From new academic pathways and statewide recognition to faculty achievements and alumni honors, the 2025-26 year brought meaningful momentum for the VCU School of Nursing. These highlights reflect the school’s continued commitment to advancing nursing education, strengthening healthcare and celebrating the people whose work moves the profession forward.

Addressing the growing demand for skilled nursing professionals, Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Nursing will introduce a fast-track master’s degree in fall 2026 that is designed for career changers and individuals with non-nursing undergraduate degrees.

The new program will provide a direct pathway to earn a Master of Science in nursing degree and pursue licensure as a registered nurse. Students will build a strong foundation in core nursing principles—including health assessment, health promotion and care management—and develop clinical reasoning, physical assessment and technical skills through hands-on experiences in settings such as community health centers, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers and hospitals.

The VCU School of Nursing honored the exceptional achievements and professional milestones of four of its graduates on January 30, 2026, at the Leading with Heart Gala.

Outstanding Nurse Alum Award: Jeniece Roane, Ph.D., RN, NE-BC
Outstanding Nurse Service Award: Lyons Hardy, Ed.D., M.S.N., PMHNP
Outstanding Nurse Practice Award: Terri M. Page, D.N.P., WHNP-BC
Outstanding Recent Alum Award: Lesley Coots, D.N.P., FNP

Lana Sargent, Ph.D., RN, FNP-BC, GNP-BC, of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Nursing was induced as a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing in October 2025. Sargent, a tenured associate professor and the associate dean for practice and community engagement, was among 299 nurse leaders selected for the 2025 class of fellows who were recognized for their contributions to health and healthcare.

Audrey Roberson, Ph.D., RN, CPAN, NPD-BC, clinical assistant professor at VCU School of Nursing, was been named to the Board of Directors of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). Her three-year term began July 1, 2025. The AACN is the world’s largest specialty nursing organization, representing more than half a million acute and critical care nurses. For more than 50 years, it has advanced excellence in acute and critical care by supporting nurses and working to improve outcomes for patients and their families.

Several SON faculty presented at the 2026 AACN Doctoral Education Conference. Dana Burns gave a poster presentation at the faculty practice pre-conference titled "The Faculty Practice Scholarship Machine: Advancing Academic-Practice Partnerships through the D.N.P. Clinical Scholar Role." Dana Burns, Leigh Ann Breckenridge, Carla Nye and Ami Marshall (Yale University) gave the podium presentation "The POD Model: Precepting to Optimize Development of D.N.P. Program Outcomes." Joe DeRanieri and Heather Fudala (VCUHS) gave the podium presentation "Maximizing Impact: A Framework for Integrating D.N.P. Students into Essential Health System Quality Initiatives."

Stephanie Bork, M.S.N., APRN, FNP-BC, was published in the April 2026 edition of the Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. The publication was titled "A guide to the creation of a professional advancement program for advanced practice registered nurses and physician associates.”

The VCU School of Nursing ranked number one among schools of nursing in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the most recent Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR) rankings of NIH funding. The school ranked 33rd nationwide.