UT Health Science Center to Graduate 146 New Health Care Professionals Dec. 8

Jenifer Prather, MPH, RN, will graduate from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center with a PhD in Nursing Science on Monday, Dec. 8, but her research on the impact of mindfulness interventions on stroke survivors and their caregivers is already gaining attention in the field.

Her research abstract was accepted for the International Stroke Conference scheduled in February in New Orleans. Her research also received the Outstanding Poster Award at the third annual International Society of Contemplative Research Conference, and it has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing.

Prather is one of 146 students graduating from UT Health Sciences on Monday, during the 2025 Winter Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.

Seventy students will graduate from the College of Nursing, alongside 27 from the College of Medicine, 24 from the College of Graduate Health Sciences, 15 from the College of Health Professions, and 10 from the College of Dentistry.

As Tennessee's statewide public academic health system, UT Health Sciences trains the next generation of health care providers for the state, cares for people at partner hospitals and clinics statewide, and researches the cures for the diseases that affect all Tennesseans. The university has more than 3,100 students at its campuses in Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville.

For Prather, attaining a doctorate represents the fruition of a professional goal that began when she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and chemistry and continued when she attained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

However, she credits her early life and her experience as a caregiver during her mother's cancer battle with turning her attention to the importance of mindfulness.

"From that point forward, I knew I wanted the rest of my professional career to focus on helping individuals with chronic conditions and their caregivers manage stress more effectively," she said. "Those experiences led me to become deeply interested in the science behind contemplative practices and how they could be adapted for patients and care partners."

She hopes to continue her research and implement it by partnering with companies to develop mindfulness intervention programs for people with a range of chronic conditions and their caregivers.

Prather credits UT Health Sciences for the support and guidance that has helped her succeed.

"The PhD program at UT Health Sciences has been pivotal in shaping how I think as both a scientist and a nurse," she said. "One thing I am most grateful for is the UT Health Sciences nursing community for believing in my dream and in a program of research that often sits outside the traditional care model."