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Meet Jamilia McCoy. Daughter of an LPN and a Navy veteran who’s had a life-long interest in mental health. First female wrestler at John Marshall High School, mom to five-year-old Kiyah and four-year-old Vercell, owner of a hair braiding business, and a singer-songwriter. Earned a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration and a master’s in forensic psychology before entering nursing school as a Conway Scholar and CNL master's student. One of seven summer research interns working with nurse scientists Kathryn Laughon and Louise Fleming who hopes one day to open a mental health clinic supporting people affected by substance use disorders. Cousin to fellow CNL student Imani McCoy (their moms are twin sisters) who loves snuggling with, reading to, and teaching her children math and new languages. 

HER PATH TO NURSING 

“When I was 15, I became a pharmacy technician. By age 18, I’d graduated from military school and got my first job in corrections as a medication technician. I worked alongside my mom at Richmond City Jail, where she was an LPN, where I had an experience responding to an emergency. A young lady had attempted suicide by wrapping cloth around her neck. We weren’t allowed to have scissors, so I told the deputy to use her keys. We worked together to save that young woman’s life before the rest of the team arrived, and I watched staff nurses spring into action. I was inspired, and knew I needed a larger scope of practice to be more involved.

“I grew up in a military family, and we moved frequently. After my dad was injured, he struggled with addiction, which shaped much of my early life. Fast forward to 2018, I graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration. Soon after, I started working at Richmond Behavioral Health as a Qualified Mental Health Professional with women and children, while maintaining a part-time role in corrections.

“My first role in leadership made me realize that I wanted to be the person who does research and influences policy ... but not necessarily an administrative leader. My degree in healthcare administration opened the door, but it was not the role I really wanted. I avoided becoming a nurse but realized along my path that I should’ve become an RN in the first place. Looking back now, it seems clear, but if I hadn’t done the roundabout way, I would’ve lacked the formative experiences I have. Sometimes the roundabout way is the best way! It also helped me realize that I love, love, love teaching. 

“By the end of 2019, I had my daughter, Kiyah, and, in 2020, I had Vercell ... and by then, I’d worked as a pharmacy tech, a medication tech, a qualified mental health professional, and adjunct psychology professor at ECPI. I realized that nursing could bring all those skills together — and that if I didn’t like the culture or the way something worked, I could be part of the change. I knew people going back to school to become nurses, supported them with writing papers or finding resources, and soon they started encouraging me to go back, too. I was like, ‘If I can help other people do this, I can do this.’ Finally, I thought, ‘All right, let me be a nurse.’” 

WHY SHE CHOSE THE CNL AND UVA 

“After earning a bachelor’s degree, it wasn’t feasible to pursue another undergraduate degree, so I looked into accelerated nursing programs ... UVA stood out because it was the only school that offered the Clinical Nurse Leader program, which aligned with my leadership goals, had a strong reputation for evidence-based practice, and offered me a competitive scholarship that made it financially feasible.” 

WHAT THE PROGRAM’S BEEN LIKE 

“Life changing for sure, though not without its challenges. As a divorced single mother of two, I’ve had to balance the demands of school, work, and parenting — especially with one of my children living with congenital nystagmus, a rare neurological disorder that causes uncontrollable eye movement, visual impairment, and developmental delays that’s related to albinism. Despite facing job loss and personal hardship, I remained determined. I launched a hair business to support my family earlier this spring, built a support system at UVA, and leaned on resources like CAPS. Through it all, UVA never told me to quit. Instead, people here asked, ‘How can we support you?’  

“The experiences I’ve had have shaped me into a more resilient, empathetic, and resourceful individual—qualities that will make me a stronger nurse, educator, and advocate for those facing adversity. It’s also given me perspective on what it might mean to become a nurse scientist. There’s a real lack of research on rare childhood disorders, like Vercell’s. I was selected to be a part of the ONR’s summer research internship and have been working with professors Kathryn Laughon (Associate Professor) and Louise Fleming (Associate Dean for Academic Operations), which has equipped me with valuable skills in evidence-based practice and policy development and reinforced my commitment to driving meaningful change in healthcare.” 

WHAT CLINICALS HAVE BEEN LIKE 

“Incredible! While I expected to love psych, my favorite rotation was with adults and older adults. Staff on the unit took every opportunity to make me feel like a part of the team. One day I saw the family of a patient who’d received some tough news. I was able to provide her with emotional support, educated her about the resources we had, and communicated the events to her nurse. As a student, it can sometimes be difficult communicating with seasoned nurses. You have to balance being present and helpful, while making sure you don’t overstep. The nurses I’ve worked with always seem to welcome support, though, and provide intentional feedback. It felt really gratifying to hear a patient and their family verbalize that you made them feel a little bit better in a really stressful situation.”

FAVORITE NURSING SKILL 

“I’d have to say wound care. I learned to do that first in a correctional setting, treating inmates who had suffered from gunshot wounds, and, later, from being a patient myself, having an emergency Cesarean section during COVID. My incision reopened, no nurses were available, and my mom, an LPN, cared for me twice a day until I healed. That was humbling. It really showed me how vital nurses are and inspired me to pursue nursing more seriously — not just to advocate for mental health, but to ensure no one goes without care due to staffing shortages.” 

WHAT KIND OF NURSE SHE HOPES TO BE 

“I can see myself thriving everywhere. I can see myself in psych, working in corrections, and in pediatrics. I have so many skills I’ve learned, I cannot sit on that, I have to bless somebody else. Whatever environment I’m in, though, I want to support a healthy work environment. If any profession can cultivate a healthy work environment, it’s nursing.” 

UVA SCHOOL OF NURSING IN A WORD? 

“SUPPORTIVE. I’ve never been supported in all my life the way I’ve been supported at UVA. Dr. Ivy [Hinton], Jeanette [Wangler], Dr. Gomes, some of my instructors, they’ve been wonderful. They’re relatable and understanding, while still holding me accountable. I’m grateful for the staff and leaders who have been in my corner.”