Saint Leo University’s First Nursing Students Ready To Graduate, Meet Growing Need In Health Care

They are the first. They made it through their general classes, passed CPR and additional tests, and achieved the minimum 3.3 GPA to become nursing students their junior year. Then they studied, worked in health care, learned to draw blood and give injections, practiced their skills, and studied some more. Now, they will be Saint Leo University’s first graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. 

Twelve students make up the first cohort to graduate from the University’s nursing program. They are: Nathanael Allen, Wesley Chapel, FL, Wharton High School, Tampa, FL; Kimberly Cotal, Spring Hill, FL, Central High School, Brooksville, FL; Mekhai Dinnard, Wesley Chapel, Wesley Chapel High School; Emily Edwards, Cape Cod, MA, Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School; Martina Encomienda, Wesley Chapel FL, Cypress Creek High School; Emily Gray, North Kingstown, RI, North Kingstown High School; Emma Hayhurst, Merrimack, NH, Bishop Guertin High School, Nashua, NH; Grace Lundfelt, Land O’ Lakes High School; Laynee Marsee, Dade City, FL, Pasco High School; Alexis Musser, Dade City, FL, Pasco High School; Brenna Reinhard, Tarpon Springs, FL, East Lake High School; and Ava Valenti, Manorville, NY, Eastport-South Manor High School.

“They didn’t simply meet the expectations of our program; they helped shape them,” said faculty member Paige Porter, who holds a Master of Science in nursing with a specialization in nursing education. “Their legacy sets the standard for those who will follow in their footsteps.”

Program’s Beginnings

Not only did the University recognize the need for nurses when it launched the bachelor’s degree in 2021, but so did the Florida Legislature, Gov. Ron DeSantis, area health care and government leaders, and several generous donors. They provided additional funds to build the program and create learning spaces for the future health professionals. In February 2025, Saint Leo held the grand opening (postponed from the fall because of Hurricane Milton) for its new nursing space on the second floor of Benedictine Hall, which includes two conference rooms, two classrooms, five offices, three simulation rooms, one assessment room, one simulation control room, nursing lab, lounge, and study spaces. 

“Our simulations were very well thought out and creative, using the most up-to-date technology, allowing us to experience certain health situations such as delivering babies and providing wound care,” said senior Laynee Marsee, of the opportunities provided by the new simulation rooms and equipment.

Self-Care Equals Better Patient Care

Four themes are embedded in Saint Leo’s nursing courses: evidence-based practice, interprofessional communication, culture of health, and clinician well-being. Saint Leo’s nursing students not only are learning how to take care of others, but they’re also learning to take care of themselves.

Dr. Kathleen Van Eerden, dean of the College of Health Professions, who also is a registered nurse, noted that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, “we saw many nurses leave the profession. We saw how important it was for nurses to be resilient and to manage stress.”

She said it was important for Saint Leo’s program to help students build the skills they need to be happy in their choice so that they have a long career in nursing.

“Understanding that nursing has a high probability of burnout and compassion fatigue can help me be more aware of work-life balance and taking breaks when I need them,” said soon-to-be nursing graduate Nathanael Allen. 

The focus on clinician well-being is important to the Class of 2025. “It’s made a difference in how I handle my stress,” said Mekhai Dinnard, who balanced her studies with working two to three jobs — as a nurse extern at Moffitt Cancer Center and as a registered behavior technician working with children on the autism spectrum. “Nursing school is hard and being a new- graduate nurse will be extremely hard as well, especially in the beginning. It’s important that I prioritize my mental health in order to give the best care possible to my patients.”

Unique Approach to Nursing Education

During Spring Semester 2024, the nursing program’s then-juniors embarked on new journey in clinical education and gained one-on-one training with nurse preceptors (mentors) at AdventHealth Zephyrhills (FL).  Thanks to a partnership between the University and AdventHealth, an innovative Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) was created to prepare train future nurses and possible employees. In the typical clinical model, a nursing instructor in the hospital mentors eight nursing students, and each student initially is assigned to one patient. But with the DEU model, because the student is paired with their mentor, the student actually works alongside that nurse, who usually is assigned a caseload of patients. Saint Leo students worked side-by-side for 12-hour shifts with their mentors and University nursing instructor Porter. 

In 2025, the DEU program expanded to include AdventHealth Dade City. 

“I chose Saint Leo’s nursing program because of its dedication to building a brand new nursing program that is committed to excellence and student success,” Emma Hayhurst said. “The program's emphasis on hands-on clinical experience with the DEU preceptorship model and a supportive learning environment aligns perfectly with my goals as a future nurse.” 

For Ava Valenti, her favorite part of the nursing program was the clinicals. “Especially the DEU where I got to apply everything I learned in real time with a single preceptor,” she said. “The hands-on experience made the lectures come to life and helped me build confidence in my skills.” 

Saint Leo’s senior nursing students found the DEU experience with AdventHealth invaluable. “Our preceptors went out of their way to teach us everything they could and let us gain clinical skills,” Brenna Reinhard said. “Using the DEU model, there was never a time we felt unwelcome within our clinical experience.”

Fellow Class of 2025 member Grace Lundfelt added that Saint Leo’s nursing program “gave me courage to have confidence in myself and my skills,” she said. “Doing the DEU program expanded my knowledge and independence in my skills. After completing the DEU program, I felt confident in every unit I went to.”

As the students worked in and learned about various units at AdventHealth Zephyrhills and Dade City, as well as working in behavioral health, community care senior/geriatric care, they gained insight to different types of nursing.

“My most important moments were spent in their [AdventHealth] ICU where I was able to know with confidence that I wanted to pursue that type of nursing,” Martina Encomienda said. “I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to rotate through Critical Care with them.” 

Kimberly Cotal enjoyed her DEU experience as it built a solid foundation for her future career. “I was on Med Surg 3 for two semesters and was with the same preceptor the entire time, who was a wonderful and extremely knowledgeable nurse,” she said. “I liked this approach because we were placed with nurses who actually wanted to teach, rather than being pushed off onto just any nurse, and were able to see what a nurse’s day truthfully consists of.”

Learning about all the opportunities available in the future was key for nursing student Alexis Musser. “I look forward to all of the opportunities to come,” she said. “I feel a sense of security knowing that there are so many different jobs and specialties within the field of nursing. There is never a ‘dead-end.’”

Learning from Each Other

As Saint Leo’s nursing students prepare to graduate on May 7 and enter various health care fields, they’re proud to be the first cohort. “This program taught me that I am far more capable than I ever thought I could be,” said Emily Edwards. “I have learned and experienced more than I thought I would in the short time I have been in the program. It has given me the strength I needed to not only pursue this career, but also find a passion for it.

Emily Gray said she chose Saint Leo’s nursing program because she knew that her education would be tailored to fit her needs. “Through this growing program, students have been encouraged to provide input and express their perspectives,” Gray said. 

But the learning wasn’t all on the part of the students. Porter said she learned “as much from them as I hope they’ve learned from me. They reminded me of the power of perseverance in uncertain moments, the strength found in community, and the incredible transformation that takes place when students begin to believe in themselves.”

What’s Next

The seniors will take part in a pinning ceremony at 10 a.m., Monday, May 5, in the Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms at the Student Community Center. They will receive a pin representing their graduation from Saint Leo University’s nursing program. 

Nursing pinning ceremonies are rooted in history and the ceremony today has ties to Florence Nightingale, known as a founder of modern nursing. For her work during the Crimean War, she was awarded the Red Cross of St. George in the 1860s. Now, Saint Leo’s nursing graduates proudly will wear their pins, indicating they have the skills and compassion to join the field.

Some of the students have accepted positions or have offers locally at AdventHealth, Lakeland Regional Health, Tampa General Hospital, Moffit Cancer Center, and BayCare health care facilities. 

“They are ready — more than ready — to take their place in the world as nurses,” Porter said. “And I’m truly honored to have been part of their story.”