First Doctor of Nursing Practice Cohort to Graduate from N.C. A&T

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (May 8, 2026) — The inaugural Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in Transformative Nursing Leadership cohort at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will make history today as it graduates, marking a milestone as the program’s first class to complete the degree.

The graduate commencement ceremony will be today, May 8, at 6 p.m. in First Horizon Coliseum at the Greensboro Complex, 1921 W. Gate City Blvd.

“This inaugural cohort represents a defining moment for N.C. A&T and nursing education at the nation’s largest historically Black university,” said Tiffany Morris, DNP, M.S. Ed., MSN, BSN, director of Nursing and Clara Adams-Ender Endowed Associate Professor of Nursing. “These scholars have not only earned the terminal degree in nursing practice, they have made history.

“At the School of Nursing, excellence is our standard and advancing healthcare in underserved areas is our mission. This inaugural DNP class embodies both, and their impact will be felt in classrooms, clinics and communities for generations to come.”

The Transformative Nursing Leadership track of the DNP program prepares nurses for advanced clinical practice and leadership through an interdisciplinary, hybrid curriculum focused on health equity, social justice, emerging technologies, workforce diversity and improved access to care. It equips graduates to address complex health care challenges and disparities while strengthening leadership in underserved communities.

“It's imperative that we be successful because we are the first and because we are an HBCU,” said inaugural cohort member LaToya Lucas, MSN, APRN, NP-C, CEO and founder of Lucas Exceptional Healthcare and Consultation. “It’s important that we set the standard and encourage other people to continue our legacy in continuing to educate African American nurses and other nurses of color to be able to continue to give back to our community.”

Members of the inaugural cohort have already demonstrated exceptional scholarly achievement, with eight of the 15 students having their Quality Improvement abstracts accepted for presentation at national and international conferences.

Among those recognized, Michelle Shaw had her abstract accepted for presentation at the World Congress Nursing Education & Practice, Melody Austin was selected to present at the International Nursing Research Congress, and Zenobia Frazier’s work was chosen for the 4th Edition of the Global Conference on Gynecology & Women’s Health. Their accomplishments reflect the excellence and transformative leadership that define the program and signal the meaningful impact these graduates are poised to make in nursing practice and healthcare leadership following graduation.

“A lot of the program focused on how we could really influence and impact change, centered around, you know, policy and decision making,” said Zenobia Frazier, MBA, RN, CCM, inaugural cohort member. “It was one thing to educate us, but they really encouraged us to drive for change at that system level, to be nursing leaders and advocates in the community and for health and outcomes.”

Students felt empowered by the program’s impact on their professional development, noting that it strengthened their commitment to health equity advocacy, advanced their leadership skills, and expanded their networks through engagement with senior health system leaders, including C-suite executives.

“This was still a rigorous program that developed leadership skills as a DNP, and teaches you how to build on that research so you can make a bigger impact in whatever healthcare setting you’re in,” said Sydney Robinson, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC, DNP student and pediatric clinical instructor.

As the inaugural cohort prepares to graduate during the university’s commencement ceremony today, it leaves the program positioned to advance into leadership roles across clinical practice, academia and health systems.

“The establishment of the DNP program reflects A&T’s commitment to strategic workforce development in areas that enhance access to healthcare in all communities,” said Elimelda Moige Ongeri, Ph.D., dean of the John R. and Kathy R. Hairston College of Health and Human Sciences, where the School of Nursing is housed. “A second track of the DNP program trains nurse practitioners in psychiatry and mental health, with the first cohort of students in this BSN-DNP track expected to graduate in the spring of 2027.”

These accomplishments mark the beginning of a new era for the DNP program at A&T, one defined by innovation, equity and transformative impact on the future of nursing.