Students from the six colleges at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center will receive their diplomas during early spring ceremonies on Monday, May 12 at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.
Joy E. Fleming, a student in the Baccalaureate program in nursing sciences (BSN)is one of the 821 graduates who should cross the scene on Monday. She receives her second degree from the UT Health Science Center.
“I graduated in 2007 from the UT Health Science Center with my dental hygiene baccalaureate. However, I decided to continue nursing care because I wanted to extend my experience in health care and because I like the many opportunities offered to nursing, in particular the ability to pursue higher education, with my final goal being a Doctor of nurse practice (DNP) diploma, ”said Fleming.
Coming from a nursing family, Fleming has always been informed that nursing is a call. Her call came following the Pandemic Covid-19, when she was moved to pursue a career where she could play a more active and complete role in helping others. She started taking prerequisites while working and applied to the BSN program of the UT Health Science Center of Nursing in the spring of 2023.
“My experience here was simultaneously difficult and rewarding,” said Fleming. Currently employed as a student trainee in hospital, she plans to continue as an authorized infirmer and apply for the DNP program of the College of Nursing by emphasizing family practice and mental psychiatric health.
Haley Bernard, also a graduate in 2025 BSN, chose to finish his diploma at the UT Health Science Center after working in the management of surgical offices for more than a decade. “I was attracted to the BSN program of the UT Health Science Center because of its dedication to the training of health professionals who are both empathic leaders and qualified clinicians. This is the most classified school in the state and a high -level national institution with exceptional NCLEX pass rates, ”said Bernard.
Graduation Medical college Student Dalton Hill moved to Tennessee for a medical school after having felt a strong link during a visit to the Center for the UT Health Sciences. “The sense of the community I gleaned could not have been more present. I come from a family without anyone in medicine, so a feeling of support among the peers and the mentoring of the faculty was essential to sail on an unexplored territory, “he said. “These things at the UT Health Science Center were crucial to start the start of my trip as a doctor.”
The class of 2025 includes 230 students from the college of health professions, 174 from the College of Medicine, 136 of the Collège de Dentisterie, 123 from the College of Pharmacy, 113 Le College of Nursing and 45 of the Higher Health Sciences College. In addition, 64 students from Department of audiology and speech therapy Graduated Wednesday in Knoxville.
Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD, will give the diplomas on Monday to each of the four ceremonies, which will broadcast live on the UT Health Sciences Center website. The calendar of the ceremony is as follows:
- 8 h 45 – College of Graduate Health Sciences, College of Health Professions, College of Nursing
- Senior speaker: the president of the UT Randy Boyd system
- Speaker: Maggie Bohm
- Elder speaker: Mike Griffin
- 12:00 p.m. – College of Medicine
- Main speaker: Sara L. Cross, MD
- Class lecturer: Grace Anne HOLLADAY
- Elder speaker: Jessica Ruffin, MD
- 3:15 p.m. – Dentistry college
- Main speaker: Henry McKay, DDS
- Class speakers: Hayden Rash, Lydia Grace Hulett
- Elder speaker: Rick Guthrie
- 6:00 p.m. – Pharmacy College
- Main speaker: Shanea A. McKinney, Pharmd
- Student lecturer: Christian Phillips
- Elder speaker: Kara Fortune, Pharmd
The ceremony at the start of the audiology and speech therapy department will take place on Wednesday May 14 at 3:30 p.m. HAE, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Campus.