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UAMS Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes addresses the audience during the College of Nursing’s commencement ceremony. Image by Bryan Clifton

UAMS College of Nursing Celebrates Accomplishments of 159 Graduates

May 22, 2026 | The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Nursing held a May 15 commencement ceremony to celebrate the achievements of 159 graduates in the Class of 2026.

Family members, friends, and other well-wishers cheered as the graduates proceeded to their seats at the start of the ceremony, held at the First Pentecostal Church in North Little Rock. The ceremony featured the conferral of degrees as well as the college’s traditional pinning and hooding rites.

Sarah Rhoads, Ph.D., DNP, dean of the College of Nursing, said the commencement ceremony marks both an ending and a beginning. She encouraged the graduates to lead with compassion, stay connected to one another, and never forget the profound difference they make in the lives of their patients.

“As you graduate today, you become part of something that’s much larger — a lifelong community,” she said. “Your relationships, your networks, and your shared experiences will continue to support you throughout your careers.”

UAMS Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., formally accepted Rhoads’ recommendation that degrees be conferred to the graduating class. Barnes said the need for skilled nurses has never been greater, citing workforce shortages and the challenges of rural access and an aging population.

“The knowledge you have gained at UAMS positions you to meet these challenges with confidence and competence,” he said.

Jay Silveria, president of the University of Arkansas System, noted that even the most accomplished students can’t excel entirely on their own. He recognized the teachers, mentors, friends, family members, and others who helped pave the way for the graduates’ success.

“Those of us in higher education know exactly how important it is for every student to have a strong support system,” he said.

The pinning segment of the ceremony honored students graduating with their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees. The pins, part of a tradition that originated in the 1960s, symbolize the graduates’ transition from students to colleagues.

Before the graduates received their pins, members of the Arkansas Nurses Honor Guard took the stage to welcome the Class of 2026 into the profession, ringing a bell that symbolizes a nurse’s call to duty.

Robert Coleman III, a BSN graduate and president of the UAMS chapter of the National Student Nurses’ Association, delivered an undergraduate address that focused on improving longevity in the nursing field. He pointed to a 2024 survey from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in which nearly 40% of registered nurses said they planned to leave the profession by 2029.

Sharing advice he had received from his mentors, Coleman urged his classmates to remember why they’re passionate about their careers, to celebrate their wins, and to remember that they’re not alone.

“Walking out these doors today does not sever the bonds we’ve developed over the past two years,” he said.

Sarah Stamps, a graduate of the College of Nursing’s accelerated BSN program in Northwest Arkansas, told her peers that their dedication and perseverance will be felt by their patients in the years to come.

“You wouldn’t have made it through such rigorous and strenuous programs if you weren’t meant to be exactly where you’re sitting right now,” she said. “As we move into our careers, I want you all to remain the resilient, compassionate people I know you to be.”

In the hooding portion of the ceremony, the College of Nursing recognized graduates of the Master of Nursing Science (MNSc) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs. The use of hoods in academia can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Europe, when the first universities began accepting students for the purpose of higher learning.

Jessica Hodges-Gregory, who completed the college’s BSN-to-DNP program, said she and her classmates endured many struggles but eventually began to thrive, learning to think, lead, and provide care in a different way.

Hodges-Gregory recalled growing up alongside a relative who had special healthcare needs, an experience that inspired her to pursue a career in nursing. But achieving that dream required sacrifice and commitment, Hodges-Gregory said.

After becoming a mother at 17 years old, she balanced parenthood and classwork to earn her BSN and become a registered nurse. Now 40, Hodges-Gregory has taken the next step in her career by obtaining her DNP degree.

“Purpose doesn’t have a timeline, and dreams don’t have an expiration date,” she said.

The ceremony also featured a presentation of awards for students in the College of Nursing. Those were:

Undergraduate awards

• Faculty Gold Key, presented to the BSN graduate who demonstrates academic excellence, leadership in professional and community activities, excellence in nursing practice, and personal and professional growth: Davis Dunkin Crowley and Richard Boles
• Virginia R. Jarratt Award, presented to the BSN graduate who demonstrates scholastic achievement, excellence in the art and science of nursing, awareness of the heritage of nursing and current forces affecting the delivery of health care, and performance that reveals appreciation of nursing as a caring profession: Portia R. Cunningham
• Faculty Award for Outstanding Achievement and Contribution, presented to the BSN graduate who demonstrates exceptional leadership efforts that enhance student/faculty relationships and who encourages other students to participate in their professional organization: Robert Coleman III
• Ina Swetnam Award, presented to the graduate who has achieved scholastic excellence and who demonstrates excellence in the care of maternity patients: Abby Elizabeth Black
• Gloria Rauch Award, which honors the pursuit of excellence in nursing care of children and is presented to the BSN graduate who demonstrates scholastic achievement and excellence in practice with infants, children, and their families: Emma Catherine Fleming
• Daisy in Training Award, presented to seniors in the traditional BSN program who went above and beyond to deliver compassionate care: Portia R. Cunningham and Ryen Laree Ross
• Nightingale Award, presented to the leader who demonstrates a desire to contribute to the nursing profession and has participated in civic and community activities at the state and national level: Portia R. Cunningham
• Nurses’ Nurse Award, for the nurses that you would most like to care for you if you were ill, and whose loyalty lies with the patient first: Bailey Grace Gregory, Hailey DeAnn Thrift, and Stacie Camille Waite
• Nursing Excellence Award, presented to the graduate who demonstrates outstanding class and clinical preparation, confidence, and competence in nursing; who communicates well; who is creative in delivery of care; who looks further than the textbook for answers; and who assists other students when needed: Robert Coleman III
• Most Supportive Student Award, presented to the graduate who supports other students through triumphs and trials, facilitates group morale, shares time and talents, and gives sincere positive encouragement: Jaden Semaj Fleeks

Graduate awards

• Outstanding Future Nurse Leader Award, presented in recognition of exceptional potential for outstanding future contributions to the profession as a nurse leader: Philip Prousnitzer and Jessica Hodges-Gregory
• Kathryn P. “Bucky” Thomas Award, presented to the graduate student who demonstrates kindness and compassion, gives positive encouragement to others, and shows respect for and loyalty to the College of Nursing: Jericho F. Scott
• Veronica McNeirney Award, presented in recognition of clinical excellence in the care of seriously ill adults: Nicholas Martin Kitchens
• Willa Belle Adams Award, which recognizes a graduate who exemplifies clinical nursing skills: Jessica Hodges-Gregory