Stories of Graduate & Professional Studies

The faculty is exceptional, providing engaging instruction and invaluable real-world insights. There’s an emphasis on hands-on clinical training, with amazing simulation experiences. NDMU also finds clinical sites for students - something many FNP programs don't offer. I love the supportive, personalized learning environment. I believe the program is comprehensively preparing me for a rewarding career as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Two things that drew me to NDMU were the opportunity for in-person instruction and the program’s assistance in finding clinical placements. I’ve enjoyed my experience here – the School of Nursing provides students with support and flexible scheduling to allow us to balance full-time job responsibilities and our education.

I have been a nurse for nearly 20 years, including eight years in the ambulatory setting. I hear firsthand how patients are struggling to find primary care providers. As a nurse practitioner, I will be able to work with patients to help meet that need.

Participating in the Risk Management certificate program has helped me in all areas of my job. Not only have I learned risk management principles, but I have greatly sharpened my professional skills. I was recently promoted to the Chief of Technical Support Branch in Operations Division in New Orleans, and I attribute some of that success to my completion of this program, and the confidence that it gave me in approaching various Corps assignments which involve risk. I was also recently selected as the District Risk Management Champion, which will allow me to evaluate New Orleans District risk assessments and provide support.

"The two biggest things I appreciate from my time at Notre Dame are the people/colleagues I met while there and the focus on compassion. Compassionate nursing in my opinion is what differentiates a good nurse from a great one. It provides a safe space for dialogue and a deeper level of care that makes a difference to the patients and their families. Notre Dame spent a large amount of time on compassion throughout my courses, and I appreciate that to this day." - Jennifer Dickensheets '20, a graduate of Notre Dame's first ABSN cohort who was recognized as her hospital's Rookie of the Year in 2021.

I was considering eight jobs after graduating from Notre Dame. People were really excited about having an art therapist. I think it led to a level of interest in hiring me that wouldn’t have been there if I only had a LCPC [Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor] or social work counseling degree.

All of the professors are so dedicated to helping you achieve your goals, The program is interesting, it’s hands-on, and I absolutely loved it. I would encourage anybody interested in art therapy to give it a try because it will give you all the resources and knowledge you need to be successful in your career.

I teach American Literature and AP Language & Composition at a private secondary school in Potomac, MD. Prior to my becoming a teacher, I practiced corporate and securities law as a partner in the DC office of one of the world’s leading law firms. When I decided to become a teacher, I wanted to continue to practice law while establishing my credentials for “Career 2.0.” I investigated many M.A. literature programs, but none offered the combination of quality and flexibility that NDMU offered. More importantly, once I began the program, I found myself connected to classmates who loved literature and professors who loved to teach literature. My classmates and professors became more than colleagues, they became friends. To this day, we gather (virtually) to talk about books. I received my undergraduate and law degrees at schools that are considered among the nation’s best. Yet, my most rewarding educational experience—the one that will stay with me for the rest of my life—was at NDMU.

At the time I entered MA in English Literature program, I was a public school English teacher looking to get a Masters in my field for professional development. This program gave me a breadth and depth of understanding of literary criticism and the cannon of English literature that I did not receive quite so fully in my teaching program. It helped me to contextualize readings for students in a way that better prepared them for their college experiences. Currently, I work in Higher Education, and in many ways my current role is an extension of the college preparatory work I was engaged in with my students in the past. I can speak to them from a place of knowledge about their collegiate and post-graduate options in the Humanities thanks to this program.

“You don’t join this organization if you don’t like service. That’s one of the first things we always tell new members and people that are interested. It doesn’t feel like work when you’re doing it with a great bunch of people. It’s just fun and good memories, which I’m going to remember forever once I leave Notre Dame." - Francesca Circosta '22, president of the Omega Phi Alpha service sorority for the 2021-22 academic year.