Valeanna Adams loved science from a young age and majored in biology at Lane College, where she graduated in 2022 with the highest grade-point average in the Natural and Physical Sciences Division.
As she approached graduation, Adams told one of her Lane professors that she wished she had more time in school because she was interested in nursing. That’s when she learned about the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Nursing’s Partnership Enrollment Program (PEP). Because Lane is one of the college’s partners, the college guarantees Lane students admission to its accelerated and traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs if they meet academic requirements.
Adams was admitted in fall 2023 and completed the 12-month accelerated BSN program, graduating in August 2024. She is the first PEP student to participate in the Bridge program, which guarantees PEP graduates of the college a seat in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. She will enter the program this fall.
“Valeanna was an exceptional student who demonstrated dedication to her education,” said Assistant Professor Trina Barrett, DNP, RN, CCRN, CNE, concentration coordinator of the college’s accelerated BSN. “Her positive attitude is infectious, inspiring her classmates. Her commitment to her academic pursuits and her ability to maintain a positive attitude make her a standout student and professional nurse.”
Adams said nursing school was challenging. “I knew I had to get a certain GPA, and I focused on my studies a lot. Making good grades and learning to be a great nurse were my priorities.” She now works as a mother/baby nurse at a hospital in Memphis.
Adams will enter one of the college’s dual DNP programs. The dual program enables the graduate to take certification exams as both a family nurse practitioner and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. “I didn’t want to limit myself,” she said. “I want to have versatility, and I want to treat patients of all ages.”
Associate Professor Jami S. Brown, DHEd, MSN, RN, CNN, FANNA, said Adams’s dedication to learning made a lasting impression. “I had no doubt she would maintain her unwavering commitment to making a difference and would significantly impact the nursing profession.”
U.S. News and World Report ranks the College of Nursing No. 25 in the nation for DNP programs. But the college was a great fit for Adams for two more reasons: it is close to her hometown of Oakland in Fayette County, and it offers a rural health education component that aligns with her interests as a long-time resident of a rural area. As a BSN student, Adams earned a designation as a rural and underserved nurse by completing extra educational modules and 80 field experience hours in rural areas.
“The Rural Health program was so much fun. I really enjoyed it,” she said. “People in rural areas don’t have the resources that people in the city have, like hospitals. It was great to be able to help residents of those areas, especially on the mobile health unit.”
Adams has big plans for her role as nurse practitioner. “I really want to give back to my community, Fayette County, and the Mid-South. I want to help underserved people and start a non-profit organization that provides resources to them. I also want to advocate for mental health,” she said.
Applications are open for the DNP program at the College of Nursing. The priority application deadline is April 1, and the final application deadline is May 1. All those who complete an application by the priority deadline will receive a $500 scholarship.