Alumni Get There:
Get There:
Into Leading with Care
Melissa Sterling Smith
Alumna Melissa Sterling Smith (’25) is advancing her nursing career—and delivering care that makes a difference.
Melissa Sterling Smith always knew healthcare was where she belonged. That passion guided her from Southeastern’s BSN program to the MSN–FNP, where she gained the skills, support, and confidence to thrive. The flexibility of Southeastern’s online program also allowed her to balance graduate study with work and family, making it possible to keep advancing without stepping away from the life she values.
For Melissa, nursing is about impact. She’s cared for people in their most vulnerable moments, and now she’s ready to keep expanding her reach—broadening her expertise, elevating patient care, and shaping a career built on both compassion and purpose.
Action Plan
- Checked off task, Earn and maintain a 4.0 GPA throughout graduate school.
- Checked off task, Become a member of Gamma Beta Phi, Phi Kappa Phi, and Sigma Theta Tau honor societies.
- Checked off task, Join the Louisiana Association of Nurse Practitioners (LANP) and American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
- Checked off task, Complete study-abroad programs in Greece and Dominica.
- Checked off task, Balance full-time work as an RN while advancing to graduate-level certification.
