Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Graduate Spotlight: Aaliyah Derry ’21, M’25

By: Erik Pedersen, Content Strategy Director

BALTIMORE – Less than a year after Aaliyah Derry ’21, M’25 graduated from Notre Dame of Maryland University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, she began thinking about returning to school to become a nurse practitioner. Before that search had begun in earnest, however, a chance billboard sighting helped lead her back to her alma mater.

“I hadn’t looked at a single program yet, but as I was driving down the streets of Towson, I saw a huge billboard announcing that Notre Dame was starting a nurse practitioner master’s program,” Derry said. “I was like, wow that is quite a coincidental moment. Maybe that’s a sign.”

Derry would ultimately become a member of the inaugural nurse practitioner cohort at NDMU, which launched new Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (A-GNP) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) offerings in fall 2022. Derry, an A-GNP graduate, and her fellow classmates will be celebrated in Marikle Chapel on Friday afternoon after completing their coursework this December.

Derry earned her master’s degree while balancing a full-time nursing job in the emergency department at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Learn more below about what led to Derry’s initial interest in nursing, her experiences in NDMU’s BSN and A-GNP programs, and how her classmates and professors helped support her both academically and personally:


How did you first discover NDMU, and what made you originally want to come to school here to complete your BSN?

I started my undergraduate education at Towson, but I started looking at other nearby schools after changing my major to nursing during my junior year. I went to the Institute of Notre Dame for high school, which is also sponsored by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and I was drawn to the potential for small class sizes at NDMU. The opportunity to receive individualized instruction in my classes and have true 1-on-1 interactions with my professors was a big thing for me.

What inspired you to change your undergraduate major and transition into nursing?

I’ve always felt that I had a caring hand for others, and the whole core of Notre Dame’s program is centered around caring science. I was drawn to the opportunity to work closely with patients using a holistic approach. I was also influenced by my grandfather’s illness and ultimate passing during that time period. He was in and out of the VA (Veterans Affairs) hospital my entire life. Seeing all of the things that the nurses would do to care for him, and experiencing how wonderful some were compared to others, demonstrated to me that there was a need in the field.

What was your undergraduate experience like? Do you feel like the School of Nursing prepared you to excel in the profession?

I absolutely believe that my nursing care now is a direct result of Notre Dame. The classes included the essential skills and textbook information that we needed to know, and the program’s caring and holistic approach was clearly integrated into our coursework.

I also felt incredibly supported. Everyone experiences ups and downs in life, but throughout those obstacles I always had a closeknit group of professors and classmates who were there for me. That supportive environment is what allowed me to complete the program and become a successful nurse.

When did you realize that you wanted to take the next step and become a nurse practitioner?

I’ve always been someone who likes to learn more – expand my knowledge base in whatever it is that I’m doing. I decided to become a nurse practitioner so that I could have more professional autonomy, especially down the line if I decided to open my own practice, to hone in on an area that I’m interested in and help close gaps and disparities in patient care.

Working in Baltimore, I see a lot of disparities in care for underserved groups of people, especially in the ER. A lot of patients that I see don’t have access to primary care. My thought was that if I can go into primary care, keep people healthy, and screen for and help prevent disease, then I can ultimately help people stay out of the hospital. I can help them avoid going through that horrible process of illness and frequent hospital visits.

What has your experience been like as a member of Notre Dame’s inaugural nurse practitioner cohort?

It's been an amazing journey. Being a part of the first cohort has made it even more of a special experience for me. We lean on each other. Going back to school was difficult, but we all worked through it together and helped get ourselves to the finish line. The professors were fantastic as well. They were always trying to figure out what worked for us and what didn’t. We had countless opportunities to give feedback on the class schedule, the structure, the level of difficulty, all kinds of things. Our learning experience was really specialized, and I think we set a good precedent for upcoming cohorts in the program.

My cohort and my professors were also a huge support system for me on a personal level. My aunt – who is my closest person and my best friend – has been going through stage four cancer. Her mom (my grandmother) passed away last May on the same morning that my aunt was going through a major cancer surgery.

That was the roughest time of my entire life, and I don’t think I could have gotten through it without the support of my Notre Dame cohort and professors. Dr. (Lisa) Lorden specifically has been a huge help with my aunt. I don’t know anything about oncology medicine, and learning from her about treatments, symptoms, and things like that has been invaluable. She is always there to support me and keep my head up during tough times.

What were your clinical experiences like? Was any rotation particularly impactful for you?

I am very passionate about geriatrics – I’m the geriatric nurse champion for the ER at Bayview. We’ve recently been certified as a geriatric trauma center, which distinguishes us from most other local hospitals. Several clinicals were influential for me, particularly my rotation at the Perry Point VA Medical Center.

I had said previously that my grandfather’s experience at the VA influenced my decision to become a nurse, and I actually come from an entire family of veterans. That clinical rotation made me realize that I have a passion for working with veteran patients. I feel like I can relate to them, and a lot of the population that I worked with there was geriatric as well. That rotation allowed me to gain experience in two areas that I would like to focus on in a single setting. Many veterans are dealing with PTSD, mental health issues, and substance abuse, and I learned how to manage those patients, help them cope, and live a better life.

Is there a message you would like to give to any nurses considering going back to school to become a nurse practitioner?

Go with your heart. If you love nursing, you will benefit a ton from getting your nurse practitioner master’s through Notre Dame. Everything about the program in my experience – the courses, the professors, my classmates – was phenomenal. They all truly shaped me into who I am now and the future nurse practitioner that I will be soon become. If you have a passion for a specific field, or if want to become a future educator, obtaining your master’s at Notre Dame will shape you into a better leader as a whole.

Established in 1895, Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) is a private, Catholic institution in Baltimore, Maryland, with the mission to educate leaders to transform the world. Notre Dame has been named one of the best "Regional Universities North" by U.S. News & World Report.