I see it daily. I'm one of the lucky ones, I guess. They are the unmistakable qualities that reside in our students and result from their academic journey. Oh sure, they are intelligent, hardworking, and creative. But what I see is more distinctive. It's what sets them apart from the others: their determination and transformation.

When they arrive, their excitement is unmistakable. But as those of you who have been in their shoes know, that excitement quickly turns to anxiousness. And where anxiety lies, doubt is right around the corner. But that's when these students begin to dig down deep, when they lean on the very core of what got them to this point. This is when I see doubt turn into determination. Spend ten minutes with any of our students--you can't miss it. The resolve to succeed, to serve, to evolve, to contribute, is uniquely theirs.

Then, in the midst of digesting theoretical concepts, textbooks, and clinical skills, they begin to transform. On the surface, most are transformed into nurse practitioners or midwives. Others transition from practitioners into researchers and scholars. But that is expected and just scratches the surface. What I see is different: I witness a metamorphosis. I see nerves turn into confidence, and ideas into scholarly work. I see the sheltered turn advocate, the favored turn servant, and the healer turn leader. Regardless of their backgrounds, ethnicities, passions, and professional desires, I see them all transform. Just look through the pages that follow, and you'll see it too.