In 2025, Frontier Nursing University celebrates the 100-year anniversary of the inception of the Frontier Nursing Service. We are grateful for the alumni, students, couriers, donors, volunteers, friends, and employees who have made an incredible impact on FNU’s century-long journey. We are celebrating this milestone year by capturing and sharing some of the countless stories that make up our history. Whatever your connection to FNU, we hope you enjoy these stories and are inspired to share your own story with us.
Dr. Michael Carter’s long history with Frontier Nursing University dates to 2003 when he joined what was then the Frontier Nursing Service Board of Governors. Dr. Carter has been a board member ever since and has served as the Board Chair since 2009.
During his more than 20 years at Frontier, Dr. Carter has seen and been instrumental in many milestones for the university. He was on the Board of Governors when what was then known as the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing launched the Doctor of Nursing Practice program in 2008. He was the Board Chair when the university officially changed its name to Frontier Nursing University in 2011.
In 2017, he helped lead the way as Frontier purchased the land that is now its home in Versailles, Kentucky, in order to foster growth in program offerings and enrollment. A year later, with Board approval, FNU launched the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty track. Then, in 2022, after the completion of renovations and construction, FNU held the ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opening the Versailles campus. Most recently, he initiated the successful search and implementation of FNU’s second president, Dr. Brooke A. Flinders, in 2024.
Dr. Carter attended the University of Arkansas College of Nursing, earning his BSN in 1969 and his MNS in 1973. He served in the United States Army Nurse Corp from 1968-71 during the Vietnam War. He earned his doctorate in 1979 from the Boston University School of Nursing and DNP from the University of Tennessee in 2009.
Dr. Carter practiced as a family and geriatric nurse practitioner and served as the Dean of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing from 1982-2000. He held many teaching positions including serving as an adjunct professor at the Curtin University School of Nursing and Midwifery in Perth, Australia. He also worked to develop nurse practitioner education in Australia. In recognition of his expertise and dedication to nursing in Australia, he was made a Fellow of the Australian College of Nurse Practitioners.
Dr. Carter’s extensive list of awards and honors include but are not limited to: Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in 1982; Outstanding Alumnus from the University of Tennessee College of Nursing in 2000; Excellence in Teaching Award, University of Tennessee Health Science Center Student Government Association in 2005; Lifetime Achievement Award, National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties in 2015; the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2019.
In 2021, Dr. Carter, his wife Dr. Sarah Carter, and their daughter Elizabeth Carter, JD. announced a $500,000 commitment beginning in 2026 to create a health policy institute at FNU. This gift furthers Dr. Carter’s commitment and lifelong work to enrich the nursing profession across the globe.
Dr. Sarah Carter was one of six women in her class when she earned her M.D. from the UAMS College of Medicine in1965. Board-certified in internal medicine and geriatrics, she devoted much of her career to working with the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. She was the Chief of Ambulatory Care and Chief of Staff at the Memphis VA Medical Center but also treated patients at VAs across the country.
Like her husband, she has also shared her knowledge and dedication to improving public health with others, previously serving as the Associate Dean at the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Elizabeth Carter has been a professor at LSU Law since 2010. She earned a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry and a B.A. from the University of Memphis in 2002, where she graduated magna cum laude. She earned her J.D. from Tulane University Law School in 2007, where she graduated magna cum laude, was elected Order of the Coif, and awarded a Civil Law Certificate.
Professor Carter was awarded the 2007 Louisiana Bar Association Civil Law Award for attaining the highest grade in civil law studies. Professor Carter earned her LL.M. in Tax from the University of Alabama in 2010.
We want to celebrate our anniversary by capturing and sharing the countless stories that make up our history. Our alumni, students, preceptors, couriers, donors, volunteers, friends, and employees have made an incredible impact on FNU’s journey over the past 100 years, and we are incredibly grateful to you. Whatever your connection to FNU, we want to hear your Frontier story.
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