Grads prepare for nursing at all levels

The University of North Georgia (UNG) will award more than 200 nursing degrees ranging from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to the Doctor of Nursing Practice this month. These numbers show the massive impact of the UNG Nursing Department at every stage of nurses' careers.

Elijah Garrett is graduating on the accelerated BSN track and will begin work in July as the school nurse at Chicopee Woods Elementary School in Hall County, Georgia. The Buford, Georgia, resident hopes to eventually follow in his father's footsteps as a psychiatric nurse.

Garrett previously served in the Georgia Army National Guard, Cobb County Police Department and the Air Force Reserve.

"I've always been drawn to talking to people," Garrett said. "I can be a voice for these children at my school. I can give them the help they need."

He received the Marie Ruth Atkins Justus Nursing Scholarship, Charles Warren Memorial Nursing Scholarship and Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Scholarship.

Garrett said he was at UNG in 2016 trying to work on nursing prerequisites but wasn't fully invested. Now, with a 3-year-old daughter and a 2-year-old daughter, he is back at UNG and about to complete his BSN.

"That's given me the power to study for these tests," Garrett said. "My children inspired me to do better."

Garrett said his professors have invested in him both as a student and a person. He particularly enjoyed the simulation labs.

Elizabeth Lineberry has served as school nurse in recent years, including most recently at Valor Christian Academy in Alpharetta, Georgia. After four miscarriages and the loss of her father to skin cancer, Lineberry was looking for a new way to serve. That led her to UNG's Master of Science in Nursing with a concentration in family nurse practitioner, from which she will graduate May 13.

"Even though my life was not turning out the way I wanted, there was a greater purpose. It's been very reassuring for me to see that there's a better plan for me," Lineberry said. "The hard things shape us and mold us to become better people."

A mother of two teenage boys, she is grateful for the direction the program has offered her. She plans to work in medical dermatology or primary care, while also remaining involved in medical mission trips.

Lineberry already felt a special connection to UNG as Barnes Hall at the Dahlonega Campus is named after her great-uncle Clements Barnes, who served as a math professor. She will become the first family member to graduate from UNG since the building was named for him.

The nursing faculty have impressed Lineberry at every turn with their knowledge and their approachability.

"I felt so enriched by them sharing their experiences and learning from what they had done," Lineberry said. "They helped me learn from my mistakes and cultivated my perspective as a nurse practitioner."

Lineberry was a recipient of the Esther J. King & Robert L. King Endowed Nursing Scholarship.

Another highlight for Lineberry was the Peru nursing study abroad in summer 2025, which allowed her to practice nursing cross-culturally and experience the natural wonder of Machu Picchu.

She encourages other nursing students to make the most of their time at UNG.

"Make the extra effort to get to know your faculty," Lineberry said. "They want to get to know you and support you."