Welcome to VNA's virtual Student Outreach Night designed to guide you from prelicensure nursing student to RN!

We’re excited to offer this FREE virtual opportunity designed to support your successful transition into the nursing profession! Led by industry experts, this program will help you prepare for the NCLEX and sharpen your interview skills. Don’t miss this chance to gain valuable insights and set yourself up for a strong start in your nursing career!

View VNA's 2025 Virtual Student Outreach Night Recording Below!

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NGN (Next Generation NCLEX) Info – We've Got You Covered!

We know how important it is to stay informed about the Next Generation NCLEX! While we didn't have a speaker at the Student Night on April 17, you can access last year’s NGN presentation below. This session walks you through the key updates and what to expect.

Presentations From:

Welcome!
Dr. Kathy Baker, PhD, RN, NE-BC, FAAN
Virginia Nurses Association President

Kathy Baker is the Chief Nursing Officer at UVA Health. She joined UVA after more than two decades of nursing leadership at VCU Health, where she most recently served as Associate Chief Nurse and Associate Vice President of Nursing. She also serves as adjunct faculty in the Master’s program in Nursing Leadership at the VCU School of Nursing.

At VCU, Kathy led initiatives focused on workforce development, quality and patient safety, and operational efficiency. At UVA, her priorities include advancing care models that maximize team member contributions and strengthening nurse recruitment, retention, and mentorship.

A Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing since 2004, Kathy is recognized for her work in safe staffing, top-of-license practice, and emergency nursing research. She currently serves as President of the Virginia Nurses Association and Vice President of the Virginia Nurses Foundation. Her research interests include work environments, patient safety, and workplace satisfaction.

Kathy is a published nurse scientist, with recent works appearing in the Journal of Nursing Care Quality, Research in Nursing, and the Journal of Interprofessional Care. She has also contributed to national and state-level initiatives to advance nursing practice, including leading workgroups for ANA and ENA, and representing VNA at the RWJF Future of Nursing Summit.

She holds a PhD in nursing and an MS in nursing administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.

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What is VNA?
Janet Wall, MS
Virginia Nurses Association & Foundation CEO

Janet has devoted her career to improving the health of our communities. She is passionate about improving health equity in our communities as well as equity with nursing. She has been a tireless advocate, seeking to empower nurses and foster a culture of excellence in both nursing and academia. 

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NCLEX Preparation
Debi Erick, PhD, MSN, PHN, RN, CNE
Systems Dean of Nursing at Bryant & Stratton College

Began nursing profession as a diploma graduate from Passavant Hospital School of Nursing in 1981. Completed a Bachelor of Science from Loma Linda University with a major in nursing and a minor in religion in 2007. Received a Master of Science in Nursing Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2009. Earned PhD in Nursing from University of Phoenix in 2023 publishing “Single Case Study of Nursing Program Success with Accreditation: A Content Analysis of Accreditation Documents” in ProQuest. Began as a nursing educator in 2007 creating a critical thinking course for associate degree nursing students which increased the NCLEX-RN pass rate by 12%. In 2009 in Indiana, became the founding Dean for an online RN-BSN Program creating the curriculum, admitting the first cohort, and leading the CCNE self-study process receiving five year accreditation. In 2011, as the Dean of Nursing brought a nursing program in southern California from Warning Status with Intent to Close to Board of Nursing approval. This allowed the program to begin initial application for CCNE accreditation of BSN, RN-BSN, MSN-FNP, MSN-Administration, MSN-Education, and Post Graduate MSN Certificates of Gerontology and Sports Medicine. In 2014 joined Bryant & Stratton College as the Program Director for the Richmond Nursing Program which was on conditional approval with the Virginia Board of Nursing due to NCLEX pass rate below 80% for three years. Dr. Erick led the nursing team through the process of board of nursing approval, ACEN accreditation and maintaining an NCLEX pass rate for the ADN program above the NCSBN national standard since 2014 and the PN Program above the NCSBN since inception with numerous years of 100% NCLEX pass rate. 

Dr. Erick has had the privilege of a full nursing career for 44 years with expertise in all areas of nursing education as approved by the California Board of Nursing and certified as a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) by the National League for Nursing. California Board certified as a Public Health Nurse (PHN). Keynote presenter at the Camp Pendleton LVN Challenge in 2014 where medics had the opportunity to take NCLEX-PN becoming LPNs after their military education and experience. In 2023, Dr. Erick as the Systems Dean of Bryant & Stratton College supported Bryant & Stratton College Practical Diploma, Associate Degree and Baccalaureate Nursing Programs in New York, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin as each program exceeded the state requirement in NCLEX pass rate for LPNs and RNs. 

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Interview Skills: Do's and Don'ts in a Resume
Jill Kochheiser, BS in Business Administration from Slippery Rock University and Master of Organizational Leadership from Olivet Nazarene University
Director of Career Services at Bryant & Stratton College - Richmond campus

Jill is the Director of Career Services at Bryant & Stratton College - Richmond campus and is proficient at creating, building and sustaining strategic employer partnerships to help match employers’ hiring needs with new grad talent. She is passionate about being a student focused career services professional who positively impacts the college’s career outcomes by assisting students and graduates with resume development, Interviewing prep and strategic job search advice.

Jill holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Olivet Nazarene University and completed her undergraduate studies in Business Administration from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. She currently holds leadership positions on the Bryant & Stratton College Richmond campus management team, systems Career Services leadership team and serves on committees with the Colonial Heights and Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce. She is also an active member of Virginia Association of Colleges and Employers (VACE) and is on faculty at Bryant & Stratton College as an adjunct professor in the School of Business. 

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Branding Beyond the Bedside: Social Media and Professional Success for New Nurses - Part 1
Dr. Kellie Bryant, DNP, WHNP, CHSE, FSSH, FADLN, FAAN
Director for the Center for Innovation in Education Excellence at the National League for Nursing

Dr. Kellie Bryant is the Director of the Center for Innovation in Education Excellence at the National League for Nursing, with over 20 years of teaching experience, including 15 years specializing in simulation. In her role, she leads the development of innovative programs and services to advance nursing education. As a consultant for Advancing Health Equity, Dr. Bryant trains organizations on delivering equitable care and fostering inclusive workplaces.

Her expertise includes leveraging simulation to improve patient safety and creating nursing pathway programs for historically marginalized students. A prolific author and presenter, Dr. Bryant has delivered national and international presentations and secured grants from organizations such as Johnson & Johnson.

She serves on several committees, including as vice chair of the DEI Committee for the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, and as an elected board member of the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning.  

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Ok, Now What?
Jason Dolan, RN, CEN, TCRN, Paramedic
Registered Nurse at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska

Jason Dolan is a Registered Nurse who received his training at Laurel Ridge Community College in Middletown, Virginia. During a two year in person ADN program, he balanced a full-time firefighter/paramedic position with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department as well as serving as Student Nurses Association President of the Middletown Chapter of the SNA under Nursing Program Director Kellie Anderson. Jason was the recipient of the Virginia Nurses Foundation Northern Shenandoah Valley Chapter Scholarship during his program. Jason now works as an Acute Care RN for Providence Anchorage Medical Center in Anchorage, Alaska.