In her formative years growing up in Arkansas, Kennetta Wiggins decided she wanted to work in medicine one day. She went to the University of Arkansas after graduating high school with plans to major in chemistry and pursue a path to become a physical therapist or family physician.
However, when a friend of the family connected Kennetta to a nurse and a nurse practitioner, she had the chance to shadow them in their jobs. “Watching them do what they do, I was inspired and thought I would love that type of job,” she says. Kennetta changed her major to nursing and in 2001, finished the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and became a Registered Nurse.
Clinical Experience in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a Nurse Practitioner Degree
Kennetta began her career at Washington Regional Medical Center in the intensive care nursery, then became a floor nurse. She worked her way up to assistant director before moving to Encompass Health, where she focused on rehabilitation and medical surgical nursing. She also decided the time was right to return to school and earned a Master of Science in Nursing, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner from the University of Arkansas in 2013.
“I loved the pediatric clinic where I’d done clinicals, but they weren’t hiring when I graduated, so I continued working in the hospital,” Kennetta says. Three years after graduating, she was eager to put her master’s degree to work. A friend mentioned the idea of teaching at NorthWest Arkansas Community College.
Changing Course to Teaching
The idea of teaching had never crossed Kennetta’s mind, but she decided to apply for a clinical instructor position—and she was quickly hired in the fall of 2016. “I found that I really liked teaching and just loved how eager the students were to learn,” she says. By then, Kennetta had two children, and teaching offered her a work-life balance that she appreciated as a busy working mother. She joined NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) as a full-time faculty member in 2017.
By 2019, Kennetta was teaching online courses at the community college as well. She started looking for online adjunct positions she could do on the side in addition to her full-time job. To make herself a more competitive candidate, she decided to go back to school for a doctorate.
Discovering Post University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice – Educational Leadership Specialization
Kennetta’s research on education-focused doctorate programs led her to Post University’s American Sentinel College of Nursing and Health Sciences. “The class structure and the timeframe that it would take me to complete the program seemed great, and they had some excellent payment options for nurse faculty members too,” she says. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced all colleges online, Kennetta figured she would have more time at home to do schoolwork in her free time. She enrolled in April 2020 in the DNP – Educational Leadership Specialization.
The DNP program was rigorous and challenging, Kennetta says, but also achievable. “I knew when everything was due well in advance, so it was doable,” she says. “The instructors were helpful and encouraging.”
The Goal: Become the Best Teacher Possible
Kennetta’s educational pursuit paid off. She was hired as a part-time online nursing instructor for Rasmussen University in 2022. After completing the Doctor of Nursing Practice – Educational Leadership Specialization in December 2023, she was also promoted to assistant director of nursing and clinical coordinator at NWACC.
“I went back to school to learn how to be an effective online instructor and a better teacher overall here at the community college,” Kennetta says. She used what she learned in the DNP program in her teaching practices, and today, she’s focused on applying her new skills and knowledge to her role as an education leader. “I definitely recommend Post and the DNP Educational Leadership Specialization to others. The whole program was awesome.”