Joining a network of more than 15,000 alumni, Rutgers School of Nursing’s Class of 2026 includes both future nurses and those advancing their knowledge and practice. Their journeys to graduation vary widely. Take, for example, a former New York Mets chef, a new mother of twins, and an Air Force veteran earning her second Rutgers degree—different paths, one milestone.

More than 13,600 graduates from the School of Nursing, along with 26 other schools and colleges across Rutgers Health and Rutgers University–New Brunswick, were recognized during Commencement on May 17 at SHI Stadium in Piscataway.

Then, the School of Nursing hosted Convocation 2026 to honor its 495 graduates who’ve earned academic degrees ranging from the bachelor’s to doctoral levels, based at campuses in Newark, New Brunswick, and Blackwood. The May 20 event took place at NJPAC in Newark.

The school is observing 2026 as the 70th anniversary of its establishment in 1956. “As we celebrate seven decades of Rutgers Nursing excellence, we honor the generations of nurses who have shaped this profession and look ahead to the impact this graduating class will make,” said Dean Angela Starkweather (PhD, ACNP-BC, FAANP, FAAN).

Paths to the Class of 2026

A wide range of experiences brought the graduates to this moment. Theresa Corderi (BS) earned her bachelor’s in nursing at age 57, her first college degree following a 30-year career as executive chef for the New York Mets. Elvia Vargas (BS) completed the rigorous program while managing a pregnancy and the birth of twins in her final semester, following in the footsteps of the twins’ father, who graduated last year.

For retired U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps captain Leslie Wright-Brown (PhD, MS, NPD-BC), the path to a PhD in Nursing spanned decades. She earned her master’s in nursing at Rutgers in 1993, planning to return to pursue a terminal degree. When her husband died of a rare cancer, she set aside those plans to focus on raising their four children. “Seventeen years later, I returned to Rutgers for my PhD,” said Wright-Brown. “My oldest has graduated from college, and my twins were Rutgers freshmen studying music and psychology.”

Scenes from Convocation

Ernest J. Grant (PhD, RN, FAAN), associate professor and vice dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Duke University School of Nursing, delivered the keynote address at Convocation.

Grant, the immediate past president of the American Nurses Association, urged graduates to embrace advocacy and leadership while addressing the systems that shape health outcomes. Drawing on nearly five decades in nursing, he reflected on a critically ill patient early in his career whose condition worsened due to barriers to care—including transportation, work obligations, and distrust of the health care system.

“That moment changed me,” Grant said. “It taught me that if nursing ended at the bedside, we would always be reacting—not preventing, not leading. Treating, not transforming.”

Grant challenged graduates to think beyond individual patient encounters and engage with the systems and policies that influence care. “Advocacy is not an extra,” he said. “It is a professional obligation.”

Dean Starkweather reflected on the School of Nursing’s legacy—built by generations of faculty—and recognized those who continue that work today. “Faculty, you are at the heart of what we do. Because of you, our graduates move forward in their journeys, fully prepared for excellence in what comes next.”

Faculty excellence was recognized with George F. Heinrich, MD, Awards from the New Jersey Health Foundation. Judith Barberio (DNP, APN-C), clinical associate professor, received the Excellence in Teaching Award. Julie Blumenfeld (DNP, CNM, FACNM, FAAN), clinical associate professor and program director for nurse-midwifery education and the dual-track program in Women’s Health and Nurse-Midwifery, received the Excellence in Research Award.

Student excellence was spotlighted with the presentation of the Stanley S. Bergen, Jr., MD, Medal of Excellence to Anthony Filippelli (DNP, RN, CEN, NEA-BC), a graduate of the post-master’s Family Nurse Practitioner–Emergency Care program. The award recognized his leadership in disaster preparedness and community-based training initiatives across New Jersey and beyond.

In his remarks, Filippelli emphasized the role of advanced practice nurses at the forefront of care—leading, diagnosing, and shaping outcomes in moments that matter most. “The responsibility is great, but so is your preparation and your impact,” he said.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduate Elle Christofferson, president of the School of Nursing Student Senate, spoke on behalf of her peers.

“When I was picking my career path, a phrase that I kept hearing from my parents was, ‘do the thing where you can contribute the most,’” said Christofferson. “Now, here I stand with Rutgers Nurses who are choosing to show up and fight for their patients.”