University of Michigan-Flint School of Nursing

Yesterday, SON faculty member Rachel Hetzner was joined by DNP students Heather Bethune and Lilian Boufakhreddine at the Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners’ Advocacy Day in Lansing, MI! They joined nurse practitioners, healthcare advocates and community members to engage directly with legislators, speak with a panel of senators and representatives sponsoring NP bills and advocate for the importance of full practice authority. They were also acknowledged during a Senate session they attended - a powerful reminder that every voice can help create meaningful change in healthcare policy and for the communities across Michigan. 💙

From the classroom to Capitol Hill 🏛️ UM-Flint School of Nursing students Whitney Blando and Christi Conran traveled to Washington, D.C., alongside SON Dean Cynthia McCurren for the 2026 AACN Student Policy Summit, where they explored the federal policymaking process, strengthened their advocacy skills and represented the future of nursing leadership.

Read more about their experience and how UM-Flint nurses are preparing to turn nursing education into action ⤵️

From the classroom to Capitol Hill: UM-Flint School of Nursing students attend 2026 AACN Policy Summit 2026 AACN Student Policy Summit attendees traveled to Washington, D.C., gaining advocacy skills and nursing policy insight.

Join us in celebrating community engagement and the power of partnership!

At the 2026 Celebration of Engagement Gala, hosted by UM-Flint Office of Economic Development and Community Engagement at the Sloan Museum of Discovery, we were proud to reflect on meaningful UM-Flint School of Nursing initiatives that connect students with future pathways in nursing.

Highlights from SON included our two-day Future Nurse Summer Camp, co-led by Elizabeth Fulks and Lisa Tedrow, which introduced high school students to nursing career opportunities and educational options at UM-Flint, as well as the Flint Cultural Center Academy Enrichment Day, led by Jeffrey Morse and facilitated by Kristina Yaklin and Brian Kaminski, where 9th and 10th graders explored the field of nursing and our programs.

Thank you to our UM-Flint colleagues, community partners, students and attendees for making the evening one of collaboration, inspiration and impact. 💙💛

Registration for our 2026 Future Nurse Summer Camp is live! This two-day interactive summer camp is for incoming 9th-12th graders considering a nursing career and will include fun, hands-on experiences to introduce campers to all that nursing offers!

Sign up now ➡️ https://www.umflint.edu/nursing/summer-camp/

Congratulations to SON student Emma May on being selected as a recipient of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship! This astounding achievement will help support Emma in her Kenya service learning trip this spring.

Established by the U.S. Congress, the Gilman Program is an initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is aided in its implementation by the Institute of International Education. The program offers merit-based scholarships for U.S. undergraduates to study or intern abroad while developing skills vital to national security and economic prosperity.

A cherished nursing tradition: the UM-Flint School of Nursing Pinning Ceremony. 🩺💙💛

More than a symbol, the nursing pin represents years of perseverance, compassion, late nights studying, clinical hours and an unwavering commitment to caring for others. As our students step forward into the nursing profession, they carry with them the knowledge, strength and heart that define the calling of a nurse.

Congratulations to our newest UM-Flint School of Nursing grads - your impact is just beginning.

Congratulations to our students who crossed the stage at the Winter 2026 commencement ceremony! Your hard work, resilience and dedication have brought you to this moment and prepared you to take on what’s next with confidence and purpose. Wishing you continued success and bright futures ahead! 🎓🌟

Go Blue! 💙

We recently partnered with Undergraduate Admissions, Graduate Programs and the College of Health Sciences to host the Nursing & Health Professions Spotlight Event - welcoming prospective students across a wide range of healthcare interests to learn about UM-Flint programs, career pathways and the many opportunities available on campus! Thank you to the staff and faculty who helped make the event possible, and to the students and their families who joined us to explore what’s next in their journey. 💙🩺

Recently, 6 of our UM-FERN students, along with Jessica Witt, UM-FERN Grant Program Manager, and Megan Rule, UM-FERN Simulation and Student Success Coordinator had the opportunity to attend the 29th Annual Michigan Rural Health Conference at Soaring Eagle in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

This conference aims to provide opportunities for rural health stakeholders to network, share stories and learn from each other, and provide relevant, up-to-date information regarding rural healthcare.

The UM-FERN (University of Michigan-Flint Educates Rural Nurses) Program is dedicated to improving access to care in Michigan’s rural and underserved communities in the Thumb Region.

We applaud these students for their dedication to improving healthcare in these communities!

Learn more about UM-FERN here➡️ https://www.umflint.edu/nursing/um-fern/

Congratulations to Christi Conran, UM-Flint School of Nursing DNP Student on being a 2026 GNSA Hall of Fame recipient!

The Graduate Nursing Student Assembly (GNSA) offers master’s and doctoral graduate students at American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) member schools resources, services and programs to assist them as they prepare for their future. To be recognized in their Hall of Fame, an individual must be part of one of the GNSA leadership groups and have shown exceptional participation or contribution to GNSA programming or recruitment.

Christi’s nominator says, “Her initiative, reliability, and relational approach have strengthened communication between her school and GNSA, while creating a more connected and energized student community. Christi’s dedication and proactive leadership reflect the spirit of the GNSA Hall of Fame honor.”

For Christi, being a GNSA Liaison has given her the opportunity to help strengthen engagement within the SON community, help students get connected to national programming, and support efforts to build visibility and participation in graduate nursing leadership opportunities. She credits the sense of connection that GNSA creates across schools and programs with broadening her perspective beyond her own academic and clinical settings.

👏👏👏 to Christi, the first UM-Flint School of Nursing student to receive this recognition!