Alumna found success through mentorship and community engagement in finishing the PhD in Couple and Family Therapy.

As ambitious and passionate as you may (and should) be to enter this awesome profession and start that first job, it sounds cliché, but it’s always advisable to keep the important things important.

A Philly-based queer art therapist, Morgan Karcher, is advocating for the needs of LGBTQ youth through art therapy.

Alumna Olivia Goosseen celebrates Nurse Anesthetists and offers advice for current CRNA students.

"Every patient should have access and opportunity to feel cared for, empowered and educated."

PAMA strives to improve academic success, decrease attrition rates and provide support to minority students in Physician Assistant programs

"Make no assumptions about your patients. Each person has a unique story that deserves to be heard with fresh eyes and ears so they get the best medical care you are able to provide."

A 2018 graduate of CNHP's Culinary Arts and Science Program, Daniel Lee, cooked up a monthly dinner at the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships in West Philadelphia.

Physician assistant preceptor, Bob Lowry, PA-C, was nominated by two people, students at the time, for Preceptor of the Year in 2021. He talks about why he loves Drexel students and why being a preceptor is important.

Food and Hospitality Management alumna, Mia Ormes, created a business, how many other enterprises begin, out of a need in the market. Coming from her own experience, she launched Tribu, a meal service company specializing in prenatal and postpartum foods with an emphasis on the traditional flavors of the African Diaspora.

Chef Tonii Hicks, who received a BS culinary arts ’21, was raised in Philadelphia and embodies a devotion to food and community. She chose Drexel because she was drawn to the program's combination of culinary skills and science background.

Master's nutrition student, Drew Jarmuz, will be using his experience as a baseball player and his knowledge of nutrition and performance when he steps into the role of sports nutritionist for the Tampa Bay Rays.

On June 9, 2022, the College of Nursing and Health Professions held their college graduation ceremony at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts before the University's commencement ceremony at Citizen's Bank Park. Speakers and award winners are highlighted.

DeAnna Harris-McKoy, PhD, LMFT, came to Drexel because they live what they teach around social justice and because she saw women, who look like her, in positions of authority making meaningful changes in their communities.

Nursing alumni and twin sisters Amanda and Adriana Vidal went through the BSN Co-op program at Drexel. While they did their co-ops at different locations, they are now working together at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

What are your former classmates up to? New positions, upcoming events and more.

"I fell in love with the profession during high school when I was volunteering at my local hospital... I realized that PAs embodied the future of medicine."

Ashley Medina always knew she would pursue a career in healthcare. She found her passion in administration rather than medicine, but is caring for people nonetheless.

2021 DMT alumna KerryLyn Kercher accepted a Fulbright Grant to study and research at the Creative Arts Therapies Research Institute and SRH University in Germany.

Trevon Friar, MSN '20, has always wanted to help people. Psychiatry was always his passion, but he followed a different path and became a psychiatric nurse practitioner. Now he's working to change the perception of mental health while providing outstanding care.

Adrian Banning, DHSc, MMS, PA-C, and Kristopher Maday, MS, PA-C, DFAAPA, created and have been hosting the JAAPA podcast for four years. The pair met through social media, pitched the idea to JAAPA, and with support throughout the community, have produced nearly 60 episodes since 2017. Now they are handing over the mics to the next hosting duo, two Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions alumni.

Paul Possenti's career demonstrates the breadth of paths physician assistants might take. This alumnus moved into administration and is making quite an impact in the care of COVID-19 care in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

We continue the celebration of the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife by sharing what inspires nurses, CNHP nurses, to do what they do. These are some alumni stories.

Alumna Aprill Hogue shares her experience with the Creative Arts Therapies program in celebration of CAT Week.

Alumna Rebekka Dieterich-Hartwell, shares her experience with the Creative Arts Therapies program in celebration of CAT Week.

Alumna Natasha Goldstein-Levitas, shares her experience with the Creative Arts Therapies program in celebration of CAT Week.

Alumnus Akash Bhatia shares his experience with the Creative Arts Therapies program in celebration of CAT Week.

Like learning to play an instrument requires repetition, improving back pain requires realistic goals and repeated exercises. Sung believes that behavior change is the key to improving function and finding more comfort.

ACE alumnus Kevin Lundell graduated in 2013 with a bachelor’s in nursing and went to work for BAYADA Home Health Care. He shares his experience and successes with Off the Charts like achieving a scholarship allowing him to become a certified nurse practitioner.

Current students and alumni represented Drexel and CNHP at the 29th World University Summer Games in Taipei, Taiwan, but not competing in a sport. They helped fuel the more than 7,700 student athletes from around the world.

Rundiogram is a new monthly feature in Off the Charts. We are looking for regular contributors to our monthly newsletter. Please email College Engagement, Marketing and Communictions for more information.

Academic excellence and hopes for the future were celebrated and shared at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts at CNHP’s commencement exercises. Graduates received sage advice and life’s lessons from two student commencement speakers and the incoming CEO of BAYADA Home Health Care on June 12. 

The Adenirans traveled 5,320 miles to Philadelphia to make their dreams come true; the physical trip from Nigeria seemed to have been the easy part. Read about how they built a life filled with love, family, education and successful careers.

With a fifth child on the way, staff nurse Randy T. McGonigal, Sr. found time to graduate with a BSN in March, return to the stage as a singer-song writer and gear up to start the MSN program in nursing education at his alma mater.

Philip Landis, DNP, RN, CEN, RN-BC, completed his first Drexel program in 2008, earning his BSN from the College of Nursing and Health Professions. Having identified his passion, Landis – or “Dr. Phil”, as his colleagues fondly refer to him – did not stop there. He returned twice more for his MSN (’10) and his DNP (’15), a decision fueled by his employer and the flexibility of the curriculum. 

“I made the choice to return to Drexel based on the unparalleled tuition reimbursement policy of Penn Medicine and the high academic rigor, caliber and convenience of Drexel’s online nursing programs for working professionals,” he said.

STaND Up for Students brings in funds to benefit Dean’s Student Emergency Funds, received by audience with roaring laughter. 

A recap of the 47^th annual American Art Therapy Association (AATA) Conference held in Baltimore, MD.

Nominate impressive College of Nursing and Health Professions alumni to be featured in Drexel Magazine.

MCP Hahnemann alumna creating opportunities for veterans seeking to become PAs, advancing the profession, in role as president of the Veterans Affairs Physician Assistant Association.

Alumna of Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania reveals healing process for service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan through portraits

Dr. Charlene Compher bestowed Service to Profession Award at Alumni Weekend 2016

The College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) was well-represented in Drexel Magazine’s 40 Under 40 for 2016. 

Celebrate being a Dragon at Alumni Weekend 2016, when today’s campus welcomes thousands of alumni back to share memories, fun, food and more. Whether you come for one event or the whole packed weekend, you’ll leave inspired and proud to call Drexel home!

The Nominations Committee of the Board of Governors accepts nominations for members annually. All alumni of the College of Nursing and Health Professions are invited to participate in the process through an open call for nominations. 

Working in The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, it’s common to see a tremendous support system of doctors, caregivers and parents rally around a child with a serious illness – it is to be expected. But who is caring for the caregivers who rarely get to step away from their child’s bedside and their own distress? 

It’s been less than one year since Mahmoud Shurbaji graduated from the Health Services Administration program and he’s already putting his degree to good use. He’s also realized the value of a Drexel education, and the benefits of earning a degree focused on health care and business.

Alumni Accomplishments

Join Drexel alumni and friends for the Community Alumni Network at Drexel University’s (CAN DU) annual fall service project on Saturday, October 24, 2015.

Twice in the past four years, Philadelphia has been the site of surgical firsts in the field of hand transplantation, and both times, Gayle Severance ’04 played a key role in their success.

Every fall, Drexel Magazine editors face a tough challenge: whittle down a list of hundreds into just a few dozen who will make up the next class of 40 Under 40 honorees.

Obviously, they look for achievement. They look for accomplishment. Just as important, they look for individuals who inspire them and who inspire others.

Gena Alulis, Founder and CEO of Philadelphia-based Superfit, Inc., has had tremendous success taking her business from a start-up custom-fit jewelry designer to a high-growth ring manufacturer.

Congratulations to the following students, who have earned either their BS or MS in Nutrition and will be attending dietetic internships in the coming year.

Every fall, Drexel Magazine editors face a tough challenge: whittle down a list of hundreds into just a few dozen who will make up the next class of 40 Under 40 honorees.

Among the graduates at the June ceremony, was one whose love of blue and gold transcends generations. Donna Trigone received her Master of Science in Nursing. In 1983, Donna received her associate’s degree from Hahnemann University, predecessor of our college. 

The College of Nursing and Health Professions Alumni Network of Drexel University is currently accepting nominations of qualified alumni interested in running for election to the Board of Directors. 

Sakinah Kidd, a junior nursing student and Fellow who has been involved in the program for nine months, and her mentor, Sheila Hess, director of Foundation Programs and Community Affairs at Independence Blue Cross Foundation who has been involved in the program for 10 months, give their unique perspectives on the relationship they’ve built and continue to nourish...

Sandra Sheller: Drexel alumna, art and couple and family therapist, philanthropist, advocate against domestic abuse, and most recently, Women Against Abuse’s Woman of the Year Award winner.

Celebrating alumni accomplishments.

Celebrating alumni accomplishments. 

The College of Nursing and Health Professions Alumni Network of Drexel University is currently accepting nominations of qualified alumni interested in running for election to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors oversees and advocates the CNHP Alumni Network's efforts to engage, advance and support the College of Nursing and Health Professions of Drexel University and its alumni and students through a variety of networking opportunities, activities and programs.

Bradley Boehringer of Drexel University has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program grant to Finland in Medicine Sciences, the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced recently.

Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences alumna Stephanie King trusted her instincts and saved a life. 

Congratulations to Nicole Porter Willcox, a Creative Arts Therapy alumna, who was named one of Drexel’s 2015 40 Under 40!  At just 34 years old, she has already made quite an impact on a community in need and has created a model capable of helping devastated communities nationwide. 

Drexel's Nursing and Health Professions hosted a reception for Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences alumni, students, and friends in conjunction with the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting. 

Chartings is now Off the Charts! We hope you enjoy our new look.

Music has always been part of my life.  I started playing the viola when I was six.  My brother, the cello, my sister, the viola… and together we were “The Barry Trio.”  I graduated...

In July, resident Graduate Art Therapy faculty Donna Kaiser, PhD, Yasmine Awais, and Michele Rattigan presented at the 45th Annual American Art Therapy Association Conference in San Antonio, Texas.  Also... 

There are only a handful of people in this world who can work through multiple jobs, be unemployed for nine months, take care of three children, work full-time and also attend classes at night to get a bachelor’s...

Mike Mahoney, MA Music Therapy ’11 helped Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia cancer patient Tom Gillin create the viral ‘Bald So Hard’ video featured on Today in September...

Healthcare delivery often takes our students, alumni, faculty, and staff at the Drexel College of Nursing and Health Professions much farther than Philadelphia’s city limits, with opportunities extending to places all around the globe...

Andrew Wegoye, a 2014 graduate of the Drexel College of Nursing and Health Professions’ Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) BSN Program, left for Liberia on October 30 to fight the Ebola epidemic for at least four months. 

Gioia Chilton, PhD, the first graduate of the College’s new PhD in Creative Arts Therapies Program, has been selected as a recipient of the E. Paul Torrance Graduate Student Research Award for 2014. 

Employers interested in hiring Drexel students and alumni for co-op and full-time positions are invited to host tables at Drexel’s Annual Fall Career Fair, which is one of the largest university career fairs in the Philadelphia area. Drexel students from all majors and degree levels will be in attendance. 

It’s that time of the year again – time to submit your nominations for Drexel’s list of the most interesting, successful, and inspiring young graduates. Drexel Magazine’s 40 Under 40 list is an annual compilation of impressive alumni stories. You can see last year’s list here.

Procare Rehabilitation, LLC is seeking candidates to fill a full-time outpatient physical therapy position. Procare Rehabilitation, which is located in Flemington, NJ, specializes in all orthopedic populations as well as implementing the McKenzie method for the treatment of the spine.

Alumni of the College of Nursing and Health Professions and its predecessor institutions who are looking to become more engaged with the College and take on a new leadership role are encouraged to apply to become a member of the CNHP Alumni Network’s Board of Directors. 

Faculty and students from the PhD Program in Creative Arts Therapies at the College of Nursing and Health Professions have been busy this summer traveling to and presenting at multiple conferences. Here are the impressive highlights:

Sheena Pradhan, who graduated from the BS Nutrition Program at the College of Nursing and Health Professions in 2011, recently contributed to Seventeen magazine in an article, "Beat the Heat Treats," which provided examples of healthy warm weather desserts.ients in their own languages. 

The Myra Levick Award for Excellence in Art Therapy was recently established in honor of Myra Levick, a cherished member of the Drexel College of Nursing and Health Professions community.

June 6 was a very happy day for many as golden shovels literally broke ground at the site of the Stephen and Sandra Sheller 11^th Street Family Health Services of Drexel University...

On May 3, the Drexel University Alumni Association held its annual Alumni Association Awards Ceremony. Several current students and alumni from the College of Nursing and Health Professions were presented with awards from the Association, including Andrew DeMaio, Abigail Warner, Mahmoud Shurbaji, and Susan Bastable.

Dean Donnelly and the CNHP Alumni Network hosted a reception for alumni and friends in conjunction with the 26th Annual Scientific Sessions of the Eastern Nursing Research Society on April 10 at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel.

Hearing about the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts labels in the U.S. while I am studying in Israel is a pleasant reminder of the exciting issues that I will be jumping back into when I return home.  As a dietetic intern at a sports clinic in Jerusalem, I recognize the importance of the Nutrition Facts label as a tool to help people make informed, healthy food choices...

At a special luncheon at the Paul Peck Alumni Center on February 17, Drexel University and the College of Nursing and Health Professions celebrated a $2.5 million gift from the Sheller Family Foundation for the expansion of 11^th Street Family Health Services of Drexel University. Groundbreaking for the expansion project of the nurse-managed health center, which has been renamed in the benefactors’ honor, is expected to take place next month.

“Self-care is so important to my field because of the burnout rate,” said Jenny Sacks, a 2012 graduate of the Master’s in Couple and Family Therapy Program and a therapist in the Thomas Jefferson University Health System. “You’ll hear from your colleagues that they need a vacation or that they just can’t handle their caseload."

On February 5, current students from the College of Nursing and Health Professions were treated to a panel discussion with four successful alumni in an event presented by the College’s Alumni Network. The panelists, who represented a variety of different health professions, each began their careers as Drexel students.

Recent graduate Sandra Brinkman-Denney’s capstone manuscript, entitled “An International Comparison of the Clinical Trials Nurse Role,” was published in the December issue of the British journal, Nursing Management-UK...

For Nicole Willcox, who graduated from The College of Nursing and Health Professions’ Master’s in Art Therapy Program in 2008, providing therapy to those who really need it is not just a job, it’s her life’s passion. The tragedy that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School on...

This year marks the 40^th anniversary of the Drexel University Alumni Association’s Turkey Project, a charitable program through which Drexel alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends have provided holiday turkeys to local families in need.

Erika Barrington (MA ’13) and Amy Capomacchio (MA ’13) hosted a workshop called Theatre of the Oppressed for mental health professionals at Studio 34 in Philadelphia. The workshop consisted of games and theatrical exercises designed to help improve communication skills...

Fabrisia Ambrosio, PhD sometimes pauses when she is introduced as a graduate of MCP Hahnemann University’s Physical Therapy Program. Although we recognize her as one of our astounding Drexel graduates, her Curriculum Vitae, website biography and countless presentation and lecture introductions still include the MCP Hahnemann name...

“Makia!” Emily Nussdorfer chanted loudly while rocking forward and rolling her arms back and forth like an ocean wave. “Mana wa,” she continued, repeating the same gesture. Nussdorfer, a 2001 Creative Arts Therapies Program graduate, led participants in an Indigenous Hawaiin Dance workshop...

Maureen Hammond has memories of her mother’s stacks of index cards, which she would tote around in case an opportunity arose to cram a few minutes of study time. Maureen was in middle school when her mom, Mary Hammond, grinded her way through the Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) BSN Program at the College of Nursing and Health Professions. Mary was a member of the second class of ACE graduates and a self-identified “Queen of Notecards.”

Jennie Pless is a 2013 graduate of the Health Services Administration Program. During the program, she launched her business, Work-4-All, an employment specialists agency that provides services to individuals with disabilities.

Drexel University is on the rise, and our alumni- especially our young alumni- are a big reason why. At the College of Nursing and Health Professions, we want to make sure our alumni are seen and heard...

Rita K. Adeniran, DrNP, who graduated from Drexel’s Doctor of Nursing Practice Program in 2011, is channeling her passion for creating diverse and inclusive healthcare environments into leading the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s Fourth Biennial Symposium on Cultural Competence in mid-November...

“I always find it a great compliment when people ask me if I’m native,” said Sister Katherine Baltazar, a psychiatric nurse currently working on a Native American reservation with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

The University expects to gain more than 3,500 new students on campus in the fall. In order to welcome them into the Drexel community- to which they will belong as students and then as alumni for the rest of their lives- the University has planned a series of New Student Send-off events in different cities throughout the United States...

Rachel Hudes, BS Nutrition ‘10, draws upon her experiences as a co-op at 11^th Street Family Health Services as she forges ahead as the founding leader of her business, Delicious Control. Here, Rachel answers our questions about how her work at 11^th Street shaped her path to entrepreneurship...

 “I kind of see life like an impressionist painting,” said Creative Arts Therapies alumna Jamie Wasson, who is legally blind. Wasson has worked as an art therapist at an outpatient clinic in Center City for seven years, helping children and families who have dealt with a lot of loss, grief and trauma...

Jamie Rincker, a recent graduate of Drexel’s master’s program in Nutrition Sciences, worked with Nutrition Department chair Stella Volpe, PhD, and Victor Tringali of University Wellness to create the food audit, “Feed the Dragons, A Guide to Healthier Food Selections on Campus..."

At just 27 years old, Drexel College of Nursing and Health Professions alumna Ajarat Bada has traveled across the globe spreading her mission to ensure interfaith collaboration for peace. Her project, The Missing Millennium Development Goal, has attracted the attention of the United Nations, Vanity Fair, The New York Times, and several world leaders including South African social rights activist Desmond Tutu...

The Health Services Administration Department held their first annual alumni and recent graduates networking event on June 13 in the Friends Center on Cherry Street in Philadelphia. Alumni from all over the country and currently graduating seniors were...

Eric Chapman graduated from Drexel’s Health Services Administration program in Spring 2012. He works with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and his professional and academic affiliations include the American Society for Public Administration, Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management...

The Natural Standard Academic Achievment Award was issued to Leah Muriuki ‘ 12 for her graduate project work titled, “Promotion of optimal breastfeeding practices as a means of preventing and managing childhood diarrhea in the underserved communities in Kenya.”

Nyree Dardarian, professor in the Nutrition Sciences Department, was featured in Drexel University’s Alumni Spotlight.

Drexel University’s Alumni Weekend kicked off on May 3 with a special 50-year reunion for the Class of 1963. Nursing alumnae from the then Hahnemann Hospital Training School for Nurses took the “tour of a lifetime” of Drexel’s Hahnemann University Hospital. The group of ten alumnae visited the emergency room, the oncology floor and the...

“I have the freedom and choice to serve my country, which alone is worth defending,” said Kimberly A. Oelschlager, a Physician Assistant at the Naval Branch Health Clinic in Coronado, California. “What started as an initial four year commitment is now 12 years on active duty.”

Lindsey Leibig, 1st Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, has wanted to practice medicine since childhood. After September 11, 2001, she started to think about joining the military and began to realize that she had the opportunity to be part of something bigger than herself.

Drexel nursing alumna Nga Nguyen, A.C.E. ‘08, gave a presentation on March 28 at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. Her talk was about integrating the science of caring as a framework guiding interdisciplinary education...

Christian Brenner, MHS ’13, joined the practice of Premier Orthopaedic Associates of South Jersey in Vineland New Jersey as a Physician Assistant. Brenner previously worked as an athletic trainer and physical therapy assistant...

“I’m married to nursing and my daughter,” said single mother and fourth generation nurse Veronica Weaver, who earned her BSN in 2009 and her MSN in 2011, both from Drexel Online. “It was an amazing journey. I loved the flexibility and diversity of the classes..."

Karen Adamson, MSN, WHNP-C '09, donated $6,000 from her BAYADA Award for Technological Innovation in Nursing Education and Practice to two teen mothers she works with in her practice who are pursuing degrees in the health professions. “I work in the family practice office and I feel like sometimes the teen moms get forgotten...

“I am a mother, a wife, a nurse and an immigrant,” said Renata Estes '08/'12, a two-time graduate of Drexel’s online nursing programs. Immigrating to the United States from Poland at just 20 years old, Estes was convinced that...

The College of Nursing and Health Professions Alumni Network  is currently accepting nominations of qualified alumni interested in running for election to the Board of Directors...

“The program really made a big difference in my life. It changed my career path,” began Gayle Severance, a 2004 graduate of the Drexel Certificate in Hand Therapy Program. “I was working in hand therapy because the person doing hand therapy at...

The College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) Alumni Network is accepting nominations for interested candidates to serve on its Board of Directors.

On the evening of December 6, alumni of the College of Nursing and Health Professions gathered in a cozy space above Tir na Nog Irish Bar and Grill in the Phoenix building for the College’s Alumni Holiday Party.

On October 21, alumnus Thomas Marsilio was inducted into the Marian High School Hall of Fame. During his time at Marian, Marsilio was a member of both the football and basketball teams for four years, and served as a tri-captain in both sports during his senior year.

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Liv Marie Leirvåg lived in Manayunk while she completed her Dance Movement Therapy degree at Drexel in 2001. She received an award because she was the first to write about dance/movement therapy and child neglect. A native of Bergen, Norway, Liv Marie...

The College of Nursing and Health Professions Alumni Network, the College’s first official alumni group, was formed earlier this year, aiming to unite Drexel graduates and those who graduated from its legacy institutions, including the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania, the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Hahnemann University, and MCP Hahnemann University.

“I always had an interest in behavioral health. I was always the ‘counselor’ among friends and had a genuine interest in helping people. I didn’t realize I could make a career out of what came so naturally to me until I came here,” said Laura Salciunas, a 2012 graduate of the Behavioral Health Counseling Program.

On June 20, the Behavioral Health Counseling department hosted 40 of its alumni at its 10th Annual Alumni Dinner. Music by guest flutist Lisamarie McGrath welcomed alumni into the room as they reunited with their classmates and professors at the catered dinner.

On July 11, the College of Nursing and Health Professions hosted a reception for alumni and friends at the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa in Savannah, Georgia. The event took place in conjunction with the American Art Therapy Association’s 43rd Annual Conference...

“This is the perfect job for me. I absolutely love what I do“, said Kimberly Schaefer, Industry Solutions Practice Manager for Healthcare at AT&T. Schaefer’s career has followed an organic evolution, beginning in pharmaceutical sales where she quickly developed a passion...

This month, Paul Clements, PhD, Associate Clinical Professor in the Division of Graduate Nursing, received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Cumberland County Community College. It is the most prestigious and selective honor that the College awards its graduates; only thirty-seven alumni...