A Message from Dean Duncan: Welcome to a New School Year! | | |
Welcome to the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and to the start of the 2026–27 academic year. For some of you, this is a first semester as a freshman, when everything is still ahead and very little is familiar yet. For others, this is a senior year, or the next chapter in a career already underway. Either way, you arrive at a moment when the profession you have chosen matters more than it ever has.
Nursing asks a great deal and gives back more. It will ask you to think clearly when the answer is not obvious, to stay steady when the moment is hard, and to see the person in front of you rather than the diagnosis. It will ask you to be precise and kind in the same breath, often when you are tired. None of that comes naturally to anyone. It is learned, deliberately and over time, and learning it is the work you are here to do.
That work has a name here. This college was founded with the understanding that nursing is a discipline of knowledge and practice grounded in caring, and that caring is not a gentle addition to clinical competence but the substance of the discipline itself. Caring science asks us to know each person as caring, to respond with authentic presence rather than routine and to understand every encounter as mutual, changing the nurse as surely as the one being cared for. You will meet that idea in your first course and again in your last, and you will find it tested every time the pace of a unit tempts you to move faster than the person in front of you deserves.
Much of what you take from this year will never appear on an exam. It will show up later, in the way you notice something no one else noticed, in the way you speak to a family on the worst day of their lives, in the confidence to ask a question when a quieter person might have let it go. Our faculty and staff are the reason it takes hold. The recognition this college earns nationally is not the achievement of a ranking but the work of people who stay late to explain something one more time, who open doors for students who did not know the doors were there, and who teach caring most convincingly by extending it. Our alumni and preceptors carry that same commitment into practice, and our supporters make room for students who might otherwise never have arrived.
The year ahead will bring challenges we can anticipate and a few we cannot. That has always been true of this work, and it is part of what makes it worth doing. Learning is a lifelong creation of understanding, and none of us is finished. I look forward to meeting many of you across our campuses this year, hearing what brought you here, and watching what you do with it.
Let us make 2026–27 a year worth remembering.
Go Owls!
Dean Cameron Duncan
| | College of Nursing Celebrates Summer Graduates | Congratulations, BSN, MSN, and Ph.D. Nursing graduates! The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing's Summer 2026 commencement ceremony took place Aug. 11 on the Boca Raton campus. The new graduates join more than 223,000 alumni who have received degrees from Florida Atlantic since the university opened its doors in 1964. | | FAU/NCHA Community Health Center Hosts Free Back-to-School Health and Resource Fair | | |
The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing's FAU/Northwest Community Health Alliance Community Health Center (FAU/NCHA Community Health Center) was thrilled to host its first Back-to-School Block Party and Health Fair on Aug. 8. Families from throughout the community gathered to access free health services, school physicals, resources and school supplies to prepare for the new school year.
We truly appreciate all of our community partners who brought activities and resources to our neighbors and made the event so memorable! View Photos
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Don't forget! Classes start on Saturday, Aug. 22. Fall 2026 registration is open. View the FAU Registrar's calendar here.
Note: Non-degree-seeking students are only allowed to register just prior to the start of each term.
| | Student Spotlight: Danielle Granderson | | |
Danielle Granderson, who grew up in Trinidad and Tobago, was inspired from an early age to strive for excellence in everything she does. Now a distinguished nurse educator and a recent graduate with a Master of Science in Nursing Education from Florida Atlantic University (2023), she is advancing her commitment to nursing excellence as a BSN-to-Ph.D. student.
As a pediatric home health nurse, Granderson has witnessed the remarkable expertise, resilience and dedication of family caregivers. These experiences have inspired her primary research into essential caregiver-nurse partnerships and strategies for delivering optimal care to children with complex chronic health conditions.
“By better understanding and supporting family caregiver-nurse partnerships, I hope to contribute to care models that promote the well-being of children with medical complexities and their families,” said Granderson. Read More
| | Alumna Spotlight: Jean Seaver, MSN '97 | | |
Jean Seaver, MSN ’97 (at right), joined the Florida Atlantic Alumni team to volunteer at the annual Back-to-School PBC event on Aug. 1. Together, they helped more than 10,000 K-12 students with free backpacks, school supplies, physicals, meals, parent resources, and more. Thank you to our College of Nursing Alumni Network team for making a difference in our community!
Ready to make a difference and connect with fellow nursing alumni? Join the College of Nursing Alumni Network team—click here to discover how you can get involved!
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Mark your calendars! The College of Nursing is throwing a Giving Day social on Tuesday, Sept. 15, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Yard House in Mizner Park, Boca Raton. All faculty, staff, students, alumni, friends and community supporters are invited to rally together as we build excitement for Florida Atlantic’s annual Giving Day. Enjoy delicious bites, refreshing non-alcoholic drinks and great company—don’t miss out on the fun! Deadline to RSVP is Sept. 10. Register Here
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The Online Screening for Older Drivers with Cognitive Decline research study, led by principal investigator, Ruth Tappen, Ed.D., is seeking volunteers aged 65 and older. Volunteers will receive a $25 gift card for participating. Contact Kelley Jackson, Ph.D., to sign-up at NurTappen@health.fau.edu or 954-691-3977.
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Ready to 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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Join the Watson Caring Science Institute and the Vanderbilt School of Nursing for "Science and Soul: Advancing Health Care Through Caritas Practice" Nov. 20 to 21. This immersive summit brings together nurses, providers, educators and leaders from around the world to explore how caring science moves from philosophy to real-world clinical practice. Learn more and register.
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New Instructor of Nutrition Tammy Fogarty, Ph.D., RDN, LDN, joined the college in August. The registered dietitian and nutrition scientist brings over 20 years of experience in clinical nutrition, higher education and health promotion. Her expertise includes medical nutrition therapy, women's health and the prevention and management of chronic diseases. Fogarty is committed to advancing nutrition science through education, scholarship and translating research into practical, evidence-based recommendations.
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Alumna Angela Prestia, Ph.D. ’14, RN, NE-BC, FAAN, is now an assistant professor, practice teaching track within the college. She is an accomplished nurse educator and published author of over 60 articles on the practice of nurse leadership, has contributed to numerous textbooks and published her first book in 2024. Prestia has presented her research at local, national and international conferences and also serves as an editorial board member for the Nurse Leader journal.
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Kara Evans, Ph.D., RN, joins the college this fall as the assistant dean of assessment, evaluation and accreditation. She is an academic nursing leader with more than a decade of experience in higher education who has led institutional and programmatic accreditation initiatives, while advancing data-informed strategies that strengthen student success. Evans has also served on numerous advisory boards and led local and international initiatives focused on health, education and community engagement.
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Alumna Joann Benjamin is the college’s new simulation operations specialist. She earned her Bachelor of Science in neuroscience and behavior from Florida Atlantic and has eight years of experience as high school science teacher. In addition to her educational background, she has completed EMT training and brings a strong foundation in both science education and healthcare.
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Kathleen McCann, MSN-Ed, RN, PCCN is a South Florida native and proud FAU alumna. She is a compassionate and skilled registered nurse with 15 years of acute care experience. She has a passion for mentoring and guiding nursing students in clinical environments, bridging the gap between classroom theory and bedside practice. She began her academic career at Florida Atlantic as an adjunct instructor in 2025 and transitioned to a full-time faculty appointment in Fall 2026.
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Shawn Mohammed, M.D., MSN, APRN, FNP-C, RN, began his career in education, teaching school-aged children while completing his undergraduate studies. He began his nursing career as a registered nurse in neuroscience and medical-surgical specialties. He went on to obtain his FNP-C certification and, soon afterward, earned his Doctor of Medicine degree. Dr. Mohammed joined Florida Atlantic in 2023 as a clinical adjunct. Beginning in Fall 2026, he will serve as a visiting instructor.
| | College of Nursing Showcases Innovation and Leadership at FNA Conference | | Several faculty and doctoral students from the College of Nursing traveled to Orlando for the 12th annual Florida Nurses Association Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Conference on July 25. The team delivered two podium presentations, as well as five poster presentations. Their topics spanned nursing theory, trauma and resilience, caregiving in aging populations, emotional well-being, and the integration of technology—such as smartboards and AI—in nursing education and training. | | |
Yoga Takes a Summer Break
Our regular yoga classes are taking a break for the summer and will return this fall.
Boca Raton: Yoga resumes Tuesday, Sept. 1
Davie: Yoga resumes Monday, Sept. 14
In the meantime, No-Sweat Stretch, Core & Pelvic Floor will continue as scheduled every Wednesday from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. in NU 115 on the Boca Raton campus.
We look forward to seeing you back on the mat this fall!
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WPTV West Palm Beach visited the college's U.B. Kinsey clinic on Aug. 4, to speak with Dean Duncan and staff about the upcoming inaugural back-to-school block party fair, which provided free health and wellness screenings. Read More
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PEER-REVIEWED PAPERS:
*Ajayi, T., Kueper, J., Waalen, J., Ariniello, L., Ramos, E., Milan, G., Baca-Motes, K., Williams, A., Bullard, L., Robinson, A., & Robinson, A. (in press). Woebot for postpartum mood and anxiety: A randomized controlled trial evaluating feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a mobile CBT intervention. JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting. https://doi.org/10.2196/74083
*Queiroz, G. C. L., Monteiro, A. S., Melo, D. A., Mangueira, S. O., Leadebal, O. D. C. P., Gengo e Silva Butcher, R. C., & Sousa, M. M. (2026). Prevalence and factors associated with anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic atrial fibrillation: A cross-sectional study in Brazil. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1097/JCN.0000000000001319
*Loop, S., & Prestia, A. S. (2026). Attributes impacting nurse manager work life balance and job satisfaction. Nurse Leader. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2026.102844
(* = Data-based, # = Caring Science)
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