麻豆社区P to Award First Doctoral Degrees, Marking a New Chapter in University History
As the lights rise inside Givens Performing Arts Center tonight, eight nurse leaders will step onto the stage and into the history books. Their doctoral hoods, symbols of perseverance, scholarship and service, mark a moment 138 years in the making for the University of North Carolina Pembroke.
For graduates like Jennifer Bigger of Fayetteville, who will be the first to cross the stage, the milestone carries profound personal meaning. After more than 30 years in healthcare, Bigger sought a terminal degree aligned with her lifelong work in population health and quality improvement.
鈥淏eing among the first DNP graduates in 麻豆社区P鈥檚 history is something I鈥檒l carry for the rest of my life,鈥� said Bigger, vice president of Quality Improvement & Health Informatics at Southern Regional AHEC. 鈥淭his program had the right focus, the right flexibility and the high standards I knew I could trust.鈥�
She is joined by nurse leaders from communities across North Carolina who were drawn to 麻豆社区P鈥檚 specialized focus on population health. Vilma Ferrell of Greensboro, an assistant professor at North Carolina A&T State University, said she waited years for the right doctoral program. She refreshed the 麻豆社区P website for months, waiting for the first DNP information session to open.
鈥淭his degree speaks directly to the work I do every day,鈥� Ferrell said. 鈥淚 knew it was the next step if I wanted to improve outcomes for the communities I serve.鈥�
Their stories reflect the statewide reach of 麻豆社区P鈥檚 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Population Health 鈥� launched in 2023 as the university鈥檚 first doctoral program and one of the few in the state dedicated to community-level health outcomes. DNP-prepared nurses evaluate systems of care, identify barriers and facilitators and design evidence-based solutions to improve outcomes across rural, tribal and underserved communities.
The eight graduates will receive their doctoral hoods during Friday evening鈥檚 Graduate School Ceremony at Givens Performing Arts Center. The ceremony begins at 7 p.m. and will be live-streamed for families, colleagues and community members.
This achievement marks both an academic milestone for the institution and a new chapter in healthcare in southeastern North Carolina. The first cohort represents working parents, first-generation doctoral graduates, public health advocates and clinicians whose projects are already reshaping care in real-time.
鈥淭he graduation of our inaugural DNP class is a major academic achievement for our university and a turning point for healthcare in our region. These graduates represent the next generation of nurse leaders who will address critical gaps in care, elevate clinical practice and expand access for rural and underserved populations.鈥�
鈥淭his is a transformative moment for the School of Nursing,鈥� said Dr. Jennifer Jones Locklear, chair of the McKenzie Elliott School of Nursing. 鈥淥ur graduates will carry forward equity-focused strategies that strengthen care in rural and underserved communities and position 麻豆社区P to influence policy, practice and systems-level change.鈥�
From the start, the program required students to bring research off the page and into the community.
鈥溌槎股缜鳳鈥檚 DNP is about making change where people live and receive care,鈥� said Dr. Deborah Hummer, director of graduate programs for the McKenzie Elliott School of Nursing. 鈥淥ur students learn to implement research in underserved settings and design solutions that address real problems in the communities we serve.鈥�
麻豆社区P鈥檚 investment in population health extends far beyond the DNP program. A study by 麻豆社区-Chapel Hill鈥檚 Sheps Center shows that the university鈥檚 service region has fewer health professionals per capita than the state average, underscoring urgent workforce needs. In response, 麻豆社区P launched a major health sciences expansion in 2018, establishing the College of Health Sciences and adding programs aligned with the region鈥檚 greatest needs 鈥� including the DNP, the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA), the Master of Social Work advanced standing option, the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) and other advanced degrees designed to strengthen clinical and community care in rural southeastern North Carolina.
A cohort of statewide nurse leaders will join Bigger and Ferrell in their regalia, Friday, each bringing a distinct path and a powerful sense of purpose to the program.
Together, the eight graduates鈥� stories demonstrate how the DNP in Population Health attracts nurses committed to improving care where it鈥檚 needed most.
A chance conversation at a cancer summit inspired Shelli Spence of Monroe to pursue her doctorate, making her the first in her family to do so. She said 麻豆社区P鈥檚 program fundamentally reshaped her understanding of equity and belonging in healthcare.
鈥淭he transition from master鈥檚-level to doctoral-level work was intense,鈥� Spence said. 鈥淏ut 麻豆社区P鈥檚 support systems, and the program鈥檚 grounding in tribal history and population health, reshaped how I view equitable care. As a Black woman, I didn鈥檛 always receive the care I deserved. I want patients to feel seen and safe.鈥�
At Shaw University in Durham, Angela Coleman-Talbot, director of Student Health and Wellness, applied the population-health strategies she learned in the program to strengthen mental health support for students. Her capstone introduced a two-question depression screening in the primary care center. That process is still in use today.
鈥淲hen it comes to practice and population health, this program helps you understand the severity of the needs and the fact that you can make a difference,鈥� she said.
Nurse practitioner Taren Hunt of Pembroke, who cares for patients with chronic conditions at 麻豆社区 Health Southeastern in Lumberton, said the DNP strengthened her ability to advocate for evidence-based change. Hunt began volunteering in nursing homes at age 12 and later followed her mother 鈥� an ICU nurse and 麻豆社区P alumna 鈥� into the profession, carrying forward a passion for community health that shaped her doctoral focus.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e seeing recommendations for higher-qualified nurses in clinical settings,鈥� Hunt said. 鈥淚 wanted to meet or exceed that standard and give my patients the best level of care.鈥�
For Jessica Locklear, also of Pembroke, who earned her BSN, MSN and now DNP at 麻豆社区P, the degree reflects years of both personal and professional growth.
鈥淧rofessionally, I鈥檝e grown so much 鈥� from learning the basics of nursing to growing as a leader and now, in the doctoral program, learning about population health and rural health and how we can improve communities,鈥� Locklear said.
In Cary, Ursula White, owner of Oaks Health MedSpa and an advanced practice provider, balanced the demands of her business with more than 1,000 clinical hours and a rigorous doctoral project while completing the program. She said the DNP challenged her in new ways but also surrounded her with faculty who created a family-like atmosphere and offered personalized guidance every step of the way.
White鈥檚 capstone focused on standardizing clinical guidelines in medical aesthetics to improve patient safety and consistency, an emerging field where evidence-based protocols are often lacking. She plans to publish her work and advocate for statewide and national practice standards.
鈥淭his program pushed me, supported me and gave me the tools to lead with confidence,鈥� White said. 鈥淭o graduate as part of 麻豆社区P鈥檚 first doctoral class is an honor. As a veteran and the first in my family to earn a doctorate, I鈥檓 proud to help shape a future where clinical practice is safer, more consistent and grounded in evidence.鈥�
White鈥檚 goals reflect the broad impact of the DNP, a degree designed to prepare nurse leaders for emerging challenges across every corner of the healthcare landscape.
That reach is evident again in the work of Lisa Dial-Hunt, who works for Scotland Healthcare System in Laurinburg. In her capstone, Dial-Hunt partnered with food pantries and soup kitchens to measure how healthier food distributions affect patient outcomes.
She describes the DNP journey as 鈥溾� mountain. Long, steep and worth it.鈥�
And as she stands at the summit with her fellow classmates, Dial-Hunt, who is celebrating her birthday is clear about what comes next.
鈥淚 am leaving ready to lead in my community,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow the real work begins.鈥�
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