Alumni

Vanderbilt alumni can be found all over the world, with more than 12,000 living and working in all 50 states, 19 countries and military bases around the globe. No matter how far you go, we want you to remain active members of our community. Check out alumni benefits, take part in events and activities and stay connected.

Utilize Your Alumni Benefits

VUSN graduates are Vanderbilt for life. Make sure we have your current email address so you can receive benefits such as lifetime library and subscription access, invitations to events and activities, opportunities to engage and more.

Upcoming Events

Enjoy Reunion

The School of Nursing invites nursing alumni to visit the school, connect with former classmates and enjoy a weekend of activity during Vanderbilt’s annual Reunion every fall. Highlights include the VUSN Alumni Board Awards and a special celebration of our Quinqs, those who graduated 50 or more years ago.

Help Current VUSN Students

Become a preceptor

No student became a nurse without preceptors. Pay it forward by being a Vanderbilt preceptor. You’ll impact future nurses and make difference in their lives and those of their patients.

Interested in finding out more? Let us know and we’ll be in touch.

Share clinical placement opportunities near you

No matter when you graduated from VUSN or what your degree is, you probably know people in your town or field who would be excellent preceptors. Please refer those individuals or organizations to our Clinical Placement Office, 615-322-3684.

Share job opportunities in your business and community

If you’re aware of openings in your business or community, please contact Alumni Relations at vusn-alumninursing@vanderbilt.edu or 615-322-4836, or post listings at vuconnect.com.

Speak to a class about your expertise

There’s nothing like real world experience! What knowledge can you share that not found in books or videos? Consider presenting to a class in person or online. Call 615-322-4836 to volunteer.

Stay Connected

Vanderbilt Nurse Magazine

Published twice a year online and in print, Vanderbilt Nurse offers engaging features, in-depth articles, memorable stories and the latest about the school and fellow alumni.

Learn More

VUSNews

This email newsletter comes straight to alumni from the School of Nursing 10 times a year. VUSNews provides the latest news and events as well recent alumni news. If you don't receive it and would like to, email VUSN Communications.

Learn More

VUConnect

Vanderbilt’s online alumni community offers directory services and opportunities to stay connected to your classmates.

Learn More

VUSN AmbassaDore

Support the activities of the Alumni Association as well as the offices of Alumni Relations, Enrollment Management, Student Affairs and the Dean.

Apply Here

Class Notes

Let your friends and classmates know what has been happening in your life. Class Notes are printed twice a year in Vanderbilt Nurse Magazine and online on this page. We would love to hear what you've been up to. Please contact us at vusn-alumninursing@vanderbilt.edu or 615-322-4836. And when posting on social media, please tag us. #VUSN

Alumni Association

Every VUSN graduate is a member of the VUSN Alumni Association. The association and its board of directors advocate for the success of the school, its alumni and students, and the nursing profession. Committed to the success of its diverse community of present and future alumni, the association provides professional, academic, mentoring and social opportunities that strengthen each person’s experience and the overall community.

  • How to Get Involved

    Here are ways you can stay connected to VUSN

    • Update Class Notes: Every VUSN graduate has exciting things happening, both professionally and personally. Class Notes is an opportunity to learn what other alumni are doing and share news about yourself. We’d love to hear from you! To submit news, contact us at vusn-alumninursing@vanderbilt.edu or call 615-322-4836.
    • Follow and tag VUSN on social media: The School has a presence on:
    • Register for VUConnect: Vanderbilt’s online alumni community offers directory services and opportunities to stay connected to your classmates. Activate your account and build alumni networking relationships, explore nursing job postings and find a VU alumni chapter near you for fun and educational events. Contact Alumni Relations for help registering.
    • Be a preceptor: Sharing your knowledge and experience is an invaluable way to contribute to the education of Vanderbilt nursing students. Please email our Clinical Placement Office or call 615-322-3684 when you are interested in serving as a preceptor to a current MSN student.
    • Help a student find placement in your area: No matter when you graduated from VUSN or what your degree is, you probably know people in your town or field who would be excellent preceptors. Please refer those individuals or organizations to our Clinical Placement Office, 615-322-3684.
    • Nominate graduates and friends for Alumni Association awards: The Alumni Board presents nine awards at Reunion. Chances are that you know an outstanding graduate or friend of the profession of nursing who deserves to be recognized. More information can be found here.
    • Host/attend regional activities: There are VUSN graduates all over the globe, maybe even close to you. And they love an excuse to get together! If you’re interested in organizing and/or hosting an event in your area, please click here or call 615-322-4836.
    • Hire a graduate: If you’re aware of openings in your business or community, please contact Alumni Relations at vusn-alumninursing@vanderbilt.edu or 615-322-4836, or post listings at vuconnect.com.
    • Speak to a class about your expertise and experiences: There’s nothing like real world experience! What knowledge can you share that not found in books or videos? Consider presenting to a class in person or online. Click here or call 615-322-4836 to volunteer.
    • Be a VUSN AmbassaDore: Support the activities of the Alumni Association as well as the offices of Alumni Relations, Enrollment Management, Student Affairs and the Dean, by committing to at least one of the following projects. Apply here.
      • Speak with a prospective student via email, phone or in person to answer questions and share experiences as a student and alumnus.
      • Attend an on-campus Alumni Board event (such as Know Your Value) to greet and mingle with attendees, and support the event’s objective.
      • Join an event hosted by the School (Admitted Student Day, Orientation, Pinning, a reception at a national conference, etc.) to help with registration and socialize with attendees.
      • Welcome and assist an alumnus who is new to your area by email, phone or in person.
      • Identify three (3) strong candidates as preceptor sites for students.
      • Lend your name to letters and contact class/specialty-mates to encourage attendance at Reunion events and support of class giving goals.
      • Promote VUSN news like award nominations, Giving Day, Reunion and alumni speakers on social media.
      • Assist the Alumni Office by researching employment status and contact information of 50 class/specialty-mates.
    • Join the Alumni Board: All School of Nursing graduates are members of the VUSN Alumni Association, which advocates for the success of the School, its alumni and students, as well as the nursing profession. 
  • Board of Directors

    Vision statement: The VUSN Alumni Association enriches the success of a diverse community of present and future alumni by providing professional, academic, social and mentoring opportunities that strengthen each person’s experience and the overall community. The association advocates for the success of the School, its alumni and students, as well as the nursing profession.

    All School of Nursing graduates are members of the VUSN Alumni Association. To find out how to get involved as a volunteer or leader, send an email to the Alumni Board president at vusn-alumninursing@vanderbilt.edu or fill out a contact form.

    The Board of Directors steers the activities and interests of the Alumni Association. Members are nominated and approved by the current Board. Board members for 2023-24 are:

    • President: Ekom Essien, MSN’14, BS’10, pediatric nurse practitioner at Maple City Health Care Center, and adjunct professor at Goshen College in Indiana
    • President Elect: Stephanie Abbu, DNP, MSN’12, manager of neonatal services at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt
    • Past-President: Joanie Laughlin Jeannette, DNP’23, MSN’04, BSN’83, associate operating officer at Vanderbilt University Adult Hospital Medical Segment
    • Nancy Sinclair Brook, MSN’91, orthopedic surgical oncology nurse practitioner at Stanford Hospital and Clinics in Los Altos, California
    • Valerie Griffin, DNP, MSN’95, director of nurse practitioner specializations and associate professor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing; nurse practitioner in pediatric primary care and at a local health department in the Saint Louis area; and medical director of a foster care facility in southern Illinois
    • Kristen Hughes, MSN’23, pediatric nurse practitioner in Palmdale, California
    • Chinassa Iwuoha, MSN’17, BS’16, pediatric nurse practitioner at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
    • Stephanie Kress, DNP/PMC student, MSN’22, board certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner and licensed clinical social worker at Freeman Health Partners in Dickson, Tennessee, and PMHNP at Brightside Health in Franklin
    • Matt Martin, DNP’14, MSN’12, division vice president for quality at Mission Health/HCA Healthcare North Carolina Division in Asheville
    • Mark D. Miller, DNP’24, MSN’22, executive nurse practitioner at Acute Call OnCall in Nashville, nursing faculty/AGACNP co-coordinator at King University in Bristol, and board director of Government Affairs for the Tennessee Nurses Association (2024-2025)
    • Alexis Myers, MSN’17, BA’14, adolescent medicine nurse practitioner at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and PhD student at Marquette University College of Nursing
    • Hannah Nolte, PhD’23, MSN’17, BA’15, psychiatric nurse practitioner at Empowered Heart Integrative Mental Health Care in Nashville, and clinical assistant professor at University of Alabama in Huntsville College of Nursing
    • Imelda Reyes, DNP’12, associate dean of advanced education and professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas School of Nursing
    • Micah Skeens, PhD’18, principal investigator at Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, and assistant professor of pediatrics and assistant professor of nursing at Ohio State University in Columbus
    • Benjamin Smallheer, PhD’11, MSN’04, associate professor and assistant dean of the MSN program at Duke University School of Nursing in Durham, North Carolina
    • Kelli Wray, DNP’17, Chief Nursing Officer at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas
    • Liaison from VUSN Graduate Council: Clay Gaddis, Chair
    • Representative on Vanderbilt Alumni Board: Tiffany Street, DNP’18, MSN’03, associate nursing officer at Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute
Betsey Usher

Betsey Usher

Senior Director, Alumni Relations
178 School of Nursing
Phone: 615-322-4836

Email