Courtney McMullen has spent her career preparing future nurses. Now, as director of nursing instruction at Northwest Mississippi Community College, she leads faculty and students with the same commitment to education that inspired her to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) at Samford University's Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing.
Through the school's online Nurse Leader program, McMullen expanded her understanding of leadership, organizational improvement and nursing education. The program gave her the opportunity to explore how nurse leaders can create meaningful change within academic settings.
McMullen began her nursing career after earning an associate degree from Northwest Mississippi Community College in 2007. She spent seven years in bedside nursing before discovering a passion for education while completing a graduate practicum at Northwest. After joining the faculty as an adjunct clinical instructor, she accepted a full-time position in 2019 and later became course coordinator.
When it came time to choose a doctoral program, McMullen researched both Doctor of Nursing Practice and PhD options before deciding the DNP best aligned with her career goals. She said Samford stood out because of its academic reputation, Christian mission and flexible format, allowing her to continue working full time while advancing her education.
"I always envisioned continuing my education, but for years I found myself waiting for the 'perfect' time to take the next step," McMullen said. "Eventually, I realized there is no perfect time. If you do not intentionally invest in yourself, life will quickly fill that space with other priorities."
Throughout the program, McMullen developed a broader understanding of how leadership in nursing education extends beyond the classroom to influence academic programs,communities and the future of the profession.
"Seeing the program from a 30,000-foot perspective allows one to recognize how the daily work of faculty members with their students directly influences institutional goals, workforce development and long-term program success," McMullen said.
While the curriculum strengthened her leadership skills, it was the relationships she built with faculty that left an equally lasting impression.
After losing her home in a fire during the program, McMullen said the faculty surrounded her with encouragement, prayers and practical support, helping her replace the resources she needed to continue her coursework.
"Their kindness, empathy and genuine care extended far beyond the virtual classroom," McMullen said. "It was a reminder that nursing and nurse education are rooted not only in knowledge and leadership, but also in humanity."
Since completing the program, McMullen has expanded her leadership beyond the classroom. She serves on a local hospital's clinical nurse residency advisory board and participates in hospital leadership meetings, contributing to initiatives that strengthen nursing education and patient care.
Looking back, McMullen said earning her DNP means far more than professional advancement. She believes effective leadership requires recognizing that nursing education must continue evolving alongside the profession.
"Leadership is not about you being the leader," McMullen said. "It's about supporting the people you lead as best as you can with the resources you have and inspiring them to believe in the vision of being better than we were before."
