| |  | The School of Nursing is dedicated to educating and empowering a diverse community of compassion-driven nurse leaders. With a focus on excellence, we prepare professionals to promote health, healing, and well-being across populations, offering innovative and holistic care. | | |
As we draw near the holiday season, the Capital University School of Nursing reflects on a year filled with meaning and milestone moments. Our 75th anniversary reminded us not only of our rich history, but also of the heart that continues to guide our work: the holistic care that honors mind, body, and spirit.
This season invites us to pause and be grateful for the students who inspire us, the faculty and staff who nurture learning and compassion, the alumni who carry our mission into the world, and the communities who trust us with their care. We are surrounded by countless reasons to give thanks.
May the coming weeks offer each of us time to rest, to be present with loved ones, and to find peace in both stillness and connection. As nurses and educators, we know that healing begins with presence and time to truly be with one another.
From all of us at the School of Nursing, may this season bring you light, gratitude, and renewed hope for peace in our world.
Heather Janiszewski Goodin, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, CPN
Dean, School of Nursing
| | School of Nursing Celebrates 75 Years | | |
Capital marked the 75th anniversary of its School of Nursing with a day of reflection, renewal, and celebration at the Franklin Park Conservatory. Alumni, students, faculty, and community partners gathered to honor the School’s long-standing commitment to holistic nursing, a tradition that began with early innovators like Dr. Evelyn Barritt and has shaped generations of compassionate, whole-person caregivers.
The event culminated in a Leadership Panel exploring the theme “Rooted in Purpose – Connected by Care – Leading the Future of Nursing.” Panelists reflected on how Capital’s pioneering approach, grounded in mind, body, spirit, and community, continues to guide nursing education and practice today.
From its early adoption of holistic frameworks in the 1960s to earning national AHNCC endorsement in 2009 and celebrating a 100% NCLEX pass rate in 2024, Capital’s School of Nursing has remained dedicated to educating nurses who lead with integrity and heal with heart. As the School looks ahead, its Diamond Anniversary stands as both a tribute to its legacy and a re-commitment to shaping the future of holistic nursing.
To view photos from the celebration, click here.
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Honoring the Hands and Hearts of Capital Nursing Documentary
The story of Capital Nursing is a story of people, those who lead, those who learn, and those who never stop caring. For 75 years, our students have found their purpose here. Supported by dedicated faculty and united by a shared commitment to care, they go on to serve with exceptional skill and compassion. From classrooms to clinicals to healthcare systems throughout the Columbus community and beyond, our alumni carry forward a legacy that changes lives. Together, we honor our past. We celebrate our present. And we look forward to a future filled with hope, one nurse, one patient, one moment at a time.
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The Story of Capital’s School of Nursing Comes to Life
Doris S. Edwards RN, EdD, dean of Nursing emerita, has complied a definitive history of the School of Nursing at Capital University, an insightful chronicle tracing its founding, triumphs, and evolving role in healthcare through the decades. Richly illustrated with archival photographs and firsthand accounts, the book offers both a celebration and deep reflection on the school’s legacy. Click below to unlock and read this captivating journey through time.
Click here to read the History of the School of Nursing.
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Connections to the Past: Courtney Adkins Captures Nursing Legacy
When Courtney Adkins ’26, a Studio Art and Emerging Media major at Capital University, received an email from her professor, she didn’t expect it would lead to one of the most meaningful projects of her college career. Professor Mia Smith reached out with an opportunity to create a commissioned painting in celebration of the School of Nursing’s 75th anniversary. The resulting work, “Connections to the Past,” would become both a tribute to the university’s long-standing nursing program and a reflection of Adkins’s own artistic journey.
The Capital University School of Nursing 75th Anniversary Limited Edition Signed Prints are now available for purchase. Titled Connections To The Past, by Courtney Adkins, this artwork is a beautiful depiction of the pinning ceremony at graduation. Order a copy while supplies last.
| | Fall 2025 Pinning Ceremony | | |
We are incredibly proud of our nursing graduates as they celebrate this meaningful milestone at our December Pinning Ceremony. Their dedication, resilience, and compassion have prepared them for bright futures of service and leadership in the nursing profession. We know they will make a profound difference in every life they touch as they step forward into their rewarding careers.To read the program, click here.
Fall 2025 Graduates
Rachel Alexandra Pfeffer
Emily Prosser
Olivia Spillers
Hannah Ware
| | Students Provide Hearing and Vision Screenings | | |
Four community nursing students from Capital recently conducted hearing and vision screenings for Eastmoor Academy’s freshmen and juniors, serving more than 140 students in a single visit. Throughout the day, the atmosphere was warm and encouraging. During one screening, a lighthearted exchange captured the spirit of the experience:
Nursing student: “How is your hearing?”
EA student: “My hearing is 50/50… depends on my focus.”
Nursing student: “Hear we go! I believe in you!”
The visit was a meaningful opportunity for our students to practice their skills while supporting the health and confidence of local teens.
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This year in Nursing 110, students have been focusing on their own wellness by exploring what it means to value and care for themselves as they navigate early adulthood. The course has always emphasized holism and self-care, but this year students are engaging in weekly journal prompts that make self-development and self-understanding a priority. By reflecting on topics such as the difference between cynicism and optimistic skepticism, evaluating their progress on a behavior change they’ve chosen to pursue, or simply listing 10 things they’ve been grateful for in a given week, students are encouraged to recognize their emotions and reflect intentionally on their personal growth.
In one journal assignment, students selected an inspiring quote that resonated with them and explained why. This collection of quotes was then transformed into a bulletin board to share these motivating messages with the wider community.
| | Nursing 419 Information Literacy and Infographic Project | | Students in N419 were tasked with creating a newsletter and infographic on telehealth, and their work truly impressed. The projects were so well done that Professor Emily Chovanec selected several to be showcased on our Student Projects board, highlighting the creativity and insight our nursing students bring to emerging trends in healthcare. | | Our 2025 Homecoming Queen, Lauren Afrifa | | |
Capital is proud to celebrate senior nursing student Lauren Afrifa, this year’s Homecoming Queen! Known for her kindness, dedication, and commitment to service, Lauren has earned deep respect across campus.
Whether supporting classmates, caring for patients during clinicals, or leading through student organizations, Lauren brings compassion and excellence to everything she does. Fellow student Natalie Suich shared, “Lauren is one of the most hardworking, compassionate, and genuine people I know.”
Lauren has made the President’s List every semester, served as a senior resident assistant, received the Josephine T. Hickey Award for Clinical Excellence in Nursing, and was recently inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Congratulations, Lauren, on this well-deserved honor! To view photos of Homecoming 2025, click here.
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Students in N463 participated in a respiratory distress simulation led by adjunct faculty member Natalie Cosgrove. During the exercise, students identified signs of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and practiced escalating care to support effective gas exchange. In this scenario, they prepared for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, valuable hands-on experience that strengthens their clinical readiness.
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This fall, students joined us for a festive Halloween celebration! The Nourished program treated students to Chipotle, desserts, and pumpkin decorating, while faculty transformed the hallways and FULD Lab into a fun, spooky space.
The Nourished program, created by faculty, fosters student connection through shared meals and quality time together, hosting events a few times each year.
Click here to watch an Instagram reel.
| | Ohio Student Nurses Association Conference | | |
In October, members of the Capital University Student Nurses Association (CUSNA) attended the Ohio Student Nurses Association (OhSNA) conference. They heard from keynote speaker Dr. Amy Acton, former director of Ohio’s Department of Health.
Congratulations to Capital student Kristen Pfaff, who received a scholarship from the American Nurses Association of Ohio!
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Faculty from the School of Nursing attended the Sigma Biennial Convention in Indianapolis, connecting with nurse leaders from around the world. The sessions highlighted innovative scholarship, leadership, and clinical practice, and provided opportunities to network across specialties. Attendees even got to “be the I in Sigma," a fun reminder of the global impact and reach of the nursing profession.
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