After graduating from DUSON with my master’s degree in 2011, I knew that I wanted to pursue another advanced degree and I knew I wanted to come back to DUSON to do that. The faculty members here really go above and beyond, they’re uplifting and are always presenting students with unique educational opportunities I doubt students elsewhere would have. My peers in my cohort are top notch nurse practitioners and their DNP projects are making real differences in the communities they serve. The high caliber of students I am surrounded by are passionate and smart and I’m honored to be ranked among them.
My mother, who has been a cardiac telemetry nurse for over 30 years, has inspired me to continue my nursing education and pursue my advanced degree. Being able to witness her journey and how she interacts with patients motivated me to pursue the field of nursing. After each degree, she constantly encouraged me to further my education, which has been great advice because I’ve enjoyed the autonomy that being a nurse practitioner provides as well as the various skills I’ve learned.
In my DNP program, I’ve had the opportunity to travel with my peers to Capitol Hill to advocate with North Carolina senators and House of Representatives members on issues that directly affect nursing schools in North Carolina. I was able to witness firsthand how nurses have the ability to advocate powerfully for nursing needs and how receptive these government officials can be.
The process of obtaining my second Duke degree has already shown me what resources are available. I know that once I graduate, I’ll have obtained the skills and network resources to become the best nurse I can be. I know that at any point now or after graduation that I can reach out to faculty and my peers for collaboration on anything I may be working on.
I’ve learned during my time at DUSON to collaborate with my peers and take advantage of resources that are readily available. DUSON brings many brilliant minds together and having this “brain trust” to reach out to is a unique asset.