Growing up, Vanessa Bolling, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, was sure of two things – being a nurse and becoming a Husky. Three UConn nursing degrees later, she is now teaching at the Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing, helping students who walk the same path she did.
At a young age, Bolling recalled moving her aunt into UConn, and she quickly fell in love with the school. After graduating from South Windsor High School in 2006, she went on to complete her bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing graduating in 2010.
“I worked at a city-based medical center on a medical-surgical floor and later in a cardiac step-down unit, gaining valuable foundational experience,” said Bolling. “But I knew there was something more I wanted to do.”
Initially, Bolling planned to become a maternity nurse, and her passion for women’s and children’s health never wavered. Over time, however, her interests broadened to caring for patients of all ages, inspiring her to pursue a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification after observing and learning from mentoring nurses who advanced into the Nurse Practitioner role.
In 2015, she obtained her master’s in nursing from UConn and later received her FNP Certificate. From there, she practiced part-time for about eight years, providing care to patients across the lifespan, from infancy to older adults, before returning to UConn to get her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
“I once thought earning my DNP degree was something far in the future, but when I learned that applications were open for the program, the opportunity presented itself and I took it,” she said.
After earning her DNP in 2021, she advanced her career as a leader in the nursing profession – becoming an entrepreneur, the owner of Integrative Core Wellness, a whole-person care wellness practice, and an educator dedicated to preparing future nursing professionals.
“When I was on the Med-Surg floor, I was precepting nurses,” she said. “And when I became a nurse practitioner, I always had a UConn student with me. I’ve always been deeply committed to the mission and vision of UConn Nursing. That’s when my eyes opened to the broader possibilities within the nursing profession.”
In 2022 she took an adjunct faculty position at the Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing. Three years later, she took the full-time position as Assistant Clinical Professor where she teaches graduate-level didactic and clinical courses for Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Nurse Educator students.
“It’s a blessing to come back and be able to help students go through processes that I recall as a student. It is surreal for me and very meaningful,” she said.
Bolling’s nursing career all started because of her love for math and science, as well as a keen interest in helping people live a healthy lifestyle.
That has been her mission for everything as she moved through her nursing career, including her creation of Kingdom Health Connections of The Apostles House of Harford.
“It’s all about equipping and educating communities with the tools and resources they need for better health,” she said.
Created in 2019, the health hub offers blood pressure and heart rate screenings, health education workshops, nutrition recommendations, and other health resources.
For her community contributions of health, wellness, education, and preventative screenings, Bolling was an award recipient for the 100 Women of Color Gala & Awards in 2023. Every year, the award recognizes the contributions of 100 women of color in business, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, and government.
Bolling’s dedication to providing holistic care is not only seen in her community services but also her mentorship.
She understands the power of education and plans on translating that as she shapes the next generation of nursing professionals at the Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing, where she will continue to be a Husky for life.
