Clinic (Mobile MOC) is a medically outfitted van that expands health care access for older adults and caregivers in rural Southeast Tennessee. James Haynes, MD, dean of the College of Medicine in Chattanooga, is the medical director for the Mobile MOC program.
• The UT Health Science Center Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology provides mobile services to highneed rural areas in East Tennessee in partnership with the UT Knoxville College of Social Work, with a total outreach of 442 individuals since starting operation in April 2025.
• The Healthy Smiles Initiative, funded by a $52.9 million Tennessee Department of Health grant, has supported a significant increase in College of Dentistry enrollment and added rural dental clinics, where 8,000 procedures worth an estimated $2 million were performed over the last academic year.
• The College of Pharmacy’s Rural Health Certificate program enrolls students to prepare pharmacists for rural practice. This year, 48 students are enrolled, with 11 graduating in May 2026.
• The Tennessee Population Health Consortium is extending its innovative Neighborhood Health Hub Program into rural Hardin and Decatur counties, providing essential health screening and coaching for obesity, hypertension, and diabetes with the
support of the Tennessee Department of Health and its Healthcare Resiliency Program.
Professor Jim Bailey, MD, MPH, of the College of Medicine, is the co-principal investigator on the Center of Excellence grant. Dr. Bailey is also the executive director of the Tennessee Population Health Consortium. “Tennessee’s Rural Health Care Center of Excellence will partner with rural communities across the state— providing technical assistance, research evidence, workforce development, and strategic investments— to support the development and implementation of innovative approaches to increase access to essential preventive and primary care,” Dr. Bailey said.
UT Health Science Center Vice Chancellor for Research Jessica Snowden, MD, is a member of the Center of Excellence grant team. “By investing in projects that reflect the unique needs of our small towns and farming regions, we can close gaps in access, bring cutting-edge care closer to home, and ensure that every Tennessean— no matter their zip code—benefits from the best that modern medicine has to offer,” she said. “The Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence can serve as the backbone of new programs to improve health outcomes across the state of Tennessee and serve as a model for rural communities across the country.”
In addition to Drs. Likes, Bailey, and Snowden, the grant team includes a multidisciplinary group of stakeholders: Allen Stanton, DMin, director of strategic partnerships for the College of Dentistry; Ashley Harkrider, PhD, interim dean of the College of Health Professions; James Haynes, MD, dean of the College of Medicine in Chattanooga; Rebecca Baker, CEO of Synergy 3C and an alumna of the College of Nursing; Tyler Melton, PharmD, MPH, assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy; Satya Surbhi, PhD, associate professor in the College of Medicine; Tyra Girdwood, PhD, RN, assistant professor in the College of Nursing; and Matthew Harris, PhD, Boyd Distinguished Professor of Health Economics at UT Knoxville.
Occupational therapy students (left) and Pharmacy students (right) were part of the outreach at the Lauderdale County Health Fair.
Dean Likes to Lead Statewide Rural Health Initiative
College of Nursing Dean Wendy Likes was selected this year to fill the new role of executive director and special advisor on rural health for the university. Dr. Likes is continuing her longtime leadership of the college as dean.
Announced May 9, the new role reflects the college’s efforts in bringing needed primary care services to rural communities in West Tennessee through mobile health outreach.
As executive director on rural health, Dr. Likes will collaborate with the other UT Health Science Center deans and with Paul Wesolowski, vice chancellor for Strategic Partnerships, and Cindy Russell, PhD, vice chancellor for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs, to advance care, training, and retention of health sciencestrained clinicians in rural communities. This work is based on the recommendations of a gubernatorial task force that addressed rural health needs in Tennessee.
“I’m most grateful to Dean Likes for her willingness to assume this additional key role, building upon her 11 years of leadership as dean and impact upon rural health, in a collaborative manner to advance in rural Tennessee our vision of Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities,” Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD, said.
Dr. Likes’ appointment to the new position preceded the announcement of UT Health Science Center as the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence in July.
The university will lead a four-year, $12 million project to close the gaps driving health disparities for rural Tennesseans. Dr. Likes is the principal investigator on this grant, leading a large, multidisciplinary grant team with representatives from colleges in the university statewide.
In addition to the Center of Excellence, the College of Nursing leads several rural health outreach and education programs funded through $16.9 million in grants that cover several years. Dr. Likes is the principal investigator of one of the college’s newest rural health projects, the Tennessee Rural Nurse Scholars program. Funded through a $300,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, this 17-month effort will expand work-based opportunities in rural communities by strengthening the nursing pipeline. Other rural projects helmed by the College of Nursing include nurse-led care through mobile health outreach and grants supporting the education of students committed to serving rural or underserved areas.
“I am excited about taking the next few years to lay the foundation for improved health care in rural communities across Tennessee,” Dr. Likes said. “I am proud that the College of Nursing is being recognized for its programs in rural health and am excited to collaborate with the other colleges at UT Health Science Center on their ongoing rural health initiatives to raise health care in rural communities to the next level.”
Dean Likes speaks at a UT Health Science Center Advisory Board meeting.
College of Nursing Expands Rural Health Commitment with $3.6 Million Grant, Second Mobile Health Unit
By Leigh Ann Roman
The College of Nursing has been awarded a $3.6 million, three-year grant that will put a mobile health unit and nurse practitioners on the road in Hardeman, Haywood, and Dyer counties to increase health care access.
The grant comes from the Rural Health Care Resiliency Program of the Tennessee Department of Health, which awarded 23 grants amounting to $45.7 million to reach counties designated as at-risk or distressed. Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Affairs Diana Dedmon, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, AFN-C, is the grant’s principal investigator.
In 2022, the College of Nursing received a $3.9 million, four-year grant that enabled the college to take nurseled health care to Lake and Lauderdale counties using a mobile health unit staffed by an advanced practice nurse. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant also allowed the college to integrate rural health education into its undergraduate and graduate programs. Dr. Dedmon is also the principal investigator on that grant.
“Through our current Mobile Health Unit program in Lake and Lauderdale Counties, we have seen firsthand how bringing care directly to rural communities breaks down barriers, builds trust, and changes lives,” said Dr. Dedmon, the Michael Carter Endowed Professor at the college. “As we look forward to expanding this work with the Tennessee Department of Health Rural
Resiliency grant, we remain committed to partnering with local communities to deliver compassionate care and to strengthening the health and resilience of West Tennessee’s rural counties.”
Both Hardeman and Haywood counties are designated as distressed by the Appalachian Regional Commission, which prepares an index of county economic status for every county in the United States. Distressed counties rank among the 10% most economically distressed counties in the nation.
The counties also suffer from health care provider shortages. For example, Hardeman ranks 27th among the 95 Tennessee counties for a shortage of primary care providers, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. Haywood County has no obstetric care providers.
David Livingston is the mayor of Haywood County and a fifth-generation resident. “We are very appreciative of the state of Tennessee to reach out to Haywood and Hardeman counties. They are both at-risk counties in need of medical services,” he said.
Haywood County has an aging population. “Many times, people do not know what signs dictate the need for medical services. There is an old saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and we are hoping that you all can serve that niche for the county,” Livingston said.
With funding from the Rural Resiliency Grant, the second mobile health unit will serve as an on-site health care access point to Hardeman and Haywood counties weekly. The unit will offer psychiatric mental health care by a full-time psychiatric nurse practitioner and primary care services by a full-time advanced practice nurse. Other services will include menopausal care, chronic disease management with remote patient monitoring, social services, and women’s health services. The college will also work to extend Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner services by telehealth to Hardeman General Hospital. The outreach will provide women’s health services one Saturday each month to women in a group home in Dyer County who are transitioning from the justice system back to society.
“Our students, faculty, and staff have learned that meeting people where they are, both geographically and personally, is essential to improving health outcomes and addressing health disparities,” Dr. Dedmon said.
Students Serve Rural Communities
Elizabeth Brock, BSN, of Arlington, is part of the DNP Rural Scholars program, which allows students to participate in rural and underserved care and receive a stipend of 50% of their tuition. Brock enjoys providing health care in rural areas. “A lot of it is the creativity you have to use in rural practice to provide solutions for these folks. You might need to connect them with resources so they can both get medicine and feed their family,” she said. “I love how the residents in rural counties come to you for everything.”
Posonya Currie, BSN, is originally from Brownsville and is also part of the DNP Rural Scholars program. She will graduate with her DNP degree in 2027 and would welcome the opportunity to be a provider in her home community. “Growing up in Brownsville, I think about the need and the lack of education and resources for a lot of the community residents here,” she said.
Currie currently works in the HIV clinic at Regional One, and said she notices her patients in the clinic often come from long distances to receive care. She would like to be able to provide those resources closer to home for rural residents.
Co-investigators on the grant include Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Community and Global
Partnerships Lisa Beasley, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, AFN-C; Associate Professor and Director of Special Academic Programs Laura Reed, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CNE, FNAP; and Associate Professor Andrea Sebastian, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC/PC, AFN-C, SANE-P, DM-AFN.
During the first year of the three-year rural resilience project, the grant team will establish community advisory boards in Hardeman and Haywood counties to ensure local engagement. In addition, they will deploy the mobile health unit to the three selected counties and expand telehealth services to include five counties: Hardeman, Haywood, Dyer, Lake, and Lauderdale.
In the second year, the until will offer expanded clinical services including sickle cell and sexual assault care. The team will also complete the unit’s Rural Health clinic certification. During the third year, the team will implement a sustainability plan and ensure up to 10,000 service encounters each year through the unit and telehealth services.
“Expanding SANE services in rural West Tennessee is a critical step toward ensuring that survivors of sexual violence receive timely, compassionate, and expert care regardless of where they live,” Dr. Sebastian said.
“Through this grant, we are not only improving health outcomes but also strengthening the pathway to justice.”
Dean Wendy Likes said, “We are excited to bring another example of nurse-led care to increase access and improve health care for residents in rural Tennessee.”
Students involved in nursing mobile outreach on the square in Brownsville.
An advanced practice nurse and nursing students provide primary care services two days each week in Lake County and two days per week in Lauderdale County on the UTHSC Nursing Mobile Health Unit. The unit is funded through a Health Resources and Services Administration grant. All data pertains to fiscal year 2025.
366
Total unique patients for the year
504 Total patient encounters
103 Total telehealth visits among encounters
472
Total sports physicals
2,870
Total touchpoints for community events
60
Total community events
17
Total DNP Rural Scholars
8
Total DNP students who completed Rural Scholar program
68
Total BSN students in Rural and Underserved Nurse Program
27
Total BSN students who completed the program
LAKE COUNTY
“The UTHSC Nursing Mobile Health Unit has been such a wonderful resource for our community, our students, and their families – providing medical services and wraparound services. We have had students that the unit has referred out for mental health services, specialized medical services, food services. It’s just a complete resource for all the needs a family could have. They (UTHSC) are really our go-to people.”
— Amanda Hearn, attendance coordinator for Lake County Schools
LAUDERDALE COUNTY
“It is good to have a university like UTHSC investing in our community. We are a poor, rural community that lacks resources, and it is nice to have a university that has bought into us and helps us to overcome some of these barriers.”
“We had a student who had a burn, and the parent hadn’t gotten them to the doctor yet. When we reached out to the parent, we said the mobile unit was at the child’s school that day and could see the child if the parent could come up there. Rita (Hollingsworth, DNP, FNP-C, AGACNP-C, advanced practice registered nurse) was able to see the child and take care of everything. It is reassuring to know she always follows up with the patients.”
— Michelle Brazier, BSN, RN, director of coordinated school health for Lauderdale County Schools
TELEHEALTH
“This has just been the best thing for our people. We have been able to arrange telehealth appointments with Rita or another nurse practitioner. One lady who had just gotten housing, her blood pressure was sky-high, and after seeing Rita, she was able to get her medicine and is doing great.”
“We appreciate everything you all do to come alongside and be another blessing for our people.”
— Jeannie Hodge, client advocate at Matthew 25:40, a charitable organization in Dyersburg that serves people dealing with poverty or homelessness
Future Nurse Executives Begin New Program
By Leigh Ann Roman
When Anissa Christian decided to remap her future, she chose UT Health Science Center as the on-ramp from a teaching career into the nursing profession.
Christian graduated from UT Health Science Center’s accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program in December 2024 at age 55 after a 27-year career in education. She is one of seven nurses entering the inaugural cohort of the Nurse Executive concentration in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program this fall.
“This new program proposes to prepare me for 21st century leadership,” said Christian, who has the goal of owning and operating personal care homes. She now works as a staff nurse on the cardiovascular stepdown unit at Baptist Memphis. “Pursuing this degree will enhance my leadership potential, expand my ability to motivate and encourage those I supervise, and serve as a positive role model in the nursing community.”
UT Health Science Center offers the only DNP for nurse executives in Memphis. It is a completely online program, making it accessible to nurses everywhere. The nurse executive degree is the ninth area of concentration in the DNP program.
Christian said she chose the university for both nursing degrees because “UT Health Science Center has a long-standing reputation in the community for being a university founded on excellence.”
Dean Wendy Likes said, “Bringing our nurse executive DNP online expands our opportunity to build nurse leaders, something for which the college is well-known.
This degree is perfect for a registered nurse aspiring to serve as a chief nursing officer, chief executive officer, director of nursing, or in a leadership role for a governmental agency or non-profit organization.”
Associate Professor Alisa Haushalter, DNP, RN, PHNABC, leads the program and brings a wealth of executive experience to the role. The UT Health Science Center alumna served as director of the Shelby County Health Department from 2016 to 2021. Other leadership roles include roles in management at Nemours Children’s Health in Wilmington, Delaware, and the Metro Public Health Department in Nashville.
“I am thrilled to welcome the inaugural cohort of DNP nurse executive students, a dynamic group of nurses who have a wealth of experience across health care systems including hospital, long-term care, research, and public health.” Dr. Haushalter said. “Through earning this degree, they will be equipped to drive meaningful, systemic change within organizations, fostering innovation and improving health outcomes for all.”
Tina McElravey, MPH, BSN, project coordinator for nursing research programs at the college, is excited about beginning the nurse executive concentration. “The opportunity to be mentored by nurses that I admire, such as Alisa Haushalter and Bobby Bellflower, is truly an exceptional opportunity,” she said. “Their leadership, both in the community and in the field of nursing, has inspired me to become more active in health policy and to expand my knowledge in the ever-evolving field of nursing.”
Anissa Christian celebrates her BSN graduation from UT Health Science Center.
The first cohort of students in the Nurse Executive concentration met at DNP orientation.
Recent BSN Grad the First to Use Bridge Program to Enter Doctor of Nursing Practice
By Leigh Ann Roman
Valeanna Adams loved science from a young age and majored in biology at Lane College, where she graduated in 2022 with the highest grade point average in the Natural and Physical Sciences Division.
As she approached graduation, Adams told one of her Lane professors that she wished she had more time in school because she was interested in nursing. That’s when she learned about the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing Partnership
Enrollment Program (PEP). Because Lane is one of the college’s partners, the college guarantees Lane students admission to its accelerated and traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs if they meet academic requirements.
Adams was admitted in fall 2023 and completed the 12-month accelerated BSN program, graduating in August 2024. She is the first PEP student to participate in the Bridge program, which guarantees BSN graduates of the college a seat in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program if they meet requirements. The Bridge applies to all DNP concentrations except neonatal, nurse anesthesia, and nurse midwifery. Adams is beginning the program this fall. “Valeanna was an exceptional student who demonstrated dedication to her education,” said Assistant Professor Trina Barrett, DNP, RN, CCRN, CNE, concentration coordinator of the college’s accelerated BSN. “Her positive attitude is infectious, inspiring her classmates. Her commitment to her academic pursuits and her ability to maintain a positive attitude make her a standout student and professional nurse.”
Adams said nursing school was challenging. “I knew I had to get a certain GPA, and I focused on my studies a lot. Making good grades and learning to be a great nurse were my priorities.” She now works as a mother/baby nurse at a hospital in Memphis.
Adams entered one of the college’s dual DNP programs. The dual program enables the graduate to take certification exams as both a family nurse practitioner and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. “I didn’t want to limit myself,” she said. “I want to have versatility, and I want to treat patients of all ages.”
Associate Professor Jami S. Brown, DHEd, MSN, RN, CNN, FANNA, said Valeanna’s dedication to learning made a lasting impression. “I had no doubt she would maintain her unwavering commitment to making a difference and would significantly impact the nursing profession.”
The DNP Program at UT Health Science Center is highly ranked by U.S. News and World Report. The college was also a great fit for Adams for two more reasons: It is close to her hometown of Oakland in Fayette County, and it offers a rural health education component that aligns with her interests as a long-time resident of a rural area. As a BSN student, Adams earned a designation as a rural and underserved nurse by completing extra educational modules and 80 field experience hours in rural areas. The DNP program also offers a rural health educational component.
“The rural health program was so much fun. I really enjoyed it,” she said. “People in rural areas don’t have the resources that people in the city have, like hospitals. It was great to be able to help residents of those areas, especially on the mobile health unit.”
Adams has big plans for her role as nurse practitioner. “I really want to give back to my community, Fayette County, and the Mid-South. I want to help underserved people and start a non-profit organization that provides resources to them. I also want to advocate for mental health.”
Applications are open for the DNP program at the College of Nursing. The priority application deadline is
Scholarship 2025
$4,000,000
$3,000,000
$2,000,000
$1,000,000
*PhD in Nursing Science students are enrolled through the College of Graduate Health Sciences but are taught by nursing faculty. **The total number of new students for the College of Nursing does not include certificate enrollees who are already counted among the DNP students or PhD students enrolled through the
Welcoming Our New Faculty Members
Shannon Rose, PhD
Dr. Shannon Rose joined the College of Nursing as an associate professor in the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in July 2024. She previously served as an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). Dr. Rose completed her postdoctoral research at the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute in Little Rock after earning a PhD in interdisciplinary biomedical sciences from UAMS and a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Central Arkansas.
Dr. Rose’s research program focuses on understanding the role of immune cell metabolism in health and disease in children. Specifically, she studies how changes in the bioenergetics of circulating immune cells are associated with inflammation and metabolic decline in diseases, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Dr. Rose is funded by the Brain Foundation to explore autoantibody and cytokine biomarker discovery in patients with ASD. She also was recently selected to participate in a Society of Pediatric Research Mid-Career Leadership program.
Tyra Girdwood, PhD, RN
Dr. Tyra Girdwood joined the College of Nursing in August 2024 as an assistant professor in the Department of Community and Population Health. Dr. Girdwood received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and her PhD in Nursing Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholar. She completed postdoctoral training in health equity and health policy in the National Clinician Scholars Program at Duke University.
Dr. Girdwood is passionate about improving transitional care and care coordination among vulnerable populations. She focuses on how to enhance health outcomes, reduce health disparities, and advance the transition process from pediatric to adult health care among youth dealing with chronic conditions such as cystic fibrosis. Dr. Girdwood was accepted to the spring 2025 cohort of the NIH Compass Leadership Program – a remote training program through the Washington University School of Medicine for early career researchers. Dr. Girdwood is a co-investigator on the $12 million Tennessee Department of Health Grant designating UT Health Science Center as the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence. She is also a co-investigator on a multidisciplinary University of Tennessee team that received a $4,000 seed grant for a project to improve care for students who visit student health centers at UT Knoxville and UT Health Science Center.
Montrese Alleyne, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Dr. Montrese Alleyne joined the College of Nursing as an assistant professor in January 2025. Her professional nursing experience includes neonatal intensive care nursing, postpartum nursing, population/ community nursing, internal medicine, student health, and occupational health. She was previously a primary care provider at University Health Services on the UT Health Science Center campus for almost six years, serving the campus community. Dr. Alleyne also participated in the initial COVID-19 UT Health Science Center campus vaccination distribution, serving on the strategy team at University Health Services.
Dr. Alleyne earned her Associate of Science in Nursing at Georgia Perimeter College in 2001 and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2009. She earned a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Cincinnati as a family nurse practitioner in 2012. She received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of South Alabama in 2023. Dr. Alleyne is a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the Tennessee Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.
Katherine “Katie” Sabatier, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC
Dr. Katie Sabatier joined the College of Nursing in July 2025 as an assistant professor with the Nurse-Midwifery program. She is a certified nurse-midwife and women’s health nurse practitioner with more than 12 years of experience. She earned her BSN from Augusta University in 2008, followed by a Master of Science with a specialty in midwifery and women’s health from Georgetown University in 2013. In May 2025, she completed her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at UT Health Science Center.
Starting in 2023, Dr. Sabatier joined the midwifery program at UT Health Science Center, first assisting in skills simulations for midwifery students, then managing a federal Health Resources and Services Administration grant. She was previously an adjunct faculty member with Georgetown University. Dr. Sabatier was the first full-scope certified nurse midwife in Oxford, Mississippi, and currently serves as chair of the Mississippi affiliate of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM).
PhD Graduate’s Work Could Alter Stroke Treatment Paradigm
By Leigh Ann Roman
Dr. Schumacher with her family. Photo by Amanda Joy Photography.
Nicole Schumacher began working at 14, when she started helping her dad with his eBay side business of selling electronic components from their garage. At 18, the California native worked for Best Buy and had no plans for college.
But hearing friends talk about their college experience inspired her to take classes at a community college near her home, where she earned an associate degree. That decision put her on a path to earn a bachelor’s degree in biology, a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Nursing (BSN and MSN), and ultimately to attain a PhD in nursing science from UT Health Science Center in May.
Today, Dr. Schumacher is doing research on glucose levels in stroke patients, especially in the very early stage of the stroke called the hyperacute phase, and how that affects their post-treatment outcomes. This research has the potential to make a significant impact in the care of these patients, said her research advisor, Professor Anne Alexandrov, PhD, AGACNP-BC, CNS, NVRN-BC, ANVPBC, ASC-BC, CCRN, FAAN.
“The previous research completed on control of blood glucose in acute stroke patients never focused on gaining control in the early minutes after arrival to the emergency department, yet clinicians know the blood glucose level within the first five to 10 minutes after patients come through the emergency department door,” Dr. Alexandrov said. “Dr. Schumacher’s pivotal work demonstrates that emergency practitioners and acute stroke health care providers have not considered this paradigm shift, largely because the focus of our work is on ensuring rapid delivery of reperfusion treatment.”
Finding her Sweet Spot in Research
Dr. Schumacher’s research also shows that acute stroke providers believe it would be feasible to incorporate ultra-early glucose control. “Overall, her work allows us to begin exploration of feasibility, safety, and outcomes associated with ultra-early glucose control in patients treated with reperfusion therapies,” Dr. Alexandrov said. Even before attaining her doctorate, Dr. Schumacher was invited to share her research at the Association of Neurovascular Clinicians Conference in 2024 in a presentation titled, “The Sweet Spot: Managing Blood Sugar for Stroke Patients.” Her research also has been published in the journal Stroke Clinician.
For Dr. Schumacher, the most exciting aspect of her work is “that I am hopefully uncovering actionable insights that could potentially change practice and improve outcomes in stroke.”
She initially felt drawn to the nursing profession after hearing another student at the community college mention becoming a nurse practitioner. “It’s the caring
aspect. I always felt that I was an empath. I’m a middle child,” she said. When a professor at the same college urged her to earn her bachelor’s degree in biology, her studies in that area confirmed her interest in research.
A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Schumacher jokes that her family likes to tease her about constantly being in school. But it was her pursuit of advanced training as a neurovascular practitioner that led her to Dr. Alexandrov, who established the NET SMART (Neurovascular Education & Training Acute Stroke Management & Reperfusion Therapies) post-graduate fellowship training program for advanced practice nurses in acute stroke. When Dr. Schumacher took the course, she realized how much she could learn from Dr. Alexandrov, who is considered the leading international nursing expert in acute stroke management. “She is the godmother of the field,” Dr. Schumacher said.
She applied to the PhD in nursing science at UT Health Science Center, where she completed the program in three years while working full-time.
“Nicole makes things happen,” said Program Director Carolyn Graff, PhD, RN, FAAIDD. “Her commitment to learning, developing her research knowledge and skills, and supporting her peers is exemplary.”
Dr. Schumacher also balanced work and school with her life as a wife and mother of two young children and a stepson. She said time management was key. “When deadlines start to get close, I typically change up my schedule to wake up earlier to get a few hours of productivity before work,” she said. “This obviously wasn’t always possible, but I think I was able to keep up a pretty good routine where my time with my kids wasn’t too affected.” She also credited her husband’s support in keeping the household running smoothly.
Her next goal is to establish a clinical trial or pilot study on glucose levels in the hyperacute stage of stroke. But she is also hard at work on a post-MSN certificate in acute care as a nurse practitioner, saying it will help her in her job as a nurse practitioner at a comprehensive stroke center.
“I really like school,” she said. “I’m glad I got into it.”
Science Center graduation photo.
Ninth NightinGala Breaks Attendance Records
By Leigh Ann Roman
In its ninth year, the NightinGala and Nurse Hero Awards sold out the FedEx Event Center and honored nurses from leading health care institutions in Memphis and the University of Tennessee Southern. The celebration of nursing, held May 2, welcomed Nurse Blake, a nurse and touring comedian who has performed for more than 250,000 nurses worldwide.
More than 300 guests attended the NightinGala, which the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing presents annually to launch the celebration of National Nurses Week. WMC-TV news anchor Joe Birch emceed the awards program.
For the 23rd consecutive year in 2024, nursing was rated as the most trusted profession in the United States, according to a Gallup poll. “We are thrilled to present the NightinGala each year because it honors the important work of nurses that can often go unnoticed,” Dean Wendy Likes said. “The event gets better every year, and the new venue and our wonderful speaker truly helped us raise the bar this year and present a wonderful event for deserving nurses.”
Four awards were presented at the gala. Nurse Heroes were recognized in three categories: Bedside Nurse Hero, Advanced Practice Nurse Hero, and Executive Leader Nurse Hero. The Dr. John W. Runyan Jr. Community Nursing Award was also presented to honor a nurse practicing in Tennessee, Arkansas, or Mississippi, who had made significant contributions to the development and promotion of community health nursing.
The Runyan Award was presented to Michelle Decker, DNP, RN, chair of the Jeannette M. Travis School of Nursing and Health Sciences at UT Southern, the newest campus in the University of Tennessee System. Dr. Decker led the School of Nursing during the transition period when the UT System acquired Martin Methodist College to create UT Southern. She is also a co-investigator on two grants in collaboration with the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing and UT Martin that are vital to sustaining and growing the pipeline of nurses to rural areas.
Two nurses were recognized in the Bedside Nurse Hero category – one representing St. Jude Children’s Research
Hospital and one from Baptist Memorial Health Care. Kierra McCallum, BSN, RN, ACRN, was recognized for her work in the Hughes Infectious Disease Clinic at St. Jude, which serves children who have HIV. Richard Schenk, BSN, RN, received the Bedside Nurse Hero Award for his caring and collaborative work in the Baptist Transplant Intensive Care Unit.
The Advanced Practice Nurse Hero Award recognized the lifetime commitment of the late Tracy Tidwell Dixon, MSN, FNP-BC, PPCNP-BC, to pediatric nursing at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and St. Jude. She served as an advanced practice nurse at Le Bonheur from 2001 to 2017, working in the emergency department, on the pediatric stroke team, and as director of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Program. From 2017 until her passing in 2025, she continued her work as an advanced practice nurse in the hematology department at St. Jude, specializing in telehealth.
The Executive Leader Nurse Hero Award recognized Anna Leigh McGrath, MSN, RN, director of nursing services at the West Cancer Center and Research Institute. As a nurse leader, she helped transform the role of the clinic nurse at West to that of a nurse navigator who empowers patients.
The NightinGala was made possible through the generosity of the following sponsors: Baptist Memorial Health Care, Regional One Health, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare, the Tennessee Hospital Association, West Cancer Center and Research Institute, Saint Francis Healthcare, and the UTHSC Nursing Mobile Health Unit. Funds raised through the gala benefit the College of Nursing’s Center for Community and Global Partnerships, which provides nursing innovation grants for nurses in the Mid-South who want to improve patient care in their area of practice.
In its tenth year, NightinGala will bring back Nurse Blake as the speaker for the May 8, 2026, event. Details and registration will be available at uthsc.edu/nightingala in January 2026.
251 Students Earn Nursing Degrees
During three commencement ceremonies over the last academic year, 251 students earned nursing degrees at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Eighty-four students earned Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees, 162 students earned Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees, and five students received doctoral degrees in nursing science. This represents a 28.7% increase in the number of graduates from the previous year.
• August 19, 2024: 56 BSN graduates
• December 9, 2024: 56 BSN graduates, four DNP graduates, and one PhD graduate
• May 12, 2025: 50 BSN graduates, 80 DNP graduates, and four PhD graduates
In August 2024, four students received awards at graduation. BSN graduate Shelby Frances Ellis won the Alumni Award, which recognizes a student who has demonstrated enthusiasm for nursing and skill in providing patient care. BSN graduate Joseph Atkins received the BSN Class Award, which recognizes a student chosen by classmates as an outstanding role model. BSN graduate Mary Ashley Austria received the Faculty Award, which is presented to the graduate with the highest grade-point average. And BSN graduate Jayda Seleste Farris received the Sigma Theta Tau Leadership Award, which is presented
to the BSN graduate who has shown a high level of professionalism.
In December 2024, five students received awards. BSN graduate Tyrese Deshun Davis and DNP graduate Lewis Linden received the Alumni Award; BSN graduate Anissa Christian received the BSN Class Award; BSN graduate Somoan Pounders received the Faculty Award; BSN graduate Cooper Mckelroy received the Sigma Theta Tau Leadership Award; and DNP graduate Cody Pike received the Doctor of Nursing Practice Clinical Award, which is presented by DNP faculty to a student who demonstrates advanced levels of clinical judgement in nursing practice while integrating professional values and ethical decision making.
In May 2025, seven students received awards at graduation. BSN students Kendree Collier and Reed Farnsley, as well as DNP graduate Jesse Bebout, received the Alumni Award; BSN graduate Millicent Abongo received the BSN Class Award; BSN graduate Joy Fleming received the BSN Faculty Award; DNP graduate Leslie Asplund received the DNP Clinical Award; DNP graduate Morgan Wilkins received the DNP Leadership Award; and BSN graduate Haley Bernard received the Sigma Theta Tau Leadership Award. We are so proud of all our graduates!
Grant Funding Supports College’s Efforts to Improve Rural Health
Labor Grant Builds Rural Nursing Pipeline
The College of Nursing has received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor through the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities Initiative. The three-year grant, the Delta Nurse Scholars program, began September 30, 2024. The program will support 13 senior nursing students during each of the grant’s three years by covering full tuition, books, and fees. It will also assist the new nurse graduates’ transition to practice by offering 12 months of mentoring, specialized clinical education, training, and support. In addition, it will provide training and support for one year after graduation for up to 30 other nurse graduates who are working in rural or underserved hospitals. Over three years, the Delta Scholars Program will assist at least 69 nurse graduates working in rural and underserved hospitals in the Delta region. The principal investigator on the grant is Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Programs Randy Johnson, PhD, RN (left). Dr. Johnson will be supported by grant team members Associate Professor Jami Smith Brown, DHEd, RN, CNN; Assistant Professor Alise Farrell, PhD, MSN, RN; Executive Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Charleen McNeill, PhD, MSN, RN; and Dean Wendy Likes.
UT Grand Challenge Grant Supports Nursing Outreach
A $500,000, two-year grant led by faculty from the College of Nursing will increase outreach, education, and health care workforce development in rural areas of the state. The effort is a collaboration of UT Health Science Center nursing faculty with members of the nursing faculty at the University of Tennessee at Martin and the University of Tennessee Southern in Pulaski. The grant was awarded through the UT Grand Challenges program. UT defines the Grand Challenges as advancing K-12 education, strengthening rural communities, and overcoming addiction. The program funded by the grant will deploy three mobile health units branded with One UT messaging to rural counties. One mobile health unit will travel from each of the three campuses involved to provide outreach and training to nearby rural communities and to the health care workforces in those areas. The grant is led by Associate Professor Alisa Haushalter, DNP, RN, PHNA-BC (left).
State Grant Expands Rural Nursing
College of Nursing Dean Wendy Likes (left) has received a grant of $300,000 from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development to fund the Tennessee Rural Nurse Scholars program. This 17-month program will expand work-based opportunities in rural communities by strengthening their nursing pipeline. The grant will fund additional training, financial support, and active learning experiences for eight rural nursing students: four at UT Martin and four at UT Southern. The students will receive financial support in their final year of nursing school, a paid student nurse internship experience, and additional training through an online rural health medallion program. The health care institutions involved include the Southern Tennessee Regional Health System in Pulaski, Baptist Memorial Hospital in Union City, and the UTHSC Nursing Mobile Health Unit. The program will serve Giles, Lake, Lauderdale, Obion, and Weakley counties.
Grant to Address Vaccine Hesitancy
Assistant Professor Diana Dedmon, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, AFN-C, has received funding for the UT Grand Challenge grant titled “STrengthening RUral Immunization Training, Uniting Health Initiatives in TN (STRUT UT)” for $100,000. Dr. Dedmon will be supported by Laura Clark (UT Extension); Assistant Professor Shelley Miller, DNP, APRN, FNP-C; and Assistant Professor Lisa Beasley, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, AFN-C. The project plans to establish nurse liaisons in rural primary care clinics to work with UT Extension agents to develop health care providers’ motivational interviewing skills and disseminate vaccine education.
Longtime Dean Dr. Michael Carter Leaves Nursing Legacy
A longtime College of Nursing dean whose pivotal guidance established UT Health Science Center’s reputation for nurse leadership died on June 17, 2025, at the age of 78. Known for his advocacy of advanced practice nursing, Michael Carter, DNSc, DNP, FAAN, FNP/ GNP-BC, served as dean of the College of Nursing from 1982 to 2000.
During Dr. Carter’s time as dean, the PhD in Nursing Science was established – the first in the state. The
Doctor of Nursing Science (DNSc), which was established in 1999, became a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2005 – the first DNP in Tennessee and the second in the United States.
“Dr. Carter was a pioneering leader who instilled in our college and our profession the need to be cutting edge and visionary,” Dean Wendy Likes said. “His addition of the PhD program and the DNSc (eventually changing to the DNP) brought the foundation for nursing leadership
Dr. Michael Carter with his wife, Sarah, and their daughter, Elizabeth.
and nursing scientific discovery to the South and the state of Tennessee. This was instrumental in developing our reputation and influence in health care for the communities we serve.”
Dr. Carter grew up in southern Missouri and moved to Arkansas for college. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1969, Dr. Carter in 1973 was part of the first class of graduates from the university’s Master of Nursing Science program. He earned a Doctor of Nursing Science (DNSc) degree from Boston University and his Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from UT Health Science Center. Dr. Carter also served in the Army Nurse Corps from 1968 to 1971 during the Vietnam War.
Dr. Carter was an early proponent of faculty practice and the DNP and was a staunch advocate for advanced practice nursing, full practice authority, and nursing research. He mentored students at all levels of development over many decades. He retired briefly but soon returned to teaching and continued teaching until very recently.
“Dr. Carter paved the way for the culture in which our college continues to thrive and innovate – continuing the legacy he created,” Dr. Likes said.
Professor Mona Wicks, PhD, RN, FAAN, said, “Michael was a transformative, innovative, and resolute leader who unwaveringly believed in people’s potential, regardless of their background and circumstances. He believed in asking for forgiveness rather than permission to open doors to advance ideas, initiatives, and people. And more often than not, he was right about these efforts.” Dr. Wicks is chair of the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
Dr. Carter was very involved in the Frontier Nursing University Board of Directors. He served as chair of the board from 2009 to April 2025. Frontier Nursing University was founded in 1939 as the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery by the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS), a group of nurses and nurse-midwives who served rural areas of Kentucky dating back to 1925.
Dr. Carter’s contributions also extended to his work in Australia, where he promoted advanced practice nursing. Because of these efforts, Dr. Carter was named a fellow of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners for his contributions to promoting advanced practice nursing.
Dr. Carter’s many awards and honors include being selected as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 1982 and as a distinguished practitioner in the National Academies of Practice in 1985. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties in 2015 and a Special Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tennessee Nurses Association in 2018.
Those who would like to contribute to a fund in honor of Dr. Carter’s legacy may donate to the Michael A. Carter Professorship in Nursing Practice at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing at giving.uthsc.edu/carter.
2025 Most Outstanding Alumna
Dee Blakney, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, ACNP-BC
Dr. Dee Blakney was an extremely dedicated nurse practitioner and member of the College of Nursing’s Alumni Board. She passed away July 31, 2024, at 60, following a battle with cancer.
Dr. Blakney was passionate about increasing access to health care for rural patients. In 2005, she became co-owner of Michie Healthcare, a clinic in rural McNairy County. In 2009, she opened another clinic in rural Hardeman County, Whiteville Family Medical Clinic. In 2021, the Rural Health Association of Tennessee (RHAT) recognized her as the Rural Practitioner of the Year.
She was also a committed preceptor for family nurse practitioner students. A student once wrote, “Dee taught me so much not just about patient care but taking the hard cases, doing a lot with a little, and anything and everything about caring for vulnerable populations you don’t read about in a textbook.”
Dr. Blakney obtained her nursing diploma (RN) from the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in 1989. She began working as a staff nurse in the intensive care unit and emergency room in the Methodist Hospital System and went on to be the director of the Certified Nursing Assistant department at Baptist Trinity and eventually the assistant director of Trinity/Nursing supervisor private services at Baptist.
To increase her impact in the nursing profession, she went back to school to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from the University of Memphis in 1998 and her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree from UT Health Science Center in 1999. She was certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and began working in private practice and making rounds in long-term care facilities.
Dr. Blakney obtained her certification as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) in 2005 and earned a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2007 from UT Health Science Center.
Providing affordable, quality health care to an underserved area led her to not only develop relationships with her patients but with their whole families. Dr. Blakney was known to go to patients’ homes if they could not get to the clinic. She celebrated their good fortune and grieved with them during hard times. She always hoped her enthusiasm and love for people would show in her daily life.
Dr. Blakney received many awards and appointments throughout her career, including UT Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society, University of Memphis Nursing Leadership Award, Methodist Hospital Shining Star, and Top 11 in Nursing in Shelby and Fayette County “Celebrate Nursing Program.”
Dr. Blakney was a committee member of the Tennessee Nurses Association task force for full practice authority and was a preceptor for UT Health Science Center, University of Memphis, Union University, and Chatham University.
A scholarship to help future nurse practitioner students at the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing has been started in her honor. To donate, please go to giving.uthsc.edu/blakney.
2025 Most Outstanding Recent Alumna
Hope S. Ferguson, DNP, MBA, CRNA, CDR (Sel), NC, USN
Dr. Hope Ferguson is a native of Meridian, Mississippi, and lives in Memphis, where she is employed by the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers VA Medical Center as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). In 2015, she earned her Doctor in Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in Nurse Anesthesiology from UT Health Science Center. In 2022, she obtained her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of North Alabama.
Dr. Ferguson became the first African American president of the Tennessee Association of Nurse Anesthetists (TANA) in 2023. In 2011, Dr. Ferguson was directly commissioned as an Officer in the United States Navy Reserves. She is currently a commander in the U.S. Navy and serves as the assistant senior nurse executive for Navy Reserve Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command San Diego. She also serves as the command assistant metrics officer for Navy Reserve Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Camp Lejeune. In 2020, she served on board the USNS Mercy as a CRNA and helped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Ferguson’s professional and community service activities include her work at TANA, where she is the current Government Relations Committee chair. She also mentors enlisted sailors in the field of nursing and provides mentorship to a diverse population of nurse anesthesia students and registered nurses with an interest in anesthesia, as a part of her outreach program, Distinct Alliance of Nurse Anesthetists.
2025 Most Supportive Alumna
Dianne Greenhill, EdD, BSN, RN
Dr. Dianne Greenhill is integral to the lasting legacy of the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing. She graduated from the college, served on its faculty for four decades, and wrote a history of the college to mark its 100th anniversary.
Dr. Greenhill came to Memphis from her hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1958 to attend the College of Nursing. After she graduated in 1962, she attended graduate school in North Carolina to study public health nursing. When she returned to Memphis, she joined the faculty, becoming colleagues with her former teachers and teaching hundreds of students throughout her career. Her roles at the college included faculty leader, academic dean, and interim dean. While on the faculty, she also held positions outside the college. She served as the director of nursing at the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department for several years and was a 24-year member of the U.S. Army Reserve Corps, retiring as a colonel in 2000.
Since retiring, Dr. Greenhill has continued to generously support the College of Nursing. She has been a dedicated member of the College of Nursing Alumni Board and is a past president of that group. She donates to the annual giving program, supports nursing scholarship endowments, and is a member of the Hershel P. Wall Legacy Society. The college has created a scholarship in her name to honor her generosity.
Most recently, Dr. Greenhill has made an estate gift to the college to establish the Dr. E. Dianne Greenhill Chair of Excellence for Community and Public Health in Nursing. Having the chair in her name would ensure the college would always have a faculty leader to head the community and public health education efforts.
Although she has spent decades serving the College of Nursing in various ways, Dr. Greenhill hopes to continue giving back to the university that she said provided her with an education, a career, and a community: “UT supported me in so many ways.”
2025 Methodist School of Nursing Outstanding Alumna
Jackie Morton, MHA, BSN, RN, CIC
Jackie Morton is an honor graduate from the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing in 1995, where she received her diploma as a registered nurse. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from the University of Memphis and her Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree from Western Governors University.
Morton currently serves as the corporate director of Infection Prevention for Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare. Under Morton’s leadership, infections have steadily declined over the past decade in the Methodist Le Bonheur system of 96 outpatient sites and six hospitals with 1,687 licensed beds. She counts her infection prevention nursing team as her greatest asset, and the team is working toward a goal of zero preventable infections. Last year, more than half of the health care acquired infection metrics resulted in zero infections. Prior to her infection prevention role, Morton worked for 16 years caring for burn-intensive care patients and leading the infection prevention program at a Level 1 trauma center.
Morton serves on the local Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Board and is a past president. In addition, she served on the Tennessee Hospital Association Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Advisory Board and the MRSA Collaborative with Centers for Disease Control, Tennessee and Kentucky. She has led several outbreak investigation responses to threats including Ebola, measles, Mpox, and Candida auris. Throughout her career, Morton has received numerous awards including Top 100 Nurses in Shelby and Fayette County in 2007 as a bedside nurse. She was named a Health Care Hero by the Memphis Business Journal for her work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
DAISY and Staff Awards Mark Nurses Week
Dr. Williams, Dr. Hearne Receive Teaching Awards
Assistant Professor Loretta “Alexia” Williams, PhD, RN (left), and Assistant Professor Deundra Hearne, PhD, RN, CNE, CNEcl, were recognized with Excellence in Teaching Awards by the Student Government Association Executive Council (SGAEC) for 2025 at the SGAEC Awards Banquet on April 24. The annual award recognizes the impact faculty members make on students through their dedication, innovation, and commitment to teaching excellence.
Assistant Professor Jordan Isaac, DNP, CRNA (left), received the DAISY Award for unwavering commitment to his faculty role in which he inspires colleagues, peers, and students. The college also recognized DNP Clinical Coordinator Brandi Asbill, BSN, RN, with the Most Outstanding Staff Award. The college recognized Administrative Associate II Katie Mason with the Most Supportive Staff Award. Grant Strategist Patti Smith, MPH, also received special recognition for outstanding staff contributions.
Dr. Manasco Receives Alumni Association Teaching Award
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Christie Manasco, PhD, RN, CNE, CNEcl, was selected as a 2025 University of Tennessee Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher and was recognized at the University of Tennessee Alumni Association Dinner on June 6 in Knoxville. The Outstanding Teacher Award recognizes excellence in the classroom and/or clinical instruction by full-time faculty at UT Health Science Center.
157 Students Receive White Coats
One hundred and fifty-seven Bachelor of Science in Nursing students received their white coats in two separate ceremonies during the academic year: September 30, 2024, and February 10, 2025. The White Coat Ceremony is an important milestone marking the students’ transition from the classroom to clinical education. The students recite the White Coat pledge, in which they promise to provide care with compassion. The September White Coat ceremony was one of the college’s largest in recent memory, with 101 students.
MBJ Recognizes Dr. Sebastian as Health Care Hero
Associate Professor Andrea Sebastian, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC/PC, AFN-C, SANE-P, DM-AFN, received the Community Outreach award in the Memphis Business Journal’s 2024 Health Care Heroes Awards program on August 15. Dr. Sebastian was recognized for the impact of her work as principal investigator on a $1.5 million grant that funded the training of nurses as sexual assault nurse examiners. The Health Resources and Services Association provided the three-year grant.
Dr. Bellflower, Dr. Johnson Receive Promotions
Professor Bobby Bellflower, DNSc, NNP-BC, FAANP, FNAP (left), and Associate Professor Randy Johnson, PhD, RN, were promoted to assistant dean of Graduate Programs and assistant dean of Undergraduate Programs, respectively, in October 2024. Dr. Bellflower joined the college in 2016 as the director of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program. Dr. Johnson joined the college in 2018 as the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program director. The promotions recognize the leadership of these faculty members during a time of great growth for the college.
Twenty-Eight Students Receive Scrub Caps
The Class of 2026 for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Nurse Anesthesiology program received their scrub caps in a ceremony on December 2, 2024, in the Mooney Library. The Scrub Cap ceremony marks the transition of nurse anesthesiology students from the classroom to clinical education.
Faculty Members Attain Fellowships
Professor Carrie Harvey, PhD, APRN-BC, ACNP-BC, CHFN (left), was inducted as a fellow of the Heart Rhythm Society at the annual Heart Rhythm meeting, held in San Diego April 24-27. Associate Professor Janet Tucker, PhD, MSN, RNC-OB, was inducted as a fellow in the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses during the organization’s convention in Orlando June 21-25.
Dr. Sarah Rhoads Becomes Arkansas Dean
In September, Professor and Department Chair Sarah Rhoads, PhD, FNP, WHNP-BC, RNC-OB, APRN, FAAN, FAWHONN, became dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where she was a long-time faculty member. Dr. Rhoads joined UT Health Science Center in 2018 as a professor with joint appointments in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the College of Graduate Health Sciences. The college appreciates all her contributions, as well as the leadership of Associate Professor Alisa Haushalter, DNP, RN, PHNA-BC, who is taking on the department chair role in the interim. Dr. Haushalter also leads the Nurse Executive concentration in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
Dr. Beasley Receives State Award from AANP
Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Community and Global
Partnerships Lisa Beasley, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, AFN-C, was recognized with the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) State Award for Outstanding Contributions during a ceremony June 20, 2025, at the 2025 AANP National Conference in San Diego. This award honors nurse practitioners who have made an impact in advancing health care through practice, education, advocacy, research, and leadership and who have raised the profile of nurse practitioners.
Dr. Reed Leads Special Programs
Faculty Elected to TNA Leadership Roles
Assistant Professor and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Christie Manasco, PhD, RN, CNE, CNEcl (left), was re-elected to serve a second, two-year term as director of education for the Tennessee Nurses Association (TNA). Assistant Professor Kim Kennel, PhD, RN-BC, CCRN-K, CNE, CNEcl, was elected as treasurer for TNA District 1.
Associate Professor Laura Reed, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CNE, accepted the position of director of Special Academic Programs, effective December 1. In this role, Dr. Reed facilitates the development, implementation, and evaluation of special programming, such as the BSN program’s Baptist Scholars program and STEPS in Nursing Scholars program. Assistant Professor Ricketta Clark, DNP, APRN-BC, has accepted the interim concentration coordinator position for the Family Nurse Practitioner concentration, which Dr. Reed led prior to her new role.
Dr. Dedmon Receives Rural Health Award
Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Affairs Diana Dedmon, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, AFN-C, received the Rural Health Practitioner of the Year Award from the Rural Health Association of Tennessee at the association’s annual conference in November in Knoxville. Dr. Dedmon is the principal investigator on a $3.9 million, fouryear grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to deploy a mobile health unit to Lake and Lauderdale counties to increase access to health care.
Nursing Student Summit Sees Strong Growth
Approximately 400 nursing students from nine schools attended the second annual Mid-South Nursing Student Summit April 4 at Christian Brothers University. The first summit in 2024 drew about 150 students. The daylong program was organized by the Mid-South Nursing Leadership Collaborative, which is led by College of Nursing Dean Wendy Likes. The event featured a keynote by Susan R. Cooper, MSN, RN, FAAN, senior vice president and chief integration officer for Regional One Health. The event also presented a panel of new nursing graduates and experienced nurses and a session on NCLEX test preparation.
Dr. Beasley, Dr. Sebastian Recognized for Forensic Nursing
Two of the college’s faculty members received awards from the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN) this year. The IAFN presents just five awards annually. Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Community and Global Partnerships Lisa Beasley, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, AFN-C, was recognized as a distinguished fellow of the IAFN. Associate Professor Andrea Sebastian, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC/PC, AFN-C, SANE-P, DM-AFN, was recognized with the Kim Day Service Award. The Distinguished Fellow Award recognizes a nurse who has made significant contributions to forensic nursing through achievements in public health, welfare, and safety. The Service Award recognizes a nurse who has gone above and beyond in service to IAFN.
Thank You for Your Membership in the 1911 Society!
UT Health Science Center’s 1911 Society recognizes philanthropic support, which is critical to our mission of educating students, conducting innovative research, and improving health outcomes.
Named for the year the Health Science Center was founded, the 1911 Society celebrates the generosity of our community. Membership in the 1911 Society is granted across multiple levels: Annual Giving Partners, who donate $100 or more in any given fiscal year; Sustaining Partners, who give annually at any amount for five or
ANNUAL PARTNERS
Lori Ann Adelmann
Anne Wheeler Alexandrov and Andrei V. Alexandrov
Sandra Gray Alford and Gene Alford
Vashti J. Alley
Betty Alsup
Nancy Appling and Murphy Appling
Gregory S. Baboolal
Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation
Carol Haynes Barraza
Jodi Barron and Matt Barron
Sherry Barry and Bill Barry
Victoria Young Bass
Sandra Bateman and Richard Bateman
Brett Batterson and Veronica Randolph Batterson
Arnold Murphy Bazzle, Jr. and Stephanie Bazzle
Lisa Darlene Beasley
Bobby Lynn Bellflower and Larry Dale Bellflower
Hallie P. Bensinger and Patrick E. Bensinger
Coleen Bertsch
Laurie Susan Bigham
Michael Blieden
Terrilyn Boyd
Jennifer L. Bradford
Virginia Tanner Bradley
G. Ray Bratton
Linda Bronfin and Philip Bronfin
Jami Smith Brown and Granger Brown
Jacqueline Burchum and Tony Burchum
Nancy Smith Burton
Angela P. Buss and Charles Buss
more consecutive years; and Lifetime Partners, who make cumulative commitments of $25,000 or more during their lifetime.
The Office of Advancement wishes to thank all donors for their commitment to the College of Nursing and to the university. For details, go to giving.uthsc.edu/1911. To make a gift, please visit giving.uthsc.edu/give or call 901.448.5516.
We are grateful to the following donors for their gifts through June 30, 2025.
Joan L. Carmack
Joan B. Carter and J. Woodson Carter
Ann Cashion and Ted Cashion
Deanza Rochelle Chaffin
Mary Teresa Clepper
Marilyn Comstock and Barton Comstock
Martin Conde
Emily J. Cooley
Patricia K. Cooper and Rudy Garcia
Debra Coplon
Cheryl L. Cox
Dee Cox and John W. Cox, Jr.
Robert Cox
Lois Crenshaw
William R. Crom and Mary D. Crom
Dawn Cronin
Katherine Ann Darling
Beverly Davidson
Diana Dedmon and Darren Dedmon
Janet E. DePriest
Caprice O. Devereux
Sattaria Dilks and Lawrence Dilks III
Susan Carol Donlevy
Bettye Durham and Saxon Durham
Josh F. Edwards and Lucy C. Edwards
Deborah Esmon
William E. Evans and Mary V. Relling
Nancy Farrell and Mike Farrell
Cynthia L. Fish
Kate Fouquier and Mark Fouquier
Brandi Blakeman Franks
Deana O. Geraets and Douglas R. Geraets
Marie E. Gill and Robert E. Gill II
Natasha Goins
Bethany Goolsby
Carolyn Graff and Paul Graff
E. Dianne Greenhill
Barbara M. Grossman
Lynne L. Hamilton
Trisha J. Hanna
Nicole Clark Haney and Rip Haney
Trisha J. Hanna
Michael Edward Hans
Jada C. Harding
Tosha Harris
Margaret Harvey
Donna K. Hathaway and Tom Hathaway
Alisa Haushalter and David Charles Mills, Sr.
Melissa M. Hessock
David B. Hightower
Brenda Holt and Malcolm Holt
Jerry Mason Hook
Catherine L. Horobetz
Lee Kauerz Hover
Sally Stevens Humphrey and John Humphrey
James A. Hutcheson IV and Ashley H. Hutcheson
Michael Alan Jewell
Randall Lee Johnson
Myra S. Jones and Gordon F. Jones
Josephine Circle, Inc.
Stan Joyner and Linda Douglas Joyner
Lisa Ruth Kanter and Eugene S. Schweig III
Kimberly D. Kennel
Linda W. Kizer-Green
Mary Anne Koeppel and Scott R. Koeppel
Nancy A. Lado
Keri Lattimore and Harry King
Janice Shelley Ledbetter
Brian T. Lewis
Shaunda Lou Lewis
Wendy M. Likes
Hillary H. Ling and Stella Lin-Hing Ling
Sharon H. Little and V. O. Little
Melissa J. Littman and William J. Littman
Mary Lockhart
Cynthia A. Long
Meghan Madea and Greg Madea
Christie Carnell Manasco and Brandon Dorris
Dean J. Martin
Judy Carbage Martin and Willie E. Martin, Jr.
Jon A. Mather and M’Liss Darr Mather
Tracy McClinton and Eric McClinton
Wynema McGrew
Tori McLeod
Margaret Grim McMahan and Thomas K. McMahan
Charleen C. McNeill
Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
Emily Mewborn and Michael Mewborn
Shelley A. Miller and David M. Miller
Ellen Romer Mitchell
Nancy Moffatt
Myra C. Moore and Mitchell Moore
Stacey Morgan
Robert Mynatt and Sarah Mynatt
Karen Phillips Nellis
Alice Nunnery and James Allison Nunnery, Jr.
Olubunmi Olukemi Osinloye
Diane Pace and Jim Pace
Elizabeth Anne Paton and Robert Paton
Patricia A. Peppler and Richard D. Peppler
Darren R. Perry
Pink Ribbon Open
Julia Ponder
Stephanie A. Powelson and Thomas H. Tucker II
Jenifer Prather
Kathleen Reed
Laura K. Reed and John B. Reed
Regional One Health Foundation
Sarah Rhoads
Michelle N. Rickard
Kittye L. Roberts and Kenneth B. Roberts
Elizabeth Roemer
Leigh Ann Roman and Erwin Roman
Nancy Kim Rudge
Cynthia Russell and Jerry Russell
Madge Richbourg Saba
Jane S. Sander
Lisa W. Schafer
Karl A. Schledwitz and Gail Schledwitz
Edward G. Schneider and Sarah Schneider
Patricia Scott and Jayant K. Deshpande
Fannie T. Shelton and Franklin Shelton
Nakiesha Shepherd
Cheryl B. and James J. Shields
Jasmine C. Shotwell
Willie Nathaniel Simon
Marguerite Royal Simpkins
Lauren A. Smith
Patti Smith
Carol Sneed and Scott Sneed
Patricia M. Speck and Ronald L. Speck
William A. Speitel and Pamela B. Speitel
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Ansley Grimes Stanfill and John Stanfill
Mary Arnette Stewart and Sam Stewart, Jr.
Alicia D. Stigler and Samuel J. Stigler, Jr.
Jacquelyn F. Stinnes
Michelle Stubbs and Doug Stubbs
Lynda Stigall Sutliff and Lourell E. Sutliff
Marilynn Susan Bell Swain
Cathy R. Taylor
Nancy Dempsey Telford
Keisha Thaxton
Brandon Swain Toney
Telise E. Turner
Deborah A. Usselman
Tony Valk and Karen Bryant Valk
Melissa Vincentelli and Ignacio Vincentelli
Virginia Wages and David Wages
Sallie J. Walton
Ming Juan Wang and Xueyuan Cao
Alice U. Warren
Bobbie Waxler and Billy Waxler
Damon Waxler and Dawn Waxler
Sherry S. Webb
West Cancer Foundation
Jo Ann West
Sherrod W. West and John H. West, Jr.
Vivian Beason Westbrook
Sarah J. White and Bruce D. White
Mona N. Wicks and Sammie J. Wicks
Sara Ann Wilkinson
Armantine K. Williams
Loretta Williams and Tavari Williams
G. Anthony Wilson
Robert W. Wyatt and Karen Miles Wyatt
Jan Young
Kimberly S. Zilske and Eugene J. Zilske
SUSTAINING PARTNERS
Sandra Gray Alford and Gene Alford
Vashti J. Alley
Nancy Appling and Murphy Appling
Victoria Young Bass
Sandra Bateman and Richard Bateman
Lisa Darlene Beasley
Bobby Lynn Bellflower and Larry Dale Bellflower
Coleen Bertsch and Marvin L. Bertsch
Linda Bronfin and Philip Bronfin
Jacqueline Burchum and Tony Burchum
Nancy Smith Burton
Joan B. Carter and J. Woodson Carter
Ann K. Cashion and Ted Cashion
Mary Teresa Clepper
Emily J. Cooley
Dee Cox and John W. Cox, Jr.
Lois Crenshaw
Diana Dedmon and Darren Dedmon
Janet E. DePriest
Nancy Farrell and Mike Farrell
Kate Fouquier and Mark Fouquier
Bethany Goolsby
Carolyn Graff and Paul Graff
E. Dianne Greenhill
Barbara M. Grossman
Tosha Harris
David B. Hightower
Mrs. Catherine Lynn Horobetz
Sally Stevens Humphrey and John Humphrey
James A. Hutcheson IV and Ashley H. Hutcheson
Randall Lee Johnson
Myra S. Jones and Gordon F. Jones
Stan Joyner and Linda Douglas Joyner
Janice Shelley Ledbetter
Shaunda Lou Lewis
Wendy M. Likes
Sharon H. Little and V. O. Little
Melissa J. Littman and William J. Littman
Jon A. Mather and M’Liss Darr Mather
Tracy McClinton and Eric McClinton
Wynema McGrew
Margaret Grim McMahan and Thomas K. McMahan
Robert Mynatt and Sarah Mynatt
Diane Todd Pace and Jim Pace
Elizabeth Anne Paton and Robert Paton
Patricia A. Peppler and Richard D. Peppler
Laura K. Reed and John B. Reed
Sarah Rhoads
Michelle N. Rickard and Richard Rickard
Leigh Ann Roman and Erwin Roman
Cynthia K. Russell and Jerry Russell
Lisa W. Schafer
Fannie T. Shelton and Franklin Shelton
Cheryl B. Shields and James J. Shields
Marguerite Royal Simpkins
Patti Smith
Patricia M. Speck and Ronald L. Speck
William Speitel and Pamela B. Speitel
Ansley Grimes Stanfill and John Stanfill
Mary Arnette Stewart and Sam Stewart, Jr.
Michelle Stubbs and Doug Stubbs
Marilynn Susan Bell Swain
Deborah A. Usselman
Tony Valk and Karen Bryant Valk
Sallie J. Walton
Ming Juan Wang and Xueyuan Cao
Sherry S. Webb
Jo Ann West
Sarah J. White and Bruce D. White
Mona N. Wicks and Sammie J. Wicks
Armantine K. Williams
Jan Young
Kimberly S. Zilske and Eugene Zilske
LIFETIME PARTNERS
Vashti J. Alley
Sandra Bateman and Richard Bateman
Sarah A. Carter
Ann K. Cashion and Ted Cashion
Charis Foundation, Inc.
Janet E. DePriest
Elizabeth Fuselier Ellis and Jerry Ellis
Estate of Margaret Newman
Jerry Thomas Francisco
H. E. Garrett, Jr. and Rose J. Garrett
Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc.
E. Dianne Greenhill
Cristen Garrett Haslam and William E. Haslam
Donna K. Hathaway and Tom Hathaway
Alisa R. Haushalter and David C. Mills, Sr.
Holland Insurance, Inc.
Susan Jacob and Dick Jacob
Josephine Circle Inc.
June H. Larrabee
Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation, Inc.
Brian T. Lewis
Wendy M. Likes
Mary Lockhart
Dean J. Martin
Judy Carbage Martin and Willie E. Martin, Jr.
Methodist Healthcare Foundation
Mary Carolyn Moran DePalma
Pink Ribbon Open
Elinor F. Reed
Regional One Health Foundation
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Patricia N. Scott and Jayant K. Deshpande
Catherine C. Shell and William A. Shell, Jr.
Deanna Springall and Sally Wilging
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Cheryl C. Stegbauer and William D. Stegbauer
Lynda Stigall Sutliff and Lourell E. Sutliff
Visiting Nurse Association, Inc.
West Cancer Foundation
Mona N. Wicks and Sammie J. Wicks
Jan Young
2025–26 College of Nursing Alumni Board Officers
PRESIDENT
Sandy Bateman, ’79, ’81
Board of Directors
TENNESSEE REPRESENTATIVES
West – Michael Hans, ’93;
Jan Young, ’02
Middle – Hallie Bensinger, ’02
East – Karen Valk, ’83
OUT-OF-STATE REPRESENTATIVES
Kathleen Reed, ’18, ’22
Patricia Speck, ’82, ’85, ’05
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Patricia Scott, ’80, ’09
SECRETARY Tosha Harris, ’18
REPRESENTATIVES-AT-LARGE
Judy Martin, ’88, ’94
Emily Mewborn, ’09, ’13, ’23
Julia Ponder, ’17
Sara Wilkinson, ’18
David Hightower, ’82
Carla Kirkland, ’99, ’08
Avanti Cross Brown, ’21
METHODIST SCHOOL OF NURSING
Deborah Esmon, ’80, ’96
PAST PRESIDENTS
Kim Zilske, ’07
Armantine “Tine” Williams, ’75, ’81
James “Hutch” Hutcheson, ’07
Dianne Greenhill, ’62
Susan Sanders, ’09
In Memoriam
Class of 1954
Mrs. Pat Royal
June 15, 2025
Class of 1966
Dr. Johnie Nance Mozingo
November 22, 2024
Class of 1967
Jo Ann West
June 22, 2025
Class of 1977, 1993
Margaret “Peg” Hartig
June 2, 2025
Class of 1975
Ms. Jean Corry Gildersleeve
July 27, 2024
Class of 2009
Dr. Michael A. Carter
June 17, 2025
The Bernie Crook Distinguished Visiting Professorship will be held February 2, 2026, at 5:30 pm, at the FedEx Event Center.
uthsc.edu/nursing/dnp/preceptor.php
Thank you to our Legacy Society Members!
Estate of Reba Absher
Estate of Beverly Bowns
Estate of Mary Jane Brewer
Estate of Lucile G. Buderer
Estate of Nathalia G. Cagle
Estate of Kathrin Cashdollar
Estate of Kathryn Crane
Ms. Janet E. Depriest
Estate of Helen C. Dunkin
Dr. Elizabeth Fuselier Ellis
Estate of Geneva Belk Greene
Dr. E. Dianne Greenhill
Estate of Emma L. Heim
Dr. Susan Robertson Jacob and Mr. Richard Jacob
Dr. June H. Larrabee
Mrs. F. Aline Larue
Estate of Dr. Alys H. Lipscomb
Estate of Lily L. Lusk
Mr. Dean Martin
Estate of Camille D. McCray
Estate of Dr. Margaret A. Newman
Dr. Stephanie A. Powelson and Mr. Thomas H. Tucker II
Ms. Elinor F. Reed
Estate of Elizabeth Reese
Dr. William A. and Mrs. Catherine Clark Shell
Estate of Ruth M. Smith
Estate of Dorothy Stockdale and James E. Stockdale
Dr. Lourell and Mrs. Lynda S. Sutliff
Estate of Esther Jean Trentham
Estate of Dr. Janet A. Williamson
Grant funding provided by West Cancer Foundation
Be a Legacy Society Member
The Legacy Society recognizes those who have remembered the UT Health Science Center in their estate plans and notified us of their intentions. This special group of individuals is passionate about this institution and our mission of education, health care, research, and public service — and our vision: Healthy Tennesseans. Thriving Communities.
Charitable support strengthens our efforts.
We are honored to partner with our dedicated members of our community who support the College of Nursing by funding scholarships for the health care professionals and leaders of tomorrow, programs that enhance their education, and vital research improving health.
Our beautiful new display in the historic Mooney Building honors our Legacy Society members for their commitments and enduring impact on our mission. Every student, faculty and staff member, and visitor can celebrate those who have partnered with us in their estate planning.
Planned gifts provide flexibility for your needs. Planning now for the distribution of your assets relieves your family and friends from the burden of these tough decisions and ensures your wishes are fulfilled.
To explore options for planned gifts and ensure your own legacy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, contact Bethany Goolsby in the Office of Advancement at 901.448.8212 or bgoolsby@uthsc.edu
The
UT Health Science Center College of Nursing Professional Development Unit Presents
Keynote Speaker
Friday, November 7 | 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms Park 415 Great View Drive East | Memphis, TN 38134
THEME: CENTERING NURSE COMMUNICATION IN PRIMARY PALLIATIVE CARE
Joy V. Goldsmith, PhD Founder and co-director of the University of Memphis Center for Health Literacy and Health Communication. She also serves as an affiliate faculty member in the School of Public Health.
Joy V. Goldsmith, PhD, examines health communication science in the contexts of health care provider training and serious and chronic illness. Her numerous books and articles in clinical, as well as communication journals, address health literacy, communication pedagogy, simulation training, oncology nurse communication, interprofessional communication, and family caregiver communication. CommunicateComfort.com, a long-time initiative of Dr. Goldsmith, serves to house and disseminate a range of research interventions and education/ training curriculum for health care providers. Dr. Goldsmith is the co-author of eight books and over 75 peerreviewed journal articles. Her work on BSN program simulation research and communication training includes involvement in a 2025-2026 Macy Foundation Award, the AACN Essentials, and the lead authorship for a BSN textbook identifying essential communication needs for new nurses. She earned her Master of Science in communication studies at the University of Southern Illinois at Carbondale and her PhD in communication and interdisciplinary studies at the University of Oklahoma.
Nursing Credit
UT Health Science Center College of Nursing is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. NCPD contact hours will be awarded for this event. There is no charge for the Nursing Continuing Professional Development credit.
For more information, contact Dr. Lisa Beasley at 901.448.3928 or lbeasle9@uthsc.edu.
Register for this free online event
https://cenow.uthsc.edu/content/centering-nursecommunication-primary-palliative-care-2025cashdollar-dvp
Join us to celebrate nursing in the Mid-South at the 10th annual NighinGala with our special guest Nurse Blake!
The event will offer fine food and the annual Nurse Hero Awards as we recognize local nurses who represent the best of the profession in our community.
information will be available at uthsc.edu/nightingala in January 2026.
Join the Office of Advancement as we honor the classes of 1975 with a multi-day gathering, which culminates in the Golden Graduate Homecoming Ceremony and Dinner. You don’t want to miss this special reunion or the opportunity to catch up with friends and classmates! Other planned events include a welcome reception, breakfast and lunch with classmates, college open houses, and a tour of the Center for Healthcare Improvement and Patient Simulation (CHIPS).
Registration is available at alumni.uthsc.edu/golden.
For more information, contact Blair Haecker, Assistant Director of Alumni Programs, at bduke@utfi.org or 901.448.2555