Graduates Encouraged to ‘Do Good and Be Excellent’ at Winter Commencement

Susan D’Anna, DNP, APRN-BC, a Class of 2022 alumna and the first-ever graduate of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, addressed the graduates and reflected on her career as an advanced practice nurse for the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs in Vermont. She urged graduates to value interprofessional collaboration and work across disciplines to solve healthcare problems.  

“Divisions impede collaboration across systems and lead to subpar patient and financial outcomes," D’Anna said. “Silos insulate us from helpful cooperation and collaboration. They isolate us from alternative outlooks and broadening points of view.”  

An adjunct faculty member in the DNP program, D’Anna offered the graduates guidance for their careers. 

“In our world today, where social justice is challenged at every turn, it is not enough to do no harm. We have to do good. We have to be excellent,” she said. “We have to break down silos for the benefit of our patients, our communities, and the world.”  

Graduating from the Post-Baccalaureate Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, student speaker Sara Mustafa Hoyos shared heartfelt appreciation for her professors and instructors.  

“Many of you started your careers in the middle of the pandemic, when the world felt uncertain and heavy, and you’re still here teaching us, guiding us, and caring for others,” she said.  

Mustafa Hoyos echoed D’Anna’s assertion that healthcare professionals have a responsibility to carry out their work conscientiously. 

“I hope we never forget our dual calling to be both scientists and humanists,” she said. “To remember that our knowledge heals bodies, but our compassion, our willingness to lend an ear and truly listen, is what will make the difference.”