In the warm and welcoming setting of Hotel Vermont on May 6, more than 60 guests gathered for an evening of camaraderie, gratitude, and storytelling as part of the University of Vermont’s celebration of National Nurses Appreciation Week.

Now in its second year, the annual event offered alumni, faculty, and friends a chance to connect and reflect on the impact of nursing across generations.

The driving force behind last year's event and this year's gathering are Claire Julianelle ’18, Nena Rich ’93, and Carole Greenberg ’63. They served as hosts and welcomed guests with warmth and humility, representing nearly six decades of nursing education at UVM. Each shared reflections that underscored how important the nursing profession is to them and to our communities. 

What does it mean to be in the nursing profession?

Attendees were asked to reflect on their experiences in the nursing profession and the difference their education and training at UVM made for them. 

The responses were as varied as the reasons why people go into the nursing profession in the first place.

One attendee simply said, "It's the best job in the world!" Another said, "I appreciate all we do for people and for all [nursing] has done for me." And one person captured the ups and downs of their career by saying, "it's been a wild ride!" 

For Nena Rich, the pride she feels as a nurse traces back to the rigorous foundation she received at UVM. “The journey was challenging,” she said, “but UVM provided me with a solid foundation that has helped me grow into the nurse I am today.” Rich now serves as a nurse researcher focused on helping colleagues re-enter the field after career breaks - supporting a profession she believes must evolve to better sustain its workforce.

Claire Julianelle spoke about finding her niche early on through UVM’s women and newborn health classes, which sparked her passion for neonatology and critical care. Now a NICU nurse, Julianelle offered reassurance to younger nurses: “Take in everything - the medical knowledge, the tips, and the tricks. Your nursing judgment and confidence will flourish soon after.”

Carole Greenberg, a member of the Class of 1963, reflected on how her UVM education shaped not only her career in nursing, but her second career as a marriage and family therapist. “The care plans we created became the anchor to my career in caregiving,” she shared. “I learned to focus on individuals not just as patients, but as part of an interconnected system.”

Despite their different paths, all three alumnae emphasized the enduring support of their UVM experience and the faculty who guided them. Names like Professor Melissa Johnson and Aline Demers remain etched in memory decades later. Greenberg credits Professor Demers with encouraging her to stay in the program at a pivotal moment. “Her guidance helped shape my professional life,” she said.

A Shared Appreciation for Community

Throughout the evening, guests mingled over refreshments, traded stories from the frontlines of healthcare, and explored the many ways UVM continues to support its nursing graduates. As Rich noted, staying connected to the university is about “continuing to support a profession I care deeply about.”

For Greenberg, who has established a scholarship for nursing students and serves on the school’s leadership council, giving back is a personal joy. “It’s been rewarding and challenging - and a way to say thank you.”

Another attendee simply appreciated the sense of community: "I'm so pleased to be invited back to UVM to enjoy nurses and their endeavors - thank you!"

As the nursing profession continues to evolve, events like this remind us of the common threads that unite its practitioners: compassion, advocacy, and a drive to serve.

Or as Julianelle puts it, “If I can help even one student achieve their goals, then it’s worth it to me.”

Go Deeper

See a lot more photos from the event by going here.

Read more stories from the College of Nursing and Health Sciences by going here.