Students from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s six colleges will receive their degrees during the Spring Commencement ceremonies Monday, May 12, at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.
Joy E. Fleming, a student in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, is one of 821 graduates expected to walk across the stage Monday. She is receiving her second degree from UT Health Science Center.
“I graduated in 2007 from UT Health Science Center with my bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. However, I decided to pursue nursing because I wanted to expand my experience in health care and because I love the many opportunities that nursing provides, especially the ability to pursue higher education, with my end goal being a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree,” Fleming said.
Coming from a family of nurses, Fleming was always told nursing is a calling. Her calling came following the COVID-19 pandemic, when she was moved to pursue a career where she could play a more active and comprehensive role in helping others. She began taking prerequisite classes while working and applied to the UT Health Science Center College of Nursing’s BSN program in the spring of 2023.
“My experience here has been simultaneously challenging and rewarding,” Fleming said. Currently employed as a hospital student intern, she plans on continuing as a registered nurse and applying to the College of Nursing’s DNP program with a focus on family practice and psychiatric mental health.
Haley Bernard, also a 2025 BSN graduate, chose to complete her degree at UT Health Science Center after working in surgical office management for over a decade. “I was attracted to UT Health Science Center’s BSN program because of its dedication to training health care professionals who are both empathetic leaders and skilled clinicians. It is the highest-ranked school in the state and a top national institution with outstanding NCLEX pass rates. The faculty is fully committed to their students’ success and goes out of their way to provide support,” Bernard said.
Graduating College of Medicine student Dalton Hill moved to Tennessee for medical school after feeling a strong connection during a visit to UT Health Science Center. “The sense of community I gleaned could not have been more present. I come from a family with no one in medicine, so a sense of support amongst peers and mentorship from faculty was paramount to navigating uncharted territory,” he said. “These things at UT Health Science Center have been crucial in jump-starting the beginning of my journey as a physician.”
The Class of 2025 includes 230 students from the College of Health Professions, 174 from the College of Medicine, 136 from the College of Dentistry, 123 from the College of Pharmacy, 113 the College of Nursing, and 45 from the College of Graduate Health Sciences. Additionally, 64 students from the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology will graduate Wednesday in Knoxville.
Chancellor Peter Buckley, MD, will confer the degrees Monday at each of the four ceremonies, which will stream live on the UT Health Science Center Commencement website. The ceremony schedule is as follows:
- 8:45 a.m. – College of Graduate Health Sciences, College of Health Professions, College of Nursing
- Keynote Speaker: UT System President Randy Boyd
- Student Speaker: Maggie Bohm
- Alumni Speaker: Mike Griffin
- 12:00 p.m. – College of Medicine
- Keynote Speaker: Sara L. Cross, MD
- Class Speaker: Grace Anne Holladay
- Alumni Speaker: Jessica Ruffin, MD
- 3:15 p.m. – College of Dentistry
- Keynote Speaker: Henry McKay, DDS
- Class Speakers: Hayden Rash, Lydia Grace Hulett
- Alumni Speaker: Rick Guthrie
- 6:00 p.m. – College of Pharmacy
- Keynote Speaker: Shanea A. McKinney, PharmD
- Student Speaker: Christian Phillips
- Alumni Speaker: Kara Fortune, PharmD
The Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology’s commencement ceremony will take place Wednesday, May 14, at 3:30 p.m. EDT, on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, campus.