For Ruben Castro, M.S.N. (M.S.N. ’25), getting to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) Immersion Weekend was no small feat. Ruben is a D.N.P. student at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Ellmer School of Nursing at Old Dominion University and also an active-duty service member stationed in Okinawa, Japan. He traveled nearly 27 hours to reach Hampton Roads, navigating multiple flights and an additional 12-hour drive to attend the event.
The long journey was about more than reaching a destination, he said. It was a chance to reconnect with classmates, meet faculty face-to-face and learn from leaders who are helping shape the future of healthcare.
Ruben joined nearly 100 D.N.P. students for the once-a-semester experience led by Kelli Garber, D.N.P., APRN, PPCNP-BC (D.N.P. ’21), D.N.P. program director at Ellmer School of Nursing at Old Dominion University. Students complete much of their coursework online, so the weekend provides a valuable opportunity to step away from their screens and build the relationships and skills that are essential to becoming leaders in healthcare.
"The camaraderie and sense of community in this program have really exceeded my expectations,” said Ariel Velazquez, a D.N.P. student in the nurse executive track. “I thought it was going to be one of those things where I just do my coursework, show up and get the degree. But, we hug each other. We’re so excited to see each other at Immersion Weekends.”
The event began at Old Dominion University’s Webb Student Center with an interdisciplinary workshop alongside physical therapy students from Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences Ellmer College of Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. Through a DiSC behavioral profiling assessment, students explored their communication and personality styles, gaining insight into how they work with others and how different approaches can strengthen collaboration.
That collaborative mindset took center stage on day two during a Hackathon focused on healthcare innovation, designed and led by Tina Gustin, D.N.P., APRN (D.N.P. ’11), an associate professor at Ellmer School of Nursing at Old Dominion University.
Speaker Brandon Welch, Ph.D., founder of Doxy.me and owner of Telehealth.org, shared his journey as a healthcare technology entrepreneur, including the challenges he encountered when launching his company. He faced limited support and skepticism from investors initially, he said, but today, Doxy.me serves more than one million providers.
Dr. Welch’s story demonstrated how persistence and a willingness to rethink conventional approaches can turn an idea into a successful venture. He challenged students to look beyond innovation to create solutions that are also practical, sustainable and, ultimately, deliver a positive experience for patients.
Shawn Nason, an author, cancer survivor and former Disney Imagineer, shifted the conversation from developing an idea to making others believe in it. He guided students through a business plan and offered strategies for presenting ideas effectively to C-suite leaders. But, one message stood out: innovation must begin with empathy and understanding.
“If you haven’t done an ethnographic study to understand the viability of the business, then shut it down,” Nason told students, emphasizing the importance of understanding the people a solution is intended to serve.
Students then put their lessons into practice, working in teams to develop solutions to a patient case study presented by Dr. Gustin. Dr. Welch and Nason remained with the students throughout the exercise, listening to their ideas and offering feedback as they transformed concepts into potential business solutions.
The final day focused on another critical aspect of healthcare leadership: preparedness.
Led by Chelsea Weaks, D.N.P., M.Ed., APRN (B.S.N. ’19, D.N.P. ’23), D.N.P. nurse executive program director Ellmer School of Nursing at Old Dominion University, students participated in a disaster simulation, taking on different roles and working together to develop policies and guidance for responding to a crisis.
The weekend concluded with students presenting scholarly projects they had been developing throughout the program and receiving feedback from faculty.
For Ruben, the experience reinforced why making the long journey from Japan to Virginia was worth it.
“As we have new instructors bringing new ideas and concepts to these events, this opportunity to come together helps us grow as leaders in the D.N.P. program,” he said. “We don’t always get the opportunity to interact with real-life leaders and learn from them. It gives you hope, and helps you see the endless possibilities in this career.”
Learn more about the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program.