{"id":146678,"date":"2025-05-02T10:00:07","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T14:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=146678"},"modified":"2025-05-02T09:54:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T13:54:21","slug":"3-ucf-knight-nurses-2-generations-1-big-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/3-ucf-knight-nurses-2-generations-1-big-celebration\/","title":{"rendered":"3 UCF Knight Nurses, 2 Generations, 1 Big Celebration"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Friday, two generations of one family will be among the more than 400 UCF students walking across the stage at Addition Financial Arena to receive a nursing degree. Their achievement will not only celebrate a family milestone but also contribute to strengthening the local nursing talent pipeline amid a critical workforce shortage.<\/p>\n

With Mother\u2019s Day nearing, the achievement and memorable moment will be even more special for the family, who calls Apopka, Florida, home.<\/p>\n

Stacie pursued the online master\u2019s degree in nurse leadership and management at UCF at the same time that her twin daughters Hannah and Elizabeth were in the bachelor\u2019s in nursing<\/a> (BSN) program on the Orlando campus.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s everything I want to celebrate as a mom,\u201d says Stacie Scarborough<\/strong> \u201913<\/strong>, who recently accepted a position as manager of nursing professional development at AdventHealth Orlando. \u201cEvery parent dreams of seeing their children grow into happy and functional adults that have succeeded in flying on their own. They have done this and more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI couldn\u2019t be prouder to see them walk that stage and join them in doing so,\u201d Stacie adds. \u201cSharing the same path right now is amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never thought that, after being so inspired by my mom\u2019s nursing career, I\u2019d not only graduate from the same nursing program as she did, but also do it right beside her,\u201d Elizabeth Scarborough says. \u201cI am so incredibly thankful for this opportunity, and I will cherish this moment forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Elizabeth\u2019s twin sister, Hannah, shares the same pride and gratitude, making the family\u2019s dual-generation graduation a truly unforgettable moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel it\u2019s made our UCF legacy much more impactful,\u201d Hannah says. \u201cIt\u2019s one thing to go to same school as your parents, but it\u2019s another to experience that school with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Supporting One Another<\/h2>\n

Since the family calls Central Florida home, all three have lived together while pursuing their degrees.<\/p>\n

\u201cImagine three stressed-out students in nursing school living together. We all owe my husband, and their dad, a debt of gratitude,\u201d Stacie says with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also had a lot of great opportunities to share each other\u2019s worries while building each other up and supporting one another,\u201d Stacie says. \u201cIt is an experience that I will never forget and consider it to be an amazing gift.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to their clinicals and classes, both Hannah and Elizabeth who are Bright Futures scholars have worked as nurse techs while in their final year of the traditional BSN program.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am thankful for this position as it taught me a lot about patient care,\u201d Elizabeth says. \u201cI learned how important it is to take the time to make patients feel truly seen and heard, while also tending to their most basic needs.\u201d<\/p>\n