May 15, 2026
The UNC School of Nursing celebrated its spring Commencement exercises May 8, 2026, amid National Nurses Week with nearly 200 students crossing the stage, 132 of whom were completing their first degree in nursing (BSN).
“Graduates, as you celebrate this milestone, you join a remarkable legacy of leadership, service and dedication to advancing health for all,” said Professor and Dean Valerie Howard. “For decades, Carolina Nurses have shaped the future of health care with skill, compassion and determination, and now you take your place in that proud and enduring tradition.”
The celebration included 31 MSN graduates and 34 earning their doctoral degrees, including 28 DNP students and six who completed their Ph.D. The program also recognized the 112 students who will complete their degrees in July 2026 with three Ph.D., three DNP, one MSN student, and 105 Accelerated Bachelor of Nursing Science (ABSN) students.
This year’s speaker was Brandi Newman, BSN ’01, MSN ’04, senior vice president of community and strategic operations and chief of staff for consumer and social impact at Advocate Health, the nation’s third largest health system.
“Twenty-five years ago, I sat exactly where you are sitting right now — a proud BSN graduate of this very school, heart full of hope, ready to step into the world,” Newman said. “And if I could go back and whisper one thing to that version of myself, it would be this: Trust the voice. It will never steer you wrong.”
Newman told the Class of 2026 that they have now been tested by one of the finest nursing schools in the world and have proven themselves. She encouraged to listen to the voice that tells them, “There is more,” and to carry the light forward.
“Carry it into hospital rooms and operating suites. Carry it into communities and boardrooms. Carry it into the places that need it most—the places no one else is willing to go. Lead with a light so bright that everyone who sees you says, ‘That must be a Carolina nurse,’” said Newman.
Schquthia Peacock, BSN ‘92 and MSN ’99, and the Chair of the School of Nursing Alumni Association presented the Carolina Nursing Alumni Awards to Yolanda M. VanRiel, PhD ’09, Betsy M. Bradshaw, BSN ’74, Louise Fleming, PhD ’16, Emily D. Murray, BSN ’21. Read more about the recipients here.
“Receiving your Carolina Nursing degree is a lifelong distinction. Class of 2026, we are so proud of you,” Peacock reminded the new graduates. “We welcome you to the Alumni Association, and I wish you much success in your future endeavors.”
Howard also recognized two special guests at Commencement — Jacci Jacobs, UNC Hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer, and Nicole Kolacz, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at UNC Health Rex — and Tanjida Shamsuddin, BSN ’26, of the Student Governance Council recognized student leaders who have been part of the School’s many service and leadership organizations.
In closing, Howard reminded the graduates that they are lifelong learners, inviting them to “Go forward, and make us proud as Carolina Nurses.”
“Honored graduates, you have now transitioned from students to cherished alumni of the School of Nursing as well as valued colleagues to those of us who have been privileged to be part of your educational journeys,” she said. “We hope you will return to Carolina often and hold dear the memories and friendships you made while you were among us.”
