University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing

This nurse's path — one rooted in reducing barriers — began close to home.

Macy Deaton '26 grew up in Crandon, a rural community in northern Wisconsin, near two primary federally recognized tribes: the Forest County Potawatomi Community and the Sokaogon Chippewa Community. She saw firsthand how uneven access to care can be in rural communities, and even more so for Native American communities.

"That environment really highlighted how significant inequities in access are," she says. "During COVID, I saw how hard Native communities were hit. Friends lost close family members because of those inequities in care."

Recognizing that not everyone has the same access to care motivated Macy to pursue nursing and become a health care provider focused on equity and reducing barriers.

At UW–Madison School of Nursing, Macy built on that perspective through hands-on learning and community-based experiences. She returned home to work alongside a UW Health cardiologist, helping expand cardiovascular screening at the Potawatomi Health and Wellness Clinic — bringing specialty care to a region where it hadn't existed before.

"There aren't specialists available locally," she says. "Having that expertise, even part-time, makes a huge difference."

For Macy, the experience went beyond access. It reinforced the importance of culturally informed care, listening to patients' stories, and working alongside community partners to build trust and improve outcomes.

Now a Badger nurse, she's continuing that work — focused on reducing barriers and improving health equity in underserved communities.

👉 Read more about Macy's journey and the experiences that shaped her impact: https://nursing.wisc.edu/close-to-home/

Recognizing and honoring Juneteenth ❤️🖤💚

June 19th, 1865, was a pivotal moment in American history, hallmarking the freeing of the last group of enslaved African Americans. This day of freedom and justice symbolizes the end of slavery and the beginning of a new chapter that we continue to build upon today.

Research and clinical scholarship are central to the UW–Madison School of Nursing's mission. Internal grants help faculty and students pursue innovative projects with real-world impact, and in the last six months, we've awarded $192,530. We're proud to highlight recent recipients and their research projects:

Faculty:
• Dr. Tonya Roberts and Dr. Karen Pridham: Family Caregiving of Extremely Prematurely Born Infants.
• Dr. Leah Kechele: Resource Toolkit to Support Neurodivergent Nursing Students in Clinical Practice.
• Britta Lothary: Exploring NotebookLM as an AI Study Tool: Assessing Accuracy and Nursing Student Perceptions.
• Dr. Katie Gillespie: Preparing graduate nursing students for an emergency using a digital escape room exercise.
• Dr. Jeneile Luebke: Stories of Strength: Indigenous Survivor Perspectives on Help-Seeking and Access to Economic Support After Violence in Wisconsin.
• Dr. Rachel Odes: The Impact of Madison’s Community Alternative Response Emergency Service (CARES) Team on Emergency Department Patient and Staff Safety Outcomes.
• Dr. Megan Zuelsdorff: A community-partnered study of stress, resilience, and cognitive health in later life.
• Dr. Susan Passmore: Leveraging Simulation to Enhance Diverse Patient Recruitment in Health Research.
• Dr. Nicole Thomas: Exploring the Process of Forming Cultural Identity Among Urban Indigenous Women: A Grounded Theory Study.
• Dr. Kristin Merss: Care Practices and Functional Status of Function of Hospitalized Incarcerated Older Adults.

PhD Students:
• Kelly Krainak: A Syndemic of Exposures in Adolescents: A Situational Analysis of the West Virginia Coalfields.
• Yoonsoo Eo: Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) Symptom Experiences in Older Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Survivors (The I SEE Study).
• Jingxi Li: Exploring Predictors and Experiences of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults with COPD: A Mixed Methods Study.

Through these projects, our faculty and students are advancing nursing science, improving health outcomes, and shaping the future of care. We look forward to seeing where their curiosity and innovation lead next!

We asked participants of the Badger Nurse Mentorship Program for their best career advice for new grads. Here are 3 of their best tips:

1. Own your role as a professional from Day 1. Always introduce yourself with both your first and last name.
2. Stay connected with your mentors and instructors. They are still here to support you after you graduate.
3. Give yourself permission to grow and change. You don't need to stay in your first job forever if it isn't the right fit.

What advice do you need right now? What’s the best advice you’ve received? Let’s start a conversation and support each other in the comments!

New Badger nurses: Ask a question for someone who has been in your shoes.
Alumni who have been in the field for at least a year: Answer a question or share your own career advice.

When you were a student, did you meet the alumni handing out cupcakes during Signe Skott Cooper's birthday celebration? Or attend a panel or networking event with Badger nurses who once sat where you did?

Many of the alumni who help make these events possible are part of the Nurses Alumni Organization.

These traditions and opportunities to learn about life after graduation create meaningful moments of connection between students and alumni. They strengthen our community, foster a sense of belonging, and leave a lasting impact on all participants.

The Nurses Alumni Organization (UW NAO), founded in 1927 by the first graduates of the UW–Madison School of Nursing, is one way alumni give back to the School. As volunteers, committee members, and ambassadors, they partner with the School to support students and help shape opportunities for connection and engagement.

Whether you’re a recent graduate or further along in your career, you can stay involved and help inspire future Badger nurses. Volunteer at an event, join a committee, or share your time and skills in another way — the UW NAO can help you find the right fit.

Learn more about the Nurses Alumni Organization:
https://nursing.wisc.edu/alumni/collaborate-with-the-nurses-alumni-organization/

New Alumni:
Can you believe it has already been one month since graduation? Time is flying by! Before your summer plans and post-grad life get too hectic, here's a friendly reminder to check off a few admin tasks that may still be on your to-do list.

1. Update your contact info
Your wisc.edu email will be deactivated 9 months after graduation, and you may have moved (or be planning to). Share your updated email or mailing address with us so we can stay connected!

Pro tip: While you're at it, update any subscriptions, accounts, or deliveries tied to your school email or address so nothing slips through the cracks.

2. Request degree verification
Need to send verification documentation to a licensure board or employer? Our Academic Affairs team is ready to help — send them an email to get started.

3. Share your next step
Started a new job? Continuing your education? Doing something different or unexpected? Fill out the First Destination Survey and let us know where you've landed! Your responses help us celebrate your success and support future Badgers.

🔗 Find all the links and contact info you need at https://lnk.bio/uwnursing

We’re cheering you on in this next chapter, and we’re always here if you need us ❤️
Drop us a note in the comments if you have a question or need support!

Every experience as a student is an opportunity to learn, grow, and shape the future of your practice. Sometimes, one experience can change how you see nursing and the path you choose moving forward.

As an undergraduate nursing student, Laura Vergenz '21, DNP'26, worked with the Center for Aging Research and Education (CARE) to help develop an online transition-to-practice program for nurses entering long-term care, now called Geri-Res. That experience sparked her interest in caring for older adults. In her words, it "opened my eyes to the spectrum of what nurses can do" — expanding her perspective beyond direct patient care to supporting communities, advancing research, and strengthening the profession.

That early experience continued to shape her path. When she returned to the School of Nursing as a graduate student, Laura reconnected with CARE to complete her health policy practicum for the DNP program's systems leadership and innovation track. There, she mapped CARE affiliates' research to state and federal policies, building on the interests first sparked during her undergraduate work and deepening her understanding of how nursing can influence systems, policy, and population health.

Now as a new alum, she hopes to carry her passion for advocacy and nursing policy into a future in nursing education — supporting the next generation of nurses as they develop their skills and discover the paths that shape their own careers.

Read Laura's full story from the CARE Connections newsletter: https://ow.ly/qIxv50Z5OR4