Alumni update 2020

Above: Mary Kathryn (Coster) Baruffi (’84) started her career at University of Virginia Health Sciences Center in the Operating Room. Baruffi married, moved to NJ and continued on that same path. She is currently working at two surgery centers in South Jersey. “I remember my time there fondly. I loved the smaller class size and I recall we bonded well as a class.”

Kathryn (Unrah) Verber (’84) is currently taking a break and last worked as a Pediatric Nurse Case Manager. She remembers climbing the hill to WinePrice for classes and labs and jumping in Newman Lake to celebrate the end of classes. “I think that was a very shortlived tradition!”

Pam (Schofield) Guillaume (’85) went on to get her MSN from Catholic University. She works for Kaplan teaching the RN Review course to prepare students for the NCLEX Exam. “So many favorite memories from nursing school. The professors were all excellent. Loved our little nursing building next to the hospital. All of our classes were in the same classroom. The nursing lab was in the basement. Such a great program!”

Nancy Sheppard Stone (’85) retired from Pitt County Public Health in Greenville, NC in 2006, UNC Chapel Hill. Currently she is part-time adjunct faculty at Wilson Community College in Wilson, NC. “Long hours studying, clinicals and class that paid off. Plus the last day of classes/final exams at the lake (near Eagles Hall). Dr. Dake was livid and gave admonishments.”

Deborah Brown (’97) works for Augusta Health Hospice of the Shenandoah. Her favorite professors were Dr. Huber and Sandy Hopper. “It was funny that when you started in nursing classes we were scared of Dr. Huber but then during the last year you felt like they were your colleagues. Dr. Huber was a very special lady and when she passed away JMU lost a good soul, strong nurse, and great lady.”

Shelby Kirillin (‘98) has worked for 21 years as a neuro-trauma ICU nurse at Shock Trauma in Baltimore, INOVA Fairfax, but for most of her career at VCU in Richmond. She is now a certified End of life Doula and an instructor for the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA). “My favorite memories of nursing school are, by far, the camaraderie that we had as a class. I loved those women like sisters and wish I had done a better job at keeping in contact with them. My favorite professors were Judy Holt and Professor Hooper. They showed me what nurses are truly capable of and pushed me to be a better nurse.”

Nikki Gage (’99) currently works at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital Kidney Transplant Center in Richmond, VA. “While it was challenging, I loved it all, but mostly our clinical experiences! I enjoyed the excitement/anxiety of entering the hospital units and patient rooms – having to be there so early, preparing the night before, and finally being able to care for a patient. I appreciated the diverse clinical settings given to me – not only acute care, but home health, rehab, case management – all at different facilities. I have had some wonderful career opportunities as a JMU grad and have always appreciated my nursing education and how it allowed me to do what I love.”

Tabitha Garrison (’00, ‘06M) has been a nurse practitioner since 2006. She worked in long-term health care, hospitalist, emergency medicine, urgent care and pain management. In December 2019, Garrison became an autonomous licensed nurse practitioner and in February 2020, she opened her own practice in Broadway, VA—Shenandoah Pain and Palliative Care Clinic. “The toughest classes, but most enjoyable I had in the BSN program were the pharmacology-pathophysiology classes. Professor Judy Holt made me think and told the greatest stories. Professor Mary Koogler I met on Friday of the first week of classes, and she is the only reason I didn’t give up after the first week because I felt so overwhelmed. She inspired me to keep going.”

Mary Lay Jessen (’01) is not currently working as a nurse, but has fond memories of time spent together with friends and the long drives to Charlottesville and other places for clinicals.

Sheila Heller (’03) went on to get her MSN and works for Anthem as a Care Coordinator. “My favorite memories are all the time I spent with my classmates and I am so appreciative of the lifelong friendships I made.”

Lauren (Haracznak) Simon (’03) moved to Nashville TN after graduation and worked in a neuroscience ICU and the Cardiothoractic ICU at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Simon has been practicing as a CRNA for 10 years now and enjoys caring for her patients and guiding them safely and effectively through the peri-op experience. “Meeting lifelong friends, and even though we spent long hours studying in those ISAT rooms, we always laughed and cheered each other on. I can remember so many funny songs and mnemonics we used to remember diseases and drug side effects! There is a group of five of us and we continue to get together each year. These women are absolutely my best friends and made my JMU experience complete. I love JMU and cannot imagine my life without going there! JMU nursing gave me the foundation for a rewarding career in nursing. Those five years were some of the best of my life. I may not wear purple scrubs anymore, but I’ll always have JMU nursing in my blood!”

Johnell Cantrell (’05) began her career working in NICU and then did home health, was an RN supervisor and school nurse. She is currently working as a nursing instructor at Jackson River Technical Center and loves passing on nursing knowledge to the next generation. “My favorite professor was Dr. Martin and clinicals were my favorite experience. JMU provided such a wonderful and enriching variety of experiences.”

L. Aaron (Jackson) Chapman (’05) currently works as an ER Nurse Practitioner in Richmond, VA and as a Critical Care Nurse Practitioner in CTICU at UVA. “I loved Professor Linda Hulton and time spent with her in public health as well as our research advisor for our Senior Research project. Also, I had really meaningful clinicals working with young mothers and their new babies, a hospice rotation that forever shaped my career.”

Rachel L. Engler (‘05) joined the U.S. Navy after graduation and stayed active in the reserves for 11 total years, including a tour in Afghanistan. She attended graduate school at Northeastern University to become a Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) and currently practices at a large Level I Trauma Center in Northern Virginia. Enlger continues to teach and mentor nurses and physicians both in the U.S. and overseas. She loves to travel and continues to serve doing mission work and teaching in several countries including Cambodia, Nigeria, Morocco and Indonesia, as well as humanitarian work and advocacy within her community. “I couldn’t say greater things about my JMU Nursing experience. The professors, my fellow students...some of whom are now my colleagues at work, were the greatest part of that experience. It made me want to teach and mentor myself. I have stayed friends with Vicki Martin, one of my favorite professors, and I STILL remember how much she loved the LIVER!”

Kristina Kirby Flanagan (’08) continued her education to get an MSN and is a practicing Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at North Shore Health in Indiana. Her memories include being surrounded by and taught by amazing professors. “I thoroughly enjoyed being involved in the nursing society and all the events we planned for the local community. It is a time in my life I will never forget and am forever grateful for all JMU has given me to succeed in my career.”

Lauren (Burlew) Marinak (’08) went on to get an MSN from ODU as a FNP in 2015. She spent eight years as a NICU nurse and is currently working as an inpatient Nurse Practitioner at Inova Fairfax Hospital specializing in Advanced Lung Disease and Lung Transplant. Her favorite memories about JMU nursing are the Student Nursing Association, pediatric clinical offered as a distance learning experience at Carilion, capstone in the NICU and the JMU nursing pinning ceremony. “My favorite professors were Vicki Martin and Karen Jagiello”.

Erica Claire (Bennetch) Moore (’08) lives in Virginia Beach and works at Sentara Life Care as a Clinical Nursing Manager. She has three children: Hunter (three years), Magnolia (eight years) and Lillian (10 years). “Being engaged in the Arboretum, Dave’s Taverna, jumping off the rock at Blue Hole, working at UREC and grilled cheese nights at D-Hall.”

Julie Pierantoni (’08M) is the Diabetes Quality Services Coordinator for Sentara RMH Medical Center in Harrisonburg, VA. She received certification in diabetes education in 2000 and BC-ADM in 2018 (Board Certified—Advanced Diabetes Management). Pierantoni teaches an online diabetes elective for JMU and volunteers for RAM (Remote Area Medical) clinics in Virginia and surrounding states. “I champion for improved diabetes care in the inpatient and outpatient worlds through evidence based practice and research.”

Brianna Darcey (’09) spent eight years working as a bedside nurse, spending most of her time in high risk OB, most recently at the University of San Francisco. Two years ago, Darcey left the hospital for a unique experience working on campus at Apple in Silicon Valley in a primary care facility. On her 10-year anniversary in nursing, Darcey began school to get a doctorate in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine College in Berkeley. “I’m so excited to be a primary care provider and feel fortunate to have a strong background in western medicine. One of my favorite memories was pediatric clinicals with Cynthia Rubenstein. I remember how warm and encouraging Professor Rubenstein was, as well as the nurses on the unit. I remember thinking to myself, when I’m a nurse, this is how I’m going to treat nursing students.”

(’09) From left to right: Kim (Naquin) Ohgren, Nicole O’Connor, Jenna (DiLucente) Smith, Stephanie (Miller) Searles, Melissa (Mitchell) Brannigan, and Beth (Roundy) O’Connor “Since graduating in 2009, we have made a pact to get together once a year, each time in a different state, so that hopefully we will visit all 50 states in 50 years, and our friendship will remain as strong! Since graduating, we have all gotten married and added 7 babies between us all! In the summer of 2019, we celebrated our 10th reunion. We allowed our spouses to join us for this special occasion and spent a week in Putin-Bay, Ohio. We paddle boarded and kayaked on Lake Erie, played lots of games, shared lots of nursing stories, and went to Cedar Point. Each year we draw states out of a hat for the next year. In 2020 we are planning to meet up in Chicago! We started a hashtag and Instagram account if you’d like to follow our adventures!” #50stateJMreUnions @jmu50states50years

Katie (Shaffer) Thorpe (’09) worked at Children’s National Medical Center in their Cardiac Intensive Care Unit immediately after graduating from JMU, caring for infants and adults after surgery to repair congenital heart defects. In 2015 Thorpe completed her doctorate of nurse anesthesia practice (DNAP) at Virginia Commonwealth University and is currently a nurse anesthetist at Virginia Hospital Center with Dominion Anesthesia. She provides anesthesia for a variety of cases including colonoscopies, ENT, neuro/ craniotomies, orthopedics, and cardiac cath lab. “My favorite memories of JMU Nursing were the times with my amazing classmates. Long hours with my study group coming up with all kinds of crazy ways to remember the material. Nights out celebrating after a test with my friend Caroline Wiseman (Cannon) who would later become my maid of honor. Car rides to and from clinical jamming out to music and talking about our days.”

Krista (Kohan) Sibole (’10) has been an ER nurse since the moment she stepped out of JMU and can’t imagine doing anything else. She has been married for 7 years and has two daughters, Amelia and Felicity. “Long, long hours at ECL library (East Campus Library now Rose Library) with our nursing crew in a study room, days and days on end. Also will never forget our clinicals for Psych and the stories those patients had. I think my favorite class was Med Surg clinical with Professor Sawin.”

Molly Chilton (’11) currently works as a Fertility Nurse Coordinator at Shady Grove Fertility and worked NICU for eight years prior. “My favorite memories are Pediatric clinical at UVA with Professor Julie Strunk and the girls I met through that clinical. Ten years later we are still very close friends and keep in touch and see each other regularly.”

Abigail Frederickson Webber (’13) has been an Air Force labor and delivery nurse since graduation. She has been stationed at Joint Base Langley EusWright Patterson Air Force Base (OH). This year, Webber earned her MSN from Liberty University with a focus in Nursing Informatics. “I like to think that I have the best job ever! I get to serve my country and at the same time, I get to bring babies into the world! I loved every second of my JMU nursing experience. I remember my very first clinical with Dr. Powell at Sunnyside where she taught us the importance of simple gestures going a long way. I think my love for OB came from Dr. Jag who made sure I saw a birth during my clinical experience. I’ll never forget her teaching us how to perform Leopold’s maneuvers by putting baby dolls under baggy shirts to practice on each other. I am extremely grateful for the JMU nursing program which set the stage for my Air Force career in nursing!”

Boyce McClellan (’14) is currently working as an ICU travel nurse at Inova Alexandria. He spent 4 years at the Neuro ICU and then the Surgical Trauma Burn ICU at UVA. “I worked for a year as an assistant manager of the general ICU at Sentara, and then became a traveler.”

Whitney Thomas (’14) is currently working as a Nurse Practitioner specializing in cardiovascular disease in the Northern Virginia area. After graduation from JMU in 2014, she worked as a RN in the Inova Heart and Vascular Institute while going to school at George Mason University. She graduated with honors from GMU in 2019 with her MSN/FNP. For the past two years she has taught clinical at The George Washington University and loves to shape the minds of future nurses. In her time away from the hospitals where she practices, she likes to spend time with her fiancé, family and Rottweiler pup named “Amio”. From a family full of former Dukes, she speaks very fondly of her time at JMU. “My grandmother was the best and greatest nursing influence in my life. Aside from her, I truly owe my strong foundation and my further love of nursing to JMU. Each day in practice, I become more humbled and confident that I have chosen the right career as I strive to establish positive, trusting relationships with my patients and their loved ones. I will be forever grateful for the excellent education I received at JMU!”

Amy Chico (’15M) graduated with her Masters in Family Nurse Practitioner concentration. She currently works as an NP for MedExpress in Harrisonburg. “My time at JMU was wonderful. The professors were very committed to seeing us succeed. I have fond memories of my time at JMU and am grateful for the way they prepared me for practice.”

Kelly Curci (’15) worked in OB for the first four years of her career and then last year transferred to be an RN in a pediatric office. “I love watching our patients grow and meet their milestones! JMU Nursing changed my life. I remember countless study groups (and Starbucks) in Carrier Library, walking the quad to Burruss Hall, and the amazing professors who supported me along the way, especially Dr. Diane Babral, who we tragically lost before graduation. So from bedside nursing to an office nurse, from OB to pediatrics, I take every day to learn something new and BE THE CHANGE. Thank you JMU Nursing for the best four years of my life!”

Ashley N. Kim (’15) works at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland. Since graduation, she has commissioned into the U.S. Army as an active duty Nurse Corp Officer and states, “I have learned the balance of being a soldier first, leader always, and Nurse Corp Officer second.” She is excited to begin actively applying what it means to be a leader in the Army while using her clinical and critical thinking skills that JMU has equipped her with. Her favorite memory about JMU nursing was the opportunity to mentor younger nursing students during simulation clinical. “I loved working with the simulation lab staff and seeing the behind the scenes of those clinical experiences.”

Phyllis Adams Mathews (‘16DNP) is a Women’s Healthcare Nurse Practitioner for the JMU Health Center. She continues to have a passion for research and has two publications in the last year: Mathews, P. A., & Hulton, L. (2020). Interprofessional collaboration practice: Are you doing it well? Individual perceptions within Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 19, 100326. doi: 10.1016/j.xjep.2020.100326, and Adams, P. (2019, April) Bits, Bytes, Nibbles, and Clusters - An Interprofessional Practicum Experience: An Innovative Application of a Doctor of Nursing Practice Essential IV. Journal of Doctoral Nursing Practice,12 (1). 10-15.doi. org/10.1891/2380-9418.12.1.10

Danielle Butler (’16) is currently enrolled in the JMU FNP program to soon become a double Duke! She currently works at UVA Medical Center on the Neuroscience Acute Care floor where she started right after graduation. “My favorite memory from JMU’s nursing program were the long-lasting friendships I developed. Having such a cohesive bond with my peers during those two years made such a huge difference to me and helped me get through the tough times that come with nursing school. Those friendships are still helping me now as a floor nurse, working through the trialing times of this pandemic.”

Rachel Castleton (’16) has been an ER nurse for almost four years and a travel nurse for almost two years. She is working on getting a permanent job in the ER in Denver Colorado. Castleton has traveled/worked in NC, VA, CO and CA. “My favorite memories mostly just include the class I graduated with. I think we all had a great sense of camaraderie and I am friends with most of them on Facebook and love seeing what they have been doing the last couple of years.”

Emily Corridon (’16) works at INOVA Fairfax Hospital in the Pediatric ICU. For the time being, she is in the adult NSICU working with COVID-19 patients. Corridon did three years at the start of her career at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in the Adult/Peds mixed PACU, and transferred last July 2019 to INOVA Fairfax. “It has been a wonderful transition and I absolutely love working with the kids! Favorite memories- there’s so many! I absolutely loved my community health class with professor Sawin. We all sat in her family room with our group for the semester and it felt so warm and familiar, just chatting there and in the kitchen with her and her kids! It made me realize JMU has some of the most personable and caring advisors and professors out there, and I couldn’t have been more thankful for their example! We were blessed to help that semester in a community center serving meals and doing simple medical cares such as accuchecks and blood pressure. At the beginning of each meal, we held hands in a circle and said something we were thankful for- that always really brought me back to earth! Not something many college kids get to experience. I also adored women’s health class with Dr. Trimm. I remember sitting in that old second floor Burruss room and her leaping out of her chair in excitement to teach us about child birth. The enthusiasm of everyone never ceased to amaze me, even after years of teaching and nursing.”

Tiffany Kidd (’16DNP) is a Nurse Practitioner at Centra Health/Richeson Drive Pediatrics in Lynchburg, VA.) “My favorite memory is how we helped pave the way as the first DNP cohort for the years to come. Going to Washington DC for Health Policy week was one of the best experiences ever! Loved Dr. Hulton, Dr. Eaton, Dr. Knopp, Dr. Zook and Dr. Patty Hale. They were and are the best!”

Rachel Markovich (’16) is currently working at the brand new adolescent behavioral health unit at Inova Fairfax Hospital and has been there since 2018. She has been a key leader on her unit and obtained the status of RN4. The highlight of her career thus far has been going on medical missions. Most recently she went to Baños, Ecuador and held clinics in the towns surrounding there. “I am currently wrapping up my MSN FNP at George Mason and will sit for boards next month and hope to obtain a position in the primary care setting. I could blame Dr. Argenbright for planting the thought in my head back in 2015 at my final evaluation after my very first clinical rotation at Augusta Health. My favorite memories include women’s heath class with professor (now Dr.) Jag lecturing while holding a baby doll by the head! And lab with Dr. Trimm was always a fun time!”

Maria (Gurganus) Swift (‘16) has been working high risk Labor and Delivery since graduation. She has worked in Norfolk and Fairfax, VA and is currently back in Norfolk at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital’s Labor and Delivery unit. “My absolute favorite professor in the nursing program was Professor Lam. She was an awesome teacher and took the time to help us individually throughout her course. Another fond memory was actually doing a community health clinical in my hometown. The experience was enlightening and gave me a different perspective of where I grew up. The program was definitely tough, but we made it enjoyable and ended up being like family.”

Carrie Brooks (’17) works at Chippenham Hospital on the Medical/ Surgical/ Trauma ICU in Richmond Virginia. “I’d have to say one of my favorite memories is running a code blue in Clin Apps 1 and Dr. Trimm had her phone in the air playing the Imperial March from Star Wars while we were all trying to act like we knew what we were doing! I also realized how lucky we were to be surrounded by high quality peers and professors. Nurses are truly incredible people who have a talent to connect with each other on multiple levels. My peers had this ability and to be constantly surrounded with such understanding is unparalleled to any of my other experiences. I can’t say enough good things about the quality of my peers and my professors. Thanks JMU Nursing!”

Lindsey Carver (’17) is currently a COVID-19 Charge Nurse on an ICU at VCU Health. She will be starting at Radford University in the Fall in their BSN-DNP FNP program. “One of my favorite memories at JMU was the summer I spent in Costa Rica taking nursing elective courses with Dr. Strunk and Dr. Sobel. They have served as great role models in the nursing profession.”

Ryan Caruso (’17) graduated with his BSN and BS in Kinesiology. “I am in the country’s number one CRNA program - VCU while I travel nurse during the first two semesters of their doctorate program.” To date, he has worked in a trauma hospital in cardiac surgery ICU and in three other regional ICUs (including two travel nurse assignments). What Caruso’s loves about his career is “[t]he ability to learn everyday while working alongside some of the most intellectual minds in medicine.” Caruso’s favorite memories about JMU Nursing are the friends he made, “studying, laughing and enjoying life with them. My current roommate was actually in all of my clinicals with me!” The photo he shares is of his Southern Border Expedition to raise money for Operation Smile. “I began my world first trek one month after graduation and three days after passing the NCLEX. Together Operation Smile and I raised donations to cover over 20 surgeries, $1.1 million in media revenue and reached over 3.4 million unique viewers spreading their ‘Until We Heal’ campaign. A trip of a lifetime!”

Alex Cho (’17) works at Medstar Washington Hospital Center and has great memories of skills lab with professor Donna Trim.

Chris Coulter (‘17M) gradated with his Masters in the Family Nurse Practitioner concentration. He currently works as a Nurse Practitioner in Pediatrics, with LewisGale Physicians, in Salem, Va. Coulter also continues to work as a Flight Nurse with Centra Health in Lynchburg, Va.

Hannah Hyre (’17) is currently a nurse at SRMH in Harrisonburg on the Family Birthplace and considers it her dream job. She started her career after graduating on UVA’s L&D unit, where she was offered a job following her capstone. “Graduating from JMU School of Nursing, I felt very prepared to take on the challenge of transitioning into a new nurse! Our Women’s Health class and Peds Chronic Illness electives are what fueled my passion for the field I now work in. Special thanks to Professors Jag, Silviera, and Leisen!”

Deb Burner Kile (’87, ‘15M, ‘17DNP), a triple Duke, is currently at Sentara RMH Medical Center as the Quality Improvement Coordinator. Her work revolves around Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) goals such as sepsis mortality, length of stay, readmissions. Kile’s work slowed tremendously with on managing COVID-19 efforts. During that time she was able to assist with the patient, visitor and employee screening processes. “I also serve as the Nurse Residency Coordinator. The social distancing guidelines resulted in revising the residency seminars to adhere to an online format. I have been concerned about how our new nurses are doing in this stressful time. I have been able to engage speakers that have presented and led group discussions on resiliency, etc. I call it “Surviving and Thriving during the COVID-19 pandemic”. I believe my DNP education has made been helpful during the pandemic. There is so much information and data out there. Having the DNP background has been beneficial in determining ‘good data from bad data.’ I have found myself critically assessing the research which has helped me see when leaders are using data to make evidence-based (or non-evidence based) decisions. Her favorite memories are clinicals in the basement of Wine-Price with her favorite professor Judy Holt and having wonderful classmates and friends.”

Matthew Benjamin Murphy (’17) is currently employed at INOVA and has floated to just about every floor dealing with COVID-19 during this pandemic. “My favorite moment during the nursing program was the professors believing in me."

Zach Rich (’17) is currently working in the Emergency Department (ED) at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). He loves the fast-paced, unpredictable, educational setting of the ED within a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center. “Wanting to go into pediatric nursing since I was 10, Professor Leisen’s Child Health class was naturally my favorite course, and I have kept in touch with her as a valued mentor. With that being said though, I learned more in my fourth-semester Capstone on the Surgical/ Trauma Unit at Winchester Medical Center (WMC) than I did in any class. Being one-on-one with an experienced nurse, fully immersed in the nursing environment, offered me tremendous opportunity for learning and growth as a soon-to-be New Grad RN.”

Breanna Bosley (’18) works at Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg, VA on the Progressive Care Unit (PCU). “I have a few favorite memories of my time in nursing school. One of them being the first time I wore the iconic ‘purple scrubs.’ This moment was one I had hoped for ever since I stepped foot on the JMU campus. Little did I know I would have some of the most challenging and memorable experiences in this program that would impact me in more ways than I could imagine. It was in this program that I met some of my best friends who I am still close to today. Another favorite memory from the JMU nursing program would be the amazing faculty and staff we were fortunate enough to work with. A few of my favorite professors were Professor Weeks and Dr. Herron. These two individuals help me become the nurse I am today. They challenged us in class and clinical but were always there to talk through anything that was on our mind. I had the privilege of having Professor Weeks as my clinical instructor for my semester 2 clinical on the Progressive Care Unit at SRMH. It was because of her vast knowledge and incredible teaching that I knew PCU was the place for me. She pushed me each and every clinical to reach my highest potential and I can’t thank her enough for that.”

Katie Lynch (’18) is currently working at Duke University Hospital in their Cardiothoracic Surgery ICU. “One of my favorite memories from JMU were during my last semester when we got to work in the simulation lab and in clinicals with the first/second semesters. It created great relationships and I became more comfortable in my clinical skills/knowledge right before taking the NCLEX.”

Melanie (Lyons) Blanton (’18) is currently working as a clinical nurse 2 at VCU Health in downtown Richmond, Virginia on the Medical Surgical Unit. She was the recipient of two daisy awards in her first year and a half. “My favorite memories from JMU nursing school are of Dr. Weeks and Professor Haynes teaching us about sepsis and pancreatitis and finishing up their class with game shows for final exam review. I also loved our Pediatric class with Dr. Strunk and all her memorable stories that made the information easy to remember.” Melanie married fellow duke, Timothy Blanton (’18) on September 5th, 2020.

Lindsey Snedeker (’18) currently works in the ICU at Virginia Hospital Center (VHC) in Arlington, Virginia in the ICU. “I see corona every day. We’ve had to learn a new style of nursing and be very adaptive and creative. It’s been very challenging but incredibly empowering.” She shares a picture of her and fellow Duke and now coworker, Olivia Leshock (‘17), who graduated with a Health Science degree and then went on to attend an accelerated nursing program. The two bonded while participating in a study abroad program to Spain in 2016 led by professor Erika Sawin, now a favorite memory they both share.

Amy Wilson (‘18M) worked as an RN for 24 years, then decided to pursue her dream to become a nurse practitioner. She received her Masters of science in nursing from JMU in 2018. She continued to work in Ambulatory Surgery at St. Mary’s Hospital during graduate school and after graduation. She accepted the position at a rural clinic in 2019 and currently works as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Tappahannock Primary Care in the Northern Neck of Virginia. She enjoys traveling and missions’ trips and went on a study abroad trip to Tanzania with JMU in 2017. “That was an amazing experience and one I will always remember. Very thankful to God for leading me to JMU. Am forever grateful for the education I received, their support and encouragement to me, and their leadership that helped me succeed and accomplish my goals.”

Tiffany Boyd (’19) works at Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital taking care of oncology patients. “One of my favorite memories from JMU nursing is how passionate all the professors were. For example, Karen Weeks had a passion for sepsis, which is a life-threatening infection. Due to her thorough teaching I was able to catch a patient going into early septic shock and get him the interventions that he needed.”

Jesse Brunk (’19) currently works at Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital in Harrisonburg, Virginia. “The coolest part of nursing for me is working directly with my patients and seeing the impact that I can have, whether it’s providing physical help or offering emotional support to get the patient through their difficult situation. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, I have often been floating to the units of the hospital designated to caring for patients who are positive or suspected of having COVID-19. I have many good memories from nursing school at JMU, but some of my best memories were made in the simulation and skills labs. I miss all my wonderful nursing professors and I miss sim man - he and I became pretty good buddies while I was there.”

Elle del Gallo (’19) works on the Medical Respiratory ICU at VCU Hospital. “I really loved working with Drs. Herron and Lam on my Honors thesis!”

Liz Marcone (‘19) is currently working as a RN at INOVA Fairfax Hospital in the Emergency Department. “It has been quite the experience being a new grad in a busy ER during a pandemic, that’s for sure! But I have already learned so much and I feel that JMU has done an amazing job in preparing me for this experience. I would say that my favorite part about my journey through JMU nursing school was the friends that I gained in my cohort. Julia, Taylor, Pax, Liz N., and Joey became such a major part of my experience. They made classes, projects, and studying for exams fun and bearable! They were such a great support group for me and I couldn’t have gotten through those 4 semesters without them. We did A LOT of studying, laughing, and crying together. It was never a competition between us and we all encouraged and lifted each other up. I thank the School of Nursing for giving me these lifelong friends! We still talk almost every day in our group chat, but now telling each other about a crazy shift or patient experience we had!”

Sarah (Reid) Frederick (’19) works at Rockingham Memorial Hospital in the ER. “It has been such a unique time to start my nursing career with the COVID19 outbreak. It’s really opened my eyes to how vital and important our work as nurses can be. I love the ER just as much as I thought I would. Seeing all different kinds of patients and situations every day makes each shift new and exciting!” Frederick’s favorite memory was the White Coat Ceremony. “I met some of my best friends that day unknowingly. From day one of nursing my life changed for the better and I will forever keep that experience close to my heart.”

JMU alumni working at Georgetown University Hospital as level IV NICU nurses: Jenn (Corser) Hymel (‘15), Allie Smith (‘18), Chelsea (Seaton) Appanah (‘13) and Kristen (Dasch) Flood (‘12)