Frontier Nursing University Holds Commencement In Person For First Time Since 2019

December 7, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) celebrated the 1,064 students who graduated in 2022 at the university’s first in-person commencement ceremony since 2019. The 2020 and 2021 ceremonies were held virtually due to the pandemic. All graduates from 2020 and 2021 were also invited to attend the 2022 ceremony, which was held at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, on Saturday, September 24. Approximately 1,500 people were in attendance, including 264 graduates, over 1,000 family members and friends, and FNU faculty and staff.

“The past two years have been incredibly difficult for so many people, and we are very proud of the determination and desire you have displayed in earning your degree,” said FNU Dean of Nursing Dr. Joan Slager, CNM, DNP, FACNM, FAAN. “We can all agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the invaluable roles that nurses and midwives play in providing healthcare around the globe. After today, each of you will be able to say you graduated during an unforgettable time in our history. You are ready to make a significant difference and contribution to your community, and that is what Frontier Nursing University expects from all members of our community. We make a difference by answering the call to serve.”

Dr. Slager went on to introduce the keynote speaker, Dr. Tim Raderstorf, DNP, RN. Dr. Raderstorf is the Talent Partner for AndHealth, a digital health company focused on helping people reclaim their lives from chronic illness. He also holds volunteer positions as the Head of Academic Entrepreneurship at the Erdős Institute and the Chief Operating Officer of the non-profit NursesEverywhere. He is a member of the American Nurses Association’s Innovation Advisory Board. In his previous role, Tim was the Chief Innovation Officer at The Ohio State University College of Nursing.

Dr. Raderstorf is also the founder of the Innovation Studio, a maker space that democratizes innovation, providing every interprofessional team that pitches their innovation with the funding, tools, and mentorship needed to turn ideas into actions.

His new textbook, co-authored with Bern Melnyk, Evidence-Based Leadership, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Nursing and Healthcare: A Practical Guide for Success, was a #1 new release on Amazon and the American Journal of Nursing’s Management & Leadership Book of the Year. Dr. Raderstorf was recently inducted into the 2020 Class of 40 under 40 by Columbus Business First and was inducted as a 2021 Fellow at the American Academy of Nursing.

“Your voice matters. If nursing collectively as the largest healthcare profession can unify our voice, then we have the capacity to change the country,” Dr. Raderstorf said in his keynote address. “I hope to see you impact the lives of many throughout the communities that you serve.”

The commencement ceremony also included the presentation of the university’s annual leadership awards, honoring the students who provided exceptional leadership to their peers. Here are the 2022 FNU Student Leadership Awards winners:

: Kitty Ernst Nurse-Midwifery Student Leadership Award
Joanna Wilder, CNEP
Class 189
Tigard, OR

: Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner Student Leadership Award
Shauntey Singletary, WHCNP
Class 196
Seaford, DE

: Family Nurse Practitioner Student Leadership Award
Catherine Underwood, FNP
Class 189
Wahiawa, HI

: Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Student Leadership Award
Kaitlyn Rychlowski, PMHNP
Class 191
Fond Du Lac, WI

: Doctor of Nursing Practice Student Leadership Award
Dr. Estella Wetzel, DNP, APRN, FNP-C DNP
Class 39
Beavercreek, OH

: Doctor of Nursing Practice Exemplary Project Award
Dr. Melissa Morris, DNP
Class 42
Silver Plume, CO
Increasing Effective Care for Emergency Department Patients with Opioid-Related Diagnoses Using World Health Organization Guidelines

Commencement also always features the presentation of the Excellence in Teaching Awards. Each year, the Student Council leads the student body in selecting faculty members to receive Excellence in Teaching awards. These awards are given annually to faculty members who inspire and impact their students. The students select both an Academic Faculty Award and Regional Clinical Faculty Award. Here are the 2022 FNU Excellence in Teaching Award winners:

: Academic Faculty Excellence In Teaching Award
Dr. Joshua Faucett DNP, MBA, FNP-BC, CNE

: Regional Clinical Faculty Excellence In Teaching Award
Dr. Tammy Whitehead, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, CNE

Commencement 2023 is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, September 23, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.

Frontier Nursing University Announces Plans for Commencement 2022

August 16, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

Ohio State Chief Innovation Officer Tim Raderstorf, DNP, RN, to Give Keynote Address

Tim Raderstorf, DNP, RN, will be the keynote speaker at Frontier Nursing University’s (FNU) 2022 commencement ceremony, which will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 24 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. Due to the pandemic, the 2020 and 2021 commencements were held virtually. As a result, FNU nurse-midwife and nurse practitioner students who graduated between September 28, 2019, and September 23, 2021, have also been invited to attend this year’s ceremony. FNU awarded 841 degrees in 2020, 1,001 in 2021, and expects to award more than 1,000 in 2022 for master’s, doctoral, and post-graduate certificate graduates.

“Commencement 2022 will, of course, celebrate our most recent graduates, but we also want to honor those who graduated in the past few years and did not have this opportunity,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone, CNM, DNSc, FAAN, FACNM, said. “It is so special for our graduates to celebrate their accomplishments and share the joyous moment with their family and friends who played such an important role in their journeys. We are so proud of all of our graduates and are thrilled to be able to celebrate their significant achievements with them.”

Dr. Raderstorf, a nurse, teacher, and entrepreneur who serves as the Chief Innovation Officer at the Ohio State University College of Nursing, co-authored the book Evidence-based Leadership, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in Nursing and Healthcare, with Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, Ph.D., APRN-CNP, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN. As the first nurse to hold the Chief Innovation Officer title in academia, he takes pride in educating others on the nurse’s role as an innovator. Dr. Raderstorf is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice in the Masters of Healthcare Innovation program at Ohio State and is the founder of the Innovation Studio, which fosters interprofessional collaboration in creating healthcare solutions. His most recent awards include Early Career Innovator of the Year and Distinguished Recent Alumni at the Ohio State University, the Innovation Studio was named Non-Profit of the year by Columbus Business First in 2019, and he was most recently inducted into the 2020 Class of 40 under 40 by Columbus Business First.

“We are excited and proud to welcome Dr. Tim Raderstorf as our keynote speaker at this year’s commencement ceremony,” Dr. Stone said. “An accomplished educator, nurse, and entrepreneur, Dr. Raderstorf embodies the innovative and evidenced-based thinking that we emphasize at Frontier Nursing University. His message will be entertaining and impactful to all our commencement attendees.”

FNU’s commencement ceremony honors the nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners who have completed the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, Master in Science of Nursing degree, or Post-Graduate Certificate.

Celebrate Commencement 2021 in the Fall Quarterly Bulletin

January 25, 2022 By Frontier Nursing University

The Fall 2021 Quarterly Bulletin celebrates commencement – the signature event every year at Frontier Nursing University. The event, which was held virtually for the second consecutive year due to the pandemic, was highlighted by keynote speaker Dr. LaTonya Trotter, Associate Professor of Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Washington. In this issue, you will learn more about Dr. Trotter and her address to the graduating class of nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. Additionally, FNU President Dr. Susan Stone’s complete opening address is included in the commencement recap.

Most importantly, however, the issue celebrates the 2021 graduates as well as the annual Student Leadership Award winners, who were announced during the commencement ceremony. The Student Leadership Awards recognize students who provided exceptional leadership to their peers. The Excellence in Teaching Awards were also presented. Each year the Student Council leads the student body in selecting faculty members to receive two Excellence in Teaching awards. These awards are given to faculty members who inspired and impacted their students. All of these deserving award recipients are featured in this issue of the Quarterly Bulletin.

Beyond commencement, the Fall 2021 Quarterly Bulletin examines the importance of giving, its impact on so many students and their families, and the many ways in which people can support FNU students.

Also featured in this issue are Teresa Vlahovich and Emily Hagy, two sisters who took very different paths but now are attending FNU together in the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program. Additional content includes alumni news and notes, faculty accomplishments, and memorials. Profiles of FNU Board of Directors members Peter Coffin and Carlyle Carter detail their long history with the university and their particular involvement with the FNU Courier program.

Additional awards are documented, including the annual Distinguished Service to Society Awards, Distinguished Service to Alma Mater Awards, Courier Unbridled Spirit Award, and the Lifetime Service Award. FNU itself has been the recipient of several awards for a variety of accomplishments, including diversity, equity, and inclusion; distance learning; and COVID-19 response.

The Fall 2021 Quarterly Bulletin is filled with exciting news and features so many university-wide accomplishments and achievements in 2021. We hope you enjoy the issue and are inspired by the incredible accomplishments of FNU, its students, graduates, and leaders. Click here to view it online or download the Fall 2021 Quarterly Bulletin today!

Dr. LaTonya Trotter Delivers FNU Commencement Keynote Address to Over 900 Graduates

October 21, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University celebrated the graduation of over 900 students during the 2021 commencement ceremony held on Saturday, September 25. Dr. LaTonya J. Trotter, Associate Professor of Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Washington, gave a poignant keynote address, encouraging the attendees to continue the good work in their communities and chosen professions.

Dr. Trotter was awarded a Bachelor of Arts from Williams College, majoring in Sociology and American Studies. She earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Washington, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology from Princeton University. Prior to her position at the University of Washington, Dr. Trotter was an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University.

Watch the 2021 Commencement Keynote Address:

FNU President Dr. Susan Stone also addressed the attendees with words of congratulations and encouragement during her opening address:

“Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to the 2021 Frontier Nursing University Commencement Ceremony! Welcome to our distinguished guest speakers, faculty colleagues, family members, friends, and, of course, our 2021 graduating class.

We are so proud of you and your dedication to complete your degree at FNU. We regret that we were not able to hold this year’s commencement in person, but we’re so happy that you were able to attend and enjoy the virtual ceremony. What you have achieved is an amazing accomplishment deserving of recognition and celebration, and we hope that you are able to share the special moment with your family, friends, and classmates.

The past two years have been incredibly difficult for so many people. I am very proud of the determination and desire you displayed in earning your degree, and urge you to take a moment to reflect on all that you have accomplished, the hurdles you have overcome, the sacrifices you have made, and take great pride in it. I also want to express appreciation too, for your friends and family who have supported you on this journey. It takes a team effort, and we extend our gratitude to your supporters as well.

You have come so far, but I don’t have to remind you that your journey is not over. In many ways, it is just beginning. As you are well aware, our country and our world are facing not only a pandemic, but also a host of other healthcare concerns including drastic healthcare shortages, healthcare disparities, the maternal mortality crisis, and psychiatric-mental health concerns. No one person has the answer to these problems, but rest assured, you are part of the solution. You have all the tools, all the training, and certainly the demonstrated drive and intellect to make a significant difference and contribution to your community. That is what Frontier Nursing University expects from all members of the FNU community. We make a difference by answering the call to serve.

Much like your life-long commitment to serve your community, FNU makes a life-long commitment to serve you. You are now and forever part of the FNU community. We will always be here to support you in any way we can. We love to hear from you and to share your stories of the great work you are doing in your community. Please remain in touch and never hesitate to contact us. We will answer your call.

Again, congratulations on your wonderful achievements -- past, present, and future. I know you will do great things in service to others. Thank you for representing Frontier Nursing University and continuing to make us proud.”

Watch the 2021 FNU Virtual Commencement Ceremony recorded event.

Congratulations, graduates!

FNU to Hold Virtual Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, September 25

August 9, 2021 By Frontier Nursing University

University of Washington Professor Dr. LaTonya Trotter to Give Keynote Address

Dr. LaTonya Trotter to give FNU’s 2021 Commencement Keynote Address.

Dr. LaTonya J. Trotter, Associate Professor of Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Washington, will be the keynote speaker at Frontier Nursing University’s (FNU) 2021 commencement ceremony, which will be held virtually on Saturday, September 25 at 2:00 p.m.

A medical sociologist, ethnographer, and author, Dr. Trotter is the author of “More than Medicine: Nurse Practitioners and the Problems they Solve for Patients, Health Care Organizations, and the State.” The book, which was published in 2020, chronicles a group of nurse practitioners and the care they provide for four hundred Black older adults living with poor health and limited means. Dr. Trotter explores the care they provide and how it addresses medical, social, and systemic issues that are prevalent in underprivileged and underserved members of the community. Dr. Trotter has also been published in The Journal of Contemporary Ethnography (2020), Social Currents (2019), and Gender & Society (2017).

On her website LaTonyaTrotter.com, Dr. Trotter states, “As a scholar, I take the prominence of health care seriously, using its terrain to understand how regimes of inequality are reproduced through the social construction of problems, patients, and professionals.”

She is currently an Associate Professor within the University of Washington’s Department of Bioethics and Humanities. Prior to her position at the University of Washington, Dr. Trotter was an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Dr. LaTonya Trotter as our keynote speaker at this year’s virtual commencement ceremony,” FNU President Dr. Susan Stone said. “Dr. Trotter’s extensive research and study of our nation’s healthcare disparities and the role that nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives can play in alleviating those disparities is so expertly explained in her published works. Her message will undoubtedly inspire our new graduates as they continue to serve those in their communities across the country.”

FNU Awards Degrees to More than 600 Graduates

October 31, 2017 By frontieredu

Barbara and Donald Jonas, founders of the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence, awarded honorary doctorate

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) hosted its 2017 commencement ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 21, in Hyden, Ky. Over the past year, more than 600 nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners from almost every state across the nation have completed an FNU distance-education program. The commencement ceremony was attended by more than 160 graduates and 1,200 of their family members and friends. The ceremony also included a special video presentation of the awarding of an honorary doctorate degree to philanthropists Barbara and Donald Jonas who founded the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence.

FNU President Dr. Susan Stone presided over the commencement ceremony and degrees were conferred on graduates of Frontier’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs. MSN graduates completed the Nurse-Midwifery, Family Nurse Practitioner or Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner specialty tracks. FNU also bestowed awards on several faculty members and students including leadership and student choice awards.*

Dr. Jennifer Hatcher, director of diversity and inclusivity and associate professor for the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Hatcher holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Science in Nursing as a family nurse practitioner, a Master’s in Public Health and a PhD in Nursing. She is the founder and director of the DREAM Center, a multidisciplinary research center focused on promoting positive health outcomes for underrepresented minorities by promoting workforce diversity, health equities research and training the next generation of health equities scholars. Dr. Hatcher has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for more than a decade to conduct health disparities research focused on improving health outcomes for underrepresented minorities.

In honor of their extensive support and contributions to the advancement of nursing, FNU awarded Barbara and Donald Jonas with the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. Mr. and Mrs. Jonas established the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence, a first-of-its-kind philanthropic program dedicated to advancing nursing. The focus is on establishing grants based on partnerships between schools of nursing and clinical practice settings as well as convening opinion leaders to develop solutions to long-standing problems challenging the nursing profession.

The Jonas Center has supported more than 1,000 Jonas Scholars and is the nation’s leading philanthropic funder of graduate nursing education. The Jonas Scholars program has had a significant impact on Frontier Nursing University students. Two members of the 2012-2014 cohort received $30,000 in scholarship support, four members of the 2014-16 cohort of students received $50,000 in scholarship support, and four more students in the 2016-18 cohort are receiving $70,000 in scholarship awards. That’s a total of $150,000 impacting ten FNU students.

Go here to view the Commencement Live Stream.

*This Year’s Award Winners:

The Kitty Ernst Leadership Award – Lana Bernat, DNP, CNM, CPHQ
The Nurse Practitioner Leadership Award – Nicole Serrano, MSN, FNP
Student Choice Award for Excellence in Teaching: Academic – Dr. Jana Esden
Student Choice Award for Excellence in Teaching: RCF – Dr. Mary Jones and Dr. April Dobroth