School of Nursing celebrates its Centennial graduates

More than 200 nurses and healthcare professionals celebrated milestones in their careers at the School of Nursing’s May 16 graduation ceremony, joining a 100-year legacy of leadership.

Graduates join a network of more than 10,000 School of Nursing alumni during the institution’s Centennial year, following the 100th anniversary of the first day nursing students arrived on campus in September 1925.

“One hundred years ago, a group of pioneering students enrolled in our new school to embark on a career with courage and purpose — to help patients live their healthiest and fullest lives,” said David Linehan, MD, CEO of University of Rochester Medicine and dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry. “Today, you join their ranks. From its very founding, this School has stood for excellence — in nursing education, in research, and in practice.”

This year’s graduates included: 

• More than 200 bachelor's in nursing graduates — including over 100 Nursing Scholars, who will be starting their careers within URochester Medicine at Strong Memorial Hospital, Highland Hospital, and Thompson Health — and several practicing RNs who returned to school for bachelor's degrees through the RN-to-BS program. 
• More than 90 nurses who are expanding their roles to become nurse practitioners, nurse educators, and nursing and healthcare leaders through master’s degrees and advanced certificates.
• 13 graduates of the School’s doctoral programs, whose scholarship is advancing nursing science, transforming how healthcare professionals think and act, and addressing timely, urgent challenges among patients and systems. 

Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN, president and CEO of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), shared words of wisdom with graduates as this year's keynote speaker. 

Matthew Tierney ’25, ’26N, delivered the undergraduate student speech. Tierney earned his first bachelor’s degrees in biomedical engineering and accounting at URochester, and will join the med-surg flex team at Strong while also practicing locally as an accountant during tax season at DeJoy & Co. 

“In our Nursing careers and in life we have the power to create, dictate, and determine what each of our futures will look like,” Tierney said, posing a question to his classmates: “What will you create?” 

He offered four key pieces of advice to classmates: Take responsibility. Be a lifelong learner. Show respect for yourself and others. And get excited by the little things. 

Graduate student speaker Jarred Lentine ’16N, ’26N (MS), emphasized nurses’ roles as advocates and agents of change, and the importance of rebuilding trust in healthcare and science through evidence and compassion. 

“There will be moments when doing the right thing is inconvenient, uncomfortable, or unpopular,” said Lentine, who earned his master’s in the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner program. “Do it anyway. Because this profession needs people who are willing to stand firm and stand together.”

At the ceremony, the School of Nursing also recognized outstanding faculty and students with annual awards. The Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching was presented to Caitlin Dreisbach, PhD, RN, an assistant professor of nursing with an affiliation in the Goergen Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence who also practices at Strong Memorial Hospital on the high-risk obstetrics unit (3-1200). She teaches in the Accelerated Bachelor’s (ABSN) program, where she helps students connect evidence, simulation, and clinical practice in caring for pregnant patients, newborns, and their families. Dreisbach is also a nurse researcher who uses data to improve clinical assessment during pregnancy and better understand women’s health across the lifespan.

Bhavesh Shah ’26N received the American Nurses Association - New York’s Future Nurse Leader Award. Shah, who immigrated to the U.S. from India, worked as a pediatrician in his home country before transitioning to a nursing career here. While completing the ABSN program, he also worked as a medical assistant at Highland Hospital. Shah was praised by his nominators for his quiet and humble leadership, clinical competence, and compassion, as well as his contributions to fostering a positive learning environment where his classmates feel comfortable participating.

Additional from the ceremony will be available at photos.son.rochester.edu soon.