During the ceremony, 40 new members were inducted, including 39 current and recently graduated 麻豆视频 nursing students and one community nursing professional. Their induction recognizes academic achievement, leadership potential and a commitment to excellence in nursing practice.

The ceremony featured guest speaker Janice Hawkins, Secretary of Sigma’s International Board of Directors and professor at Old Dominion University. Her participation highlighted the significance of establishing a new chapter and the opportunities Sigma provides for professional development, scholarship and collaboration within the global nursing community.

The chapter’s chartering officers include Stacey Thomas, president; Lori Hubbard, vice president; Amy Tippett, secretary; Jennifer Strom, counselor; and Eric Mulford 鈥�25, treasurer, a graduate of 麻豆视频’s Department of Nursing inaugural Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) cohort. Mulford’s leadership reflects the chapter’s commitment to fostering lifelong connections between 麻豆视频 nursing graduates and the university. Together, these leaders envision building an active and welcoming professional community that connects nursing students, alumni, faculty, and practicing nurses through mentorship, service, scholarship and leadership opportunities.

“Our goal is to create more than an honor society that recognizes academic achievement. We want Alpha Gamma Sigma to become a vibrant professional community where nurses at every stage of their careers feel connected, supported, and inspired to make a difference,” said Thomas. “As a newly chartered chapter, we have an incredible opportunity to establish a legacy of nursing excellence at 麻豆视频 that will continue for generations.”

The establishment of Alpha Gamma Sigma represents another important step in the continued growth of 麻豆视频’s nursing program. With leadership that includes both faculty and graduates from the program’s earliest cohort, the chapter reflects 麻豆视频’s commitment to building a lasting community of nursing scholars and professionals. Through mentorship, professional development, scholarship, and service, Alpha Gamma Sigma aims to inspire excellence in nursing practice while strengthening connections among students, alumni and the broader healthcare community.

Her poster presentation, 鈥淧reparing Prelicensure Nurses for Public Health Emergencies: A Capstone Course Model,鈥� highlighted Health Systems Under Pressure, an 麻豆视频 Core Curriculum capstone course designed to help students examine the challenges healthcare systems face during natural and human-caused disasters.

The 14-week course uses a scaffolded, case-based approach to explore historical and contemporary healthcare crises, including Hurricane Katrina, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and the COVID-19 pandemic. Through interactive discussions, policy analysis, reflective writing, and crisis-response planning, students examine how disasters expose vulnerabilities in healthcare infrastructure, influence public policy, and disproportionately affect certain populations. The course culminates in a research project in which students propose equitable, evidence-informed solutions to healthcare challenges.

A distinguishing feature of Health Systems Under Pressure is its interdisciplinary approach, encouraging students to examine healthcare crises through the perspectives of ethics, leadership, systems thinking, health equity, and public policy. Rather than focusing solely on emergency response, the course challenges students to consider the broader factors influencing healthcare delivery and community resilience. The inaugural offering enrolled 23 students, demonstrating interest in examining complex healthcare challenges through multiple academic perspectives.

At the NLN Education Summit, Thomas shared the course’s instructional framework and innovative teaching strategies with nursing educators from across the country. Her presentation emphasized the importance of integrating disaster preparedness and public health emergency education into undergraduate curricula to strengthen critical thinking, ethical decision-making, leadership and advocacy. The course offers a model that educators can adapt to nursing, public health, leadership, and interdisciplinary educational experiences.

Looking ahead, Thomas hopes to expand course enrollment, increase participation across academic disciplines, and strengthen partnerships with community organizations, including emergency services, hospitals, and public health agencies. Future initiatives also include evaluating students’ perceptions of disaster preparedness before and after completing the course. Through this work, Thomas hopes to contribute to the development of future healthcare professionals and community leaders who are better equipped to navigate crises, advocate for equitable solutions, and strengthen healthcare system resilience.

Senior Accelerated Bachelor of Science Nursing (ABSN) students had their final day of in-person classes on Oct. 24. For the last day of class, students decided to take Oscar Wilde’s statement that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” to heart. Each of the fourteen students dressed as one of their professors. There were five Dr. DeBrews, three Professor Koonts, three Dr. Van Horns, one Professor Kussman, one Dr. Thomas, and one Mr. Lester.

Students entered into a six-week internship after this day where they will each work alongside a registered nurse for 120-precepted hours before graduation and ultimately sitting for the National Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to become registered nurses.

Poole originally came to 麻豆视频 as a pre-med major in the fall of 2020 but transferred into the inaugural Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) cohort in the fall of 2021. She hopes to one day become a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). Poole is committed to advancing the profession of nursing and is an advocate for her patients and fellow students.

Placekicker Jake Marion ’26 and graduate student Chandler Brayboy are tackling the football field and nursing studies. Brayboy and Marion both indicated they want to become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) and work in the operating room as integral members of the surgical team.

Both indicate a desire to help others and Brayboy credits his grandfather with helping him choose a career as a nurse, relating an experience he had several years ago when his grandfather was ill.

Interim nursing program director Stacey Thomas asked both what they liked about the program. Marion states that he enjoys going to clinicals and learning with a hands-on approach. Brayboy states that he enjoys the professors, who he said make him feel like they genuinely care about him and support him. Professors have been attending games, sending kudos in emails for good performances on the field, and bringing in football-shaped cupcakes to congratulate Brayboy on making two touchdowns during the 麻豆视频-Monmouth game.

Thomas asked if there was any teasing going on in the locker room from other players. Brayboy admitted that many players have started to come to him when they have medical questions that they don’t feel comfortable talking to others about. Marion also says that he gets asked questions all the time about medications and illnesses. When asked if they would recommend nursing to other players, they both said to go for it. They admit that learning time management strategies to get in quality study time with practices can be difficult but they both use practice as an avenue to take out frustrations. Brayboy says that the nursing faculty have been very accommodating in working with his schedule so that he is able to participate fully in the nursing program without missing out on football.

On Thursday, April 27, 14 麻豆视频 Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) students along with Assistant Professor of Nursing Stacey Thomas participated in a program through Prevent Blindness North Carolina (PBNC) to become certified to conduct vision screenings across the state.

PBNC is a nonprofit organization that seeks to prevent blindness and preserve eyesight through multiple screening programs, widespread education and advocacy. One of the key avenues PBNC focuses on is mass vision screenings for preschool and school-aged children.

The ABSN students completed this training as part of their NRS 3200 Pediatrics course. Once certified, the students can now complete vision screenings at health fairs and schools across the state for the next two years.

The training the students received was put to good use on Saturday, April 29. Thomas took four of her NRS 3200 students (Hyland Alfonso, Grace Auth, Ruth George and Camille Weaver) to Alamance County Health to conduct vision screenings at a health fair for local elementary school students.