PhD in Nursing Program Launches at Berkley School of Nursing
(September 11, 2025) — Georgetown’s Berkley School of Nursing celebrated the launch of its new PhD in Nursing program and welcomed the first student cohort during a reception at the University’s Capitol Campus in the heart of Washington, D.C.
The doctorate program is designed for individuals who want to be change-makers by seeking to advance the discipline and serve in academic, community health, health care, policy, global and research settings.
Roberta Waite, EdD, RN, PMHCNS, ANEF, FADLN, FAAN
Dean Roberta Waite, EdD, RN, PMHCNS, ANEF, FADLN, FAAN, lauded this milestone for the school during the Sept. 3 welcome reception for faculty, staff and the incoming students and their friends and loved ones at the program’s 111 Massachusetts Ave. location.
“This moment is more than a celebration — it is a signal of our commitment to shaping nursing science that matters,” she said. “We are at an inflection point in our society, where research is urgently needed to confront the most pressing challenges of our time. Nursing science, in particular, holds unique power because it is grounded in advancing health equity, guided by ethics, and rooted in the lived realities of individuals, families and communities.”
Shaping Georgetown Nursing
The PhD in Nursing’s program director, Edilma L. Yearwood, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN, helped establish the curriculum and acknowledged the importance of the work ahead.
Edilma Yearwood, PhD, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN
“Now, as the school seeks to expand its research identity, the PhD program will be a critical component of this work,” she said. “Further, its focus on health equity and ethics will amplify its impact in a way that elevates the mission and the values of the University and the school. Importantly, we are poised to do our part to move nursing science forward in order to meet the needs that exist within our very diverse communities.”
In recognition of the importance of a new PhD program to the field of nursing, leaders from three national nurses organizations were present at the launch celebration: Deborah Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN, president and chief executive officer of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing; Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN, NLN, president and chief executive officer of the National League for Nurses; and Suzanne Miyamoto, PhD, RN, FAAN, chief executive officer of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN).
Future Scholars
From l: Kate Ellis, Sydney West, Edilma Yearwood, Kenyatta Hazlewood and Jennifer Wallace
The inaugural cohort in the PhD program includes four accomplished nurses: Sydney West, MSN, RNC-OB, C-EFM; Jennifer Wallace, MSN, C-EFM; Kenyatta Hazlewood, BSN, MPH, RN, NE- BC; and Kate Ellis, CNM, WHNP, PMHNP.
After obtaining a PhD in nursing, West aims to pursue a position in nursing academia to advance her research goals, remain engaged with other scholars, and train future nurse scientists.
“With its commitment to social justice and health equity and its foundation in Jesuit ideals, Georgetown offers an ideal setting for me to pursue my research interests,” she said.
Wallace is also planning a career in academia. “I hope to integrate my passion and experience with emerging trends and current needs in maternal health — particularly in improving outcomes for individuals facing mental health challenges during the perinatal period.”
Hazlewood said she was drawn to the program’s unwavering commitment to addressing health disparities. “Ultimately, I aim to contribute to the creation of sustainable, impactful interventions that reduce the prevalence and impact of violence within health care settings and beyond,” she said.
Ellis said the program’s defined Jesuit values drew her in. “Through the equity lens, women and birthing people have not been appropriately represented in mental health research,” she said. “I would love to use this research to help develop and influence policy.”
Recognizing the students who will help shape the future of the profession, Waite lauded the new PhD program as “bold, timely, and deeply needed.”
“The launch of this PhD program represents an investment in the next generation of scholars whose work will not only generate new knowledge, but also shape policies, transform practice, and illuminate pathways to a more just and equitable health care system,” she said.
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