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U.S. Army Maj. Abigail Cooper, Nursing Service Chief, inside the Medical Care Intensive Unit at Walter Reed conducting early morning facilities check. 

 A Nursing Story: Answering the Call to Serve One Patient at a Time

Abigail Cooper, a 2012 BSN graduate from ������ϲʿ������, was recently profiled by her employer, the  in the the article,, appearing on Aug. 23, 2023.

In the article, Abby attributes much of her early success to her time at ������ϲʿ������. “It’s a smaller university, but their nursing school is highly regarded, and the smaller class sizes meant the professors had a vested interest in the success of each student,” reflected Cooper in the interview. She remembered her professors keeping her focused on her studies despite her enthusiasm for competitive cheerleading and desire to pay down her tuition by working two jobs. “They pulled me aside to help me set my priorities straight.”

Abby’s first duty station was in Afghanistan as part of a new wave of Enroute Critical Care Nurses (ECCN) in Operation Enduring Freedom. The University featured her story in the in 2017.

According to the article, “after years of honing her craft on assignments in the Middle East and Europe, Cooper has arrived at Walter Reed poised to share her energy and insight, overcoming a nursing staff shortage, and keeping morale high in the aftermath of COVID-19.”

������ϲʿ������'s nursing program chair, Dr. Rita Trofino DNP, MNEd, RN, shared these thoughts on Abby's success. "We are so proud of Abby and her accomplishments! She epitomizes 'a humble and generous attitude toward learning.' She never forgets ������ϲʿ������. Several years ago, she gave us flag that flew over her base in Afghanistan. It is in our display case. She continues her caring attitude and service to others from ������ϲʿ������ to  Walter Reed."

The profile from Walter Reed is getting extended distribution through the .

About The Nursing Program at ������ϲʿ������

Our undergraduate and graduate nursing programs offered through the Department of Nursing position science, healthcare practice, and ethics at the core of the nursing curriculum at every level of study.

Nursing degree paths include:

Nursing degree paths include: 

Nursing, B.S. (Campus) 

RN to BSN/RN to BSN to MSN FNP  (Online*) 

Second Degree/Accelerated BSN (Campus) 

Family Nurse Practitioner Programs  (Online*)