“The future of nursing is being shaped right here at UAFS," says Josh Simonds, assistant director of alumni engagement. "Our graduates are a level above the rest— they’re setting new standards for what excellence in healthcare really looks like. They’re the nurses I hope walk through the door when I’m in the hospital – and the ones I look for when caring for a loved one.”

Lindsey France, ’15, is the embodiment of that belief.

From the moment she stepped onto the floor as a Registered Nurse, France was a force. After earning her BSN from UAFS, she launched her career at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital, quickly becoming a Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse. She traveled the country, learning advanced rehabilitation techniques and bringing that knowledge home to Fort Smith, raising the standard of care in her community.

Nearly a decade later, she is a charge nurse at Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital, overseeing a 50-bed facility while serving as a scheduler, trainer, and advocate for patients and staff alike. But ask those who work alongside her, and they’ll tell you her real title is something much bigger.

“She is not only a nurse when she is working; she is a support system for those around her, a source of knowledge, and an advocate for her patients,” says fellow charge nurse Paige Labyer, ’19.

France doesn’t just treat patients—she lifts them up. Sometimes, that means helping them walk again, and sometimes, it means giving them the confidence to try. She says it all comes with the job.

“It’s rewarding when a patient comes in and they’re not able to do anything for themselves, and through nursing and therapist care, two weeks later, they’re walking out the door,” she says with a smile.

That level of care and skill of heart is exactly what UAFS prepares its nurses for. France knew when she walked across the commencement stage she was stepping into a calling.

“I’m proud to have graduated from here. UAFS prepared me and made me feel more confident.”

As she approaches a decade in nursing, she agrees with Simonds’ sentiment: UAFS nurses are a cut above the rest. And the university is continuing to raise the bar, ensuring more nurses enter the field ready to meet the growing demand.

“There’s a severe shortage, but at UAFS, you can now get your RN in two years,” she explains. “That’s going to keep helping nurses everywhere. It’s incredible to see the difference you can make in such a short time.”

For patients, families, colleagues, and leaders, the impact of a UAFS nurse is undeniable.