2026 'Transforming Care' Magazine Showcases Innovations, Impact at College of Nursing | | |
The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is pleased to announce the release of the 2026 edition of Transforming Care magazine. This issue spotlights the college’s dynamic faculty, staff and students, along with alumni and community partners, who are cultivating a culture of caring through innovative academic and outreach initiatives.
It also explores the college’s commitment to meeting the needs of South Florida’s expanding population by providing vital services through the FAU/Northwest Community Health Alliance Community Health Center and the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center. Discover more in the online edition of the magazine. View Magazine
| | A Ceremonial Celebration of White Coats | |
On March 26, Florida Atlantic’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing hosted its annual White Coat Ceremony. The longstanding tradition marked a major milestone for more than 170 first-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students, who received their white coats and formally stepped into the nursing profession, symbolizing their dedication to compassion, care and professionalism.
The ceremony featured a welcome address from College of Nursing Dean Cameron Duncan, Ph.D., along with remarks from Colin Polsky, Ph.D., associate vice president for academic affairs for FAU's Broward campuses and professor of geosciences. Alumna Taren O’Brien, vice president and chief nursing officer at Holy Cross Hospital, delivered the keynote address, urging students to aim high in their nursing careers. Read More
We appreciate the support of all our annual Lamplighter and White Coat Scholarship sponsors. Please see this year’s Platinum, Gold and Silver sponsors listed below.
It’s not too late to support our first-year nursing students. Every contribution makes a meaningful impact. Please consider making a donation here.
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Platinum Sponsors
- Lynn Family Enterprises - Christine E. Lynn
Gold Sponsors
- The Charles and Elsie Gols Charitable Foundation, Inc.
- George Snow Scholarship Fund, Inc. - Tim Snow
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Silver Sponsors
- The Camiccia-Arnautou Charitable Foundation – Bill T. Smith, Jr.
- The Reiling Family Foundation – Cindy Krebsbach
- Margaret Mary Shuff
| | | Sip, Celebrate and Support the Caring Hearts Auxiliary | | |
Don’t miss the chance to make a difference in our community! Join the Caring Hearts Auxiliary of Florida Atlantic’s Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center at the Cove Brewery on Sunday, April 26, from 2 to 5 p.m. in Deerfield Beach.
Enjoy live music, delicious food and exciting giveaways while supporting vital services for individuals with memory disorders and their families. Your participation helps enrich lives and strengthens the support network for caregivers. Be a part of something meaningful—come share your caring heart! Reserve Your Spot
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Spring Memory and Wellness Center Open House
Thank you to our community members, supporters and friends who attended the Open House on March 3 at the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center to celebrate 25 years of service and tour the newly refurbished Day Center, hosted by the Caring Hearts Auxiliary. View Photos
| | | | | Nursing Owls Gather at Duffy's for Spring Mixer | | |
The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing Alumni Spring Mixer, held on April 2 at Duffy's Sports Grill in Boca Raton, welcomed alumni for an evening focused on connection, conversation and community. Hosted together with the university's Alumni and Community Engagement team, the mixer provided attendees with an opportunity to reconnect with peers, expand their professional networks and engage with college leadership. A special thank you to Cleveland Clinic for supporting this event and covering the cost of the food. We truly appreciate their partnership! View Photos
Interested in staying connected and getting involved? Join our Nursing Professionals Alumni Network to access exclusive events, resources and opportunities to engage. Learn More
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Registration for Summer and Fall 2026 is now open! Plan ahead, meet with your advisor and secure the classes you need for the next step in your educational journey. Summer classes start on Saturday, May 16. Learn More
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Join the College of Nursing and Florida Atlantic University's Alumni and Community Engagement Association to celebrate the Class of 2026 at the Toast to the Grads event on Wednesday, May 6, Flagler Credit Union Stadium, Hyundai Deck, on the Boca Raton campus. Learn More and Register
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The College of Nursing will celebrate the accomplishments of its graduating Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students at the Spring 2026 Pinning Ceremony on Friday, May 8, at 2 p.m., in the College of Nursing auditorium, Boca Raton campus.
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The College of Nursing commencement ceremony will take place on Friday, May 8, at 5 p.m., in the Carole and Barry Kaye Performing Arts Auditorium, Student Union, Boca Raton campus. Learn More
| | Senior Spotlight: Isabella Longo | | |
Senior Isabella Longo is wrapping up her final year with a flourish. The Freshman Direct Admit nursing student was recently honored with the Woman of Impact Leadership award during the 2026 Women’s Leadership Seminar, hosted by Florida Atlantic University’s Weppner Center for LEAD and Service-Learning. Following her anticipated graduation in May 2026, Longo aims to continue her education and earn a graduate degree.
“My passion for keeping the ‘care’ in health care has only grown throughout my time in the College of Nursing,” said Longo. “I hope to create positive change in the nursing field through patient care, leadership and meaningful contributions to the nursing community.” Read More
| | Alumna Spotlight: Brittany Palladino, ABSN '16, MSN '22, DNP '23 | | |
Accomplished triple-time alumna Brittany Palladino, ABSN ’16, MSN ’22, DNP ’23, recently began her role as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) at HealthRIGHT360 in San Francisco, an organization supporting underserved groups. As a community mental health specialist, Palladino primarily serves at-risk individuals, often with both substance use disorders and mental illnesses, and she collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to provide holistic, trauma-informed care. Looking ahead, she aims to further expand access to quality mental health services for marginalized and underserved communities.
"Many individuals facing homelessness, substance use disorders and serious mental illness struggle to access consistent care,” said Palladino. “My goal is to help develop integrated, trauma-informed models of treatment that meet patients where they are, as well as address both their mental health and social needs. Through clinical work, mentorship and advocacy, I hope to contribute to a health care system that is more compassionate, accessible and equitable.” Read More
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Registration is now open for the Anne Boykin Institute's 2026 Summer Academy, from May 27 to 30, both in-person and online. This year's theme, "Caring at the Edge of Chaos: Transforming Interprofessional Practice and Healthcare," aims to inspire reflections on the critical importance of developing knowledge in caring science that informs and guides nursing practice. Register Here
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Advance your education! The College of Nursing offers a range of professional development courses, all based in the caring philosophy of our college, which are designed to fit your schedule and your life. Learn more about our certificates including Caring Science, Telehealth and Telemetry/Progressive Care here.
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Interim Nursing Liaison Librarian Tiffany Follin joins the team with nine years of experience, having previously supported the Florida Atlantic Schmidt College of Medicine community. She specializes in resolving library technical issues, guiding users through library resources and research tools, and delivering comprehensive research services. Whether students or faculty need assistance navigating databases, refining a literature search, accessing course materials or troubleshooting access problems, she is here to help.
Tiffany has a small budget available for new title purchases to support the College of Nursing, and she welcomes suggestions for books or e-books that would enhance coursework, research, clinical practice or professional development. Faculty and students are encouraged to share their recommendations to help strengthen and grow the college's collection.
Email Tiffany at tfollin@health.fau.edu or schedule an appointment via LibCal here.
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Michael Feng serves as the associate director of finance at the College of Nursing. He brings over eight years of experience as a senior strategic financial analyst with UCF's College of Medicine. Michael has a strong track record of supporting academic and health care leadership by translating complex financial and operational data into actionable insights. His expertise includes budgeting, forecasting and advancing strategic and operational goals.
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Josh Talero joined the college as the new simulation lab coordinator. Josh earned his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from FAU and began his career working at the bedside shortly thereafter. Over the past two years, he has continued his work at FAU as a Registered Nurse within Student Health Services. With nearly a decade of clinical experience, Josh brings a strong health care background and is excited to transition into his new role within the College of Nursing.
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Armiel Suriaga, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Excellence and Innovation in Undergraduate Teaching Award. Dr. Suriaga will receive the award during the 57th annual Honors Convocation on Wednesday, April 15. The annual ceremony recognizes the University's most outstanding students and faculty members.
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Call for manuscripts! Baptist Health is seeking manuscripts for Volume 9 of its Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal. Contributions covering the topics of research studies, quality improvement/evidence-based practice and case studies are strongly desired. The submission deadline is Monday, June 8. Learn More
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The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the International Association for Human Caring invite you to join a unique global conversation about caring in nursing. On Thursday, April 9, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. EST, don't miss the free webinar, "A Global Call to Caring Science: Theory Guided Practice, Education, and Research." International experts will discuss the role of caring science across practice, education and research.
Attend in-person at the College of Nursing, Room 201, Boca Raton campus, or via Zoom. Participants can earn 1.5 CEUs from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Register Here
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April 9: "A Global Call to Caring Science: Theory Guided Practice, Education, and Research" Webinar
April 9: Freshman Direct Admit Information Session
April 14: Accelerated B.S.N. Information Session
April 16: RN to BSN Information Session
April 16: Virtual Graduate Admission Information Session
April 22: Nursing Scholarship Showcase
April 26: Sixth annual “Share Your Caring Heart” Campaign, Cove Brewery, Deerfield Beach, 2 to 5 p.m., hosted by the Caring Hearts Auxiliary
May 8: Pinning Ceremony, 2 p.m.
May 8: College of Nursing Commencement, 5 p.m.
May 27 to 29: 2026 ABI Summer Academy
Every Tuesday: Free Yoga Classes
Every Wednesday: No-Sweat Stretch Sessions, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m., Yoga Room. These sessions are open to all Florida Atlantic faculty and staff.
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The Louis and Anne Green Memory Center’s new partnership with Baptist Health as a respite partner under the federal Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) model was featured on the front page of the South Florida Hospital News and Healthcare Report (April edition).
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The Boca Raton Tribune highlighted the driving evaluation and research being conducted at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing through its current Fit2Drive study in the article, "As Florida’s Senior Population Grows, Roads Are Also Getting Scarier."
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The March edition of South Florida News and Healthcare Report featured the College of Nursing, which was named the Lead Caring Science Academic Affiliate of the Watson Caring Science Institute. This national and international designation recognizes the college’s global leadership in caring science for nursing education, practice, research and theory.
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PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS:
*Andrews, C. S., Ibrahim, I., Baruch, Y. B., Zisk-Rony, Y. R., & Noble, A. (2026). Unique perspectives about men’s awareness of BRCA1/2 genetic testing in primary care. Scientific Reports, 16, 5892. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36554-7
Guedes, N. G., Calixto, S., Gengo, R. C. S., Vieira, L. A. R., Silva, A., & Butcher, H. K. (in press). Mid-range theory for the nursing diagnosis ineffective infant suck-swallow response. International Journal of Nursing Knowledge.
#Hain, D. (2026). Acute Kidney Injury: Turning Evidence into Action at the Bedside. ANNA South Florida Flamingo Chapter, Education Day. Hollywood, FL, United States.
*Lopes, M. V. O., Silva, V. M., Wagner, C., Clark, M., Lopez, K., Arends, L., Barros, A. L. B., & Butcher, H. K. (2026). Evidence for nursing interventions to promote family integrity: A rapid review. Journal of Research in Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1177/17449871261419406
Malatyali, A., Cidav, T., Wiese, L. A. K., Zou, J., Brown, M. J., Ma, J., Diniz, B. S., & Thiamwong, L. (2023). Rural–urban differences in cognitive outcomes among older adults: The roles of falls and depressive symptoms. Journal of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, 3(1), Article 13 https://doi.org/10.3390/jdad3010013
*Markaki, A., Garner, S.L., Fildes, E.E., Ouner, J.J., Hain, D., Sullivan, C., Walsh, A. and Upvall, M. (2026). Mentoring nurses through global partnerships: A scoping review. Nursing Outlook, 74(2), p.102737. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2026.102737
Hemphill, J. C., Eapen, D. J., Joseph, N. M., Horne, C., Ledford, A., Wells, C., Carver, K. M., Pugh, V. (2026). Artificial Intelligence and Qualitative Research: Capabilities, Challenges, and Best Practices. Research in Nursing & Health, 1–3. Advance publication. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.70070.
(* = Data-based, # = Caring Science)
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