“An acute stroke transforms a person’s life almost instantly, and nurses are positioned to provide holistic, restorative care throughout the recovery process,” said Brittany Kirby, �鶹��Ƶ’s director of nursing simulation. “This simulation experience presents a formative opportunity for developing nursing students to interact with a person recovering from stroke and take action to promote comfort, dignity, and safety in a vulnerable care environment.”

This hands-on learning opportunity allowed students to work one-on-one with simulated participants and develop and strengthen essential clinical skills. Among the skills that were practiced were focused assessment, clinical judgment, therapeutic communication and clinical documentation.

“Our simulated participants truly bring the textbook to life, helping nursing students bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world patient care,” added Bethany Fearnow, �鶹��Ƶ’s simulation coordinator. “Through experiences like this stroke recovery simulation, students strengthen their clinical judgment, communication, and confidence while learning to provide compassionate, patient-centered care. We’re proud to play a part in preparing the next generation of nurses.”

In focused assessment, students provided a targeted evaluation of the patient’s condition. Through clinical judgment, they were able to identify both expected and unexpected findings from that assessment. Students were then able to practice effective and compassionate communication with a patient who was experiencing mild expressive aphasia. Finally, the exercise allowed students to accurately document their findings and communications in the patient’s medical record.

By participating in an engaged learning opportunity, nursing students can apply knowledge they have gained in a classroom setting within a supportive learning environment. At the same time, they are able to continue the development of the required skills and build the confidence needed to provide compassionate, patient-centered care.

Exercises such as this one highlight the dedication of the IPSC staff and Department of Nursing faculty members to provide meaningful educational experiences that prepare students for real-world patient care.

During the ceremony, 40 new members were inducted, including 39 current and recently graduated �鶹��Ƶ 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 ’25, treasurer, a graduate of �鶹��Ƶ’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 �鶹��Ƶ 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 �鶹��Ƶ that will continue for generations.”

The establishment of Alpha Gamma Sigma represents another important step in the continued growth of �鶹��Ƶ’s nursing program. With leadership that includes both faculty and graduates from the program’s earliest cohort, the chapter reflects �鶹��Ƶ’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.

�鶹��Ƶ’s participation included four student research presentations, the recognition of DPT alum Sixela Caballero ’25 as a recipient of the Ben F. Massey Jr. Scholarship, and the Founders’ Award Lecture delivered by Associate Professor Mary Kay Hannah.

DPT students present research

�鶹��Ƶ Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students presented four research projects exploring different aspects of rehabilitation, mobility, balance, and physical performance. The presentations demonstrated the students’ involvement in research that seeks to improve clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.

The research presentations included:

Body Weight Supported Gait Training in Children with Cerebral Palsy GMFCS IV–V: A Pilot Study. Sarah Earle, Sabella Volansky, Allegra Wham, Christy McKiernan and Paula DiBiasio.

Up with the Good, Down with the Bad: Does It Hold True in All Scenarios?
C. Anderson, K. Graybill, M. Hankins, C. Johansson, Srikant Vallabhajosula and Mary Kay Hannah

Relationship Between Dynamic Postural Control and Physical Performance Measures Based on Concussion-History Among D1 Athletes. Kyra Batterham, Maci Yeager, Jennifer White, John Magill and Srikant Vallabhajosula

Does Dual Task Cost Vary Across Mobility Measures When Using the Same Cognitive Task? M. Boda, C. Sheehan, S. Shibu, K. O’Connell, Srikant Vallabhajosula and A. Andrews

Through these presentations, �鶹��Ƶ students had the opportunity to share their work with physical therapy professionals and contribute to discussions about research and evidence-based clinical practice.

Sixela Caballero ’25 receives prestigious scholarship

Sixela Caballero ’25 received the Ben F. Massey Jr. Scholarship. The scholarship recognizes physical therapy and physical therapist assistant students nearing completion of their programs who demonstrate the potential to advance the profession through service, advocacy, leadership, and teaching. As a recipient, Caballero will also serve on an APTA State chapter committee for one year, continuing her engagement with the profession beyond graduation.

Mary Kay Hannah delivers Founders’ Lecture

A highlight of the conference was the Founders’ Award Lecture delivered by Mary Kay Hannah, a member of �鶹��Ƶ’s physical therapy faculty and former president of APTA North Carolina.

Hannah’s lecture, titled “Standing on the Shoulders of Giants,” reflected on the history of physical therapy in North Carolina and the individuals whose leadership, advocacy, and dedication helped shape the profession.

Drawing on historical documents from APTA North Carolina, Hannah discussed the association’s founding in 1940, the passage of the state’s first Physical Therapy Practice Act in 1951, and the continued efforts of physical therapists to advance professional practice and patient care.

She also reflected on her 15 years of service to APTA and APTA North Carolina, including her leadership as president, and her 15 years of teaching at �鶹��Ƶ. Hannah plans to retire at the end of 2026.

Throughout the lecture, Hannah emphasized the importance of professional involvement, mentorship, and recognizing the contributions of those who came before.

Her message encouraged current and future physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to take opportunities to serve their profession and continue building on the work of previous generations.

Continuing a tradition of research and professional engagement

�鶹��Ƶ’s participation in the 2026 APTA North Carolina Annual Conference reflected the Department of Physical Therapy Education’s continued commitment to research, professional leadership, and student development.

From presenting research on rehabilitation and mobility to celebrating faculty leadership and student achievement, the conference provided an opportunity to highlight the contributions of �鶹��Ƶ’s physical therapy community.

The experiences also demonstrated the importance of connecting classroom learning and research with the broader physical therapy profession, preparing future clinicians to contribute to evidence-based practice and patient-centered care.

Her poster presentation, “Preparing Prelicensure Nurses for Public Health Emergencies: A Capstone Course Model,” highlighted Health Systems Under Pressure, an �鶹��Ƶ 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.

The prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes is increasing in Africa. Darfour-Oduro and her collaborators aimed to evaluate the impact of structured and supervised physical activity on HbA1c levels among adults with Type 2 diabetes and report on the pooled prevalence of physical activity in studies conducted in Africa.

The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. They reviewed four online databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and CINAHL) between Oct. 12, 2024, and Dec. 23, 2024. They included observational studies as well as experimental studies conducted in Africa that reported physical activity among patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. For the meta-analysis, the authors included studies reporting the prevalence of physical activity and studies evaluating the impact of structured and supervised physical activity on HbA1c.

The authors found that the pooled prevalence of physical activity was 56%. They also found that structured and supervised physical activity was associated with a 1.20 reduction in HbA1c levels.

The researchers identified barriers that affect participation in physical activity, and these ranged from patient knowledge and illness-related challenges to sociocultural and structural factors. The authors also found that support from peers and health care workers can encourage greater participation in physical activities.

For Darfour-Oduro, the key takeaway from this article is that physical activity can play an important role in improving the management of Type 2 diabetes in Africa.

“These findings show that diabetes programs should promote physical activity while addressing the social, cultural and environmental barriers that prevent people from being active,” Darfour-Oduro said. “Interventions should be affordable, accessible, culturally appropriate, and integrated into routine diabetes care and community settings.”

The Department of Physical Assistant Studies Scholarship Committee is proud to announce this year’s recipients of the Kopynec Family Scholarships. These scholarships are intentionally designed to support students who exemplify the values central to the �鶹��Ƶ Physician Assistant Studies mission, including academics, service, professionalism, leadership, and a commitment to compassionate, patient centered care.

All scholarships are awarded in the amount of $500. Please join us in congratulating the following recipients:

Global Scholarship

• Trevor Minshull
• Cindy Truesdale

Housing Scholarship

• Erika Cotrufo
• Enosh Ishman

Professional Development Scholarship

NCCPA Scholarship

• Brooke Beall
• Delaney Walsh

We are deeply grateful to the Kopynec Family for their continued generosity and their meaningful support of our mission.

Congratulations to our award recipients and thank you to our faculty and staff for your continued mentorship and dedication to student success.

The North Carolina Public Health Association hosted its 2026 Fall Educational Conference in Concord, North Carolina, under the theme “From the Mountains to the Coast: Public Health for All Carolinians.” The conference drew a record-breaking attendance of more than 600 public health professionals, educators, students and community partners from across the state.

Featured presenters included Jaimee Watts Isley, assistant professor of nursing, and Heather Bunn, nurse manager at Piedmont Health Services’ Prospect Hill Clinic. Their poster highlighted a successful academic-practice partnership focused on expanding community health clinical placements for nursing students.

Supported through a North Carolina Area Health Education Centers grant, the project showcases collaborative efforts between the Department of Nursing and Piedmont Health Services to strengthen community-based learning opportunities while addressing local health needs. Program Director DCathy Quay and Assistant Professor Lori Hubbard are leading the efforts in this community based work.

The poster was recognized as one of only two winning posters in the conference’s professional poster competition, underscoring the partnership’s impact and innovation. This recognition reflects �鶹��Ƶ and Piedmont Health Services’ shared commitment to preparing future nurses through meaningful community engagement, interprofessional collaboration, and practice-based learning experiences.

The week featured engaging educational sessions, thought-provoking discussions, networking opportunities, and social events that fostered collaboration among NCPHA sections, committees, and members. Conference highlights included a pre-conference workshop on communication in public health, featuring the work of the Tobacco 21 Youth Council and advocacy efforts surrounding Solly’s Law, as well as the professional poster session hosted by the Academic-Practice Based Research Section.

Originally from Midway, North Carolina, Dr. Tracey Thurnes has spent the past 14 years at �鶹��Ƶ helping educate and mentor future healthcare professionals. After beginning a career as a physician assistant in cardiology, she joined �鶹��Ƶ as one of the founding faculty members of the Department of Physician Assistant Studies and has enjoyed watching both the program and the School of Health Sciences grow and thrive over the years.

Today, Dr. Thurnes serves as professor of Physician Assistant Studies, assistant program director and director of the School of Health Sciences Accelerated Pathways Program. She is also the inaugural CATL Pedagogy Fellow for Teaching and Learning in Graduate and Professional Studies, where she works with faculty across disciplines to promote innovative and effective teaching practices.

Beyond �鶹��Ƶ, she serves as an elected director at large on the Board of Directors for the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA), helping shape the future of physician assistant education at the national level. In 2024, she was honored with the School of Health Sciences Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring Award and received the national PAEA Leadership Development Award in recognition of her commitment to student mentorship, innovation and leadership in PA education.

One of Dr. Thurnes’ favorite parts of teaching is creating engaging learning experiences that help students connect classroom concepts to real-world patient care. She enjoys using case -based learning, interactive discussions and clinical scenarios to encourage critical thinking and active participation. Most of all, she values the relationships she builds with students and the opportunity to watch their confidence and clinical skills develop throughout their educational journey.

Outside the classroom, Dr. Thurnes enjoys spending time with her husband, James, their two sons, Luke and Levi, and their dog, Rylee. Much of her free time is spent cheering on her boys at sporting events or relaxing with family at the lake at her parents’ home. Whether in the classroom or with family and friends, she values meaningful connections, lifelong learning and making lasting memories.

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Lance McGhee, and I am a proud graduate of the �鶹��Ƶ PA Program Class of 2016. I grew up in Durham, North Carolina, and attended North Carolina State University, where I majored in Human Biology.

I discovered the physician assistant profession later in my college years, but I was immediately drawn to it. Many of my early interactions with PAs came through the care my grandmother received, and I was inspired by the compassion, expertise, and quality of care they provided.

Those experiences, combined with my lifelong love of sports, ultimately led me to a career in orthopaedics. Since graduating from �鶹��Ƶ in 2016, I have practiced at Kernodle Clinic Orthopaedics, where I enjoy helping patients return to the activities they love, whether through surgical intervention or conservative treatment options.

After graduation, I earned my Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in Orthopaedics in 2021. In 2023, I was commissioned into the U.S. Navy Reserve, which has provided incredible opportunities to practice medicine beyond my primary specialty.

While my background in orthopaedics has proven valuable in my military career, serving in the Navy has also allowed me to broaden my clinical experience and perspective.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my career has been teaching. I enjoy mentoring both PA students and the enlisted sailors and officers I work with in the Navy.

I regularly precept �鶹��Ƶ PA students during their surgical rotations, as well as those who choose an elective rotation in Orthopaedic Surgery. I also return to campus to teach during the didactic phase of the program, contributing to musculoskeletal medicine instruction and hands -on skills training, including suturing, splinting, and procedures commonly performed in emergency and field settings.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my wife, Michelle, who is also a graduate of the �鶹��Ƶ PA Program Class of 2016. We share our home with three Australian Shepherds, two of whom are double merles with vision or hearing impairments. When I’m not out exploring the neighborhood with our dogs, you can often find me on the golf course doing my best not to embarrass myself or traveling with my wife.

I am incredibly grateful for everything �鶹��Ƶ has given me, and it is a privilege to return and help educate the next generation of PAs. Watching the program grow and evolve over the past decade has been remarkable. As a practicing clinician in the local community, I see firsthand the positive impact �鶹��Ƶ PA graduates make every day, and I am proud to play a small role in preparing future graduates for that same success.

Since welcoming our inaugural class in 2013, �鶹��Ƶ PA has built a reputation for academic excellence, meaningful community engagement and outstanding clinical education. As the demand for physician assistants continues to increase, so does our responsibility and opportunity to educate the next generation of compassionate, highly skilled healthcare providers.

Growth means more than enrolling additional students. It also involves expanding the program’s faculty and staff, strengthening the curriculum, developing new clinical partnerships and enhancing the learning environment to ensure every student receives the personalized education and mentorship that defines the �鶹��Ƶ PA experience.

Most importantly, growth is made possible by the dedicated healthcare professionals who invest their time and expertise in teaching our students. Clinical preceptors are the cornerstone of PA education. Through each rotation, students gain invaluable opportunities to develop clinical reasoning skills, refine procedural techniques, build confidence and learn the art of patient -centered care from experienced clinicians. As the program continues to expand, so does the need for committed p receptors across all specialties and practice settings.

To those who currently precept �鶹��Ƶ PA students, thank you. Your investment in �鶹��Ƶ’s learners extends far beyond a single rotation and leaves a lasting impact on the future of the profession. If you are an alumnus, healthcare provider or practice interested in becoming involved, we would love to connect with you. Whether serving as a preceptor, sharing your professional journey or helping us identify new clinical partners, there are many ways to support the success of �鶹��Ƶ PA students. This inaugural newsletter is another way we hope to strengthen our connection with the �鶹��Ƶ PA community. We look forward to celebrating your accomplishments, sharing program updates, highlighting outstanding students and preceptors, and continuing to foster the relationships that make �鶹��Ƶ PA so special.

Thank you for being part of our journey. Together, we are preparing the next generation of physician assistants to make a lasting difference in the lives of their patients and the communities they serve.

The �鶹��Ƶ PA Program Faculty and Staff