Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA)

Graduate Nursing Student Academy

The Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA) provides high value programs, services, and resources to graduate nursing students enrolled in master's and doctoral programs at AACN member schools as they prepare for their future nursing careers.

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Image of the Jefferson Memorial with text reading, "Registration Now Open! 2026 Graduate Nursing Student Conference | July 30-31, 2026 | Washington, DC

 

2026 GNSA Conference: Ignite Your Leadership Potential


If you’re ready to stand out and lead, the GNSA Conference is where it happens. This is more than a conference—it’s a launchpad for the nurse leaders of tomorrow.

Connect with graduate nursing students from across the country, learn directly from influential nursing leaders, and gain real-world leadership skills you can apply immediately in your program, your organization, and your career. You’ll leave energized, confident, and equipped to make an impact. This year’s event will focus on the theme of Legacy of Care: Leadership and Innovation for a Sustainable Future and will take place on July 30-31 in Washington, DC.

Register now and be part of the future of nursing leadership.

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Student Webinars

Student Webinars

Digital Innovators

Digital Innovators

GNSA Events

GNSA Events

GNSA Leadership

GNSA Leadership

Career Hub

Career Hub

Resources

Resources

 


Apply for the GNSA Liaison Program and grow your leadership skills today!

GNSA Liaisons are graduate nursing volunteers who support their fellow students by sharing GNSA resources and providing feedback to improve GNSA offerings. Liaisons have access to additional leadership and professional development opportunities, including networking and writing advancement.

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Student News & Opportunities

GNSA Bulletin: May 2026

In this issue of the GNSA Bulletin, we discuss the role of scholarly work in advocacy, as well as introduce the 2026 GNSA Hall of Fame inductees and highlight the upcoming 2026 conference.

| Students

GNSA Bulletin: April 2026

In this issue of the GNSA Bulletin, we discuss the barriers to advocacy, as well as the GNSA Visionary Leader Award Call for Applications and the 2026 conference Call for Abstracts.

| Students

GNSA Bulletin: March 2026

In this issue of the GNSA Bulletin, we discuss advocacy as professional identity and note the upcoming Career Readiness Week, as well as other impending webinars and programs.

| Students

Listen to our Latest Podcast Episode

White stairs with orange arrow, reading Level Up: Graduate Nursing Unplugged, GNSA

Episode 6: Nurses Who Lead with Dr. Jean Watson
In this inspiring episode, host Claire Regan sits down with the legendary Dr. Jean Watson, renowned nursing theorist and founder of the Watson Caring Science Institute. Dr. Watson reflects on her groundbreaking contributions to nursing, including her Theory of Human Caring, which redefined nursing as both a science and a deeply humanistic practice. The conversation explores her leadership journey—from early academic challenges to pioneering the first public clinical doctorate program—and her vision for nursing as a discipline rooted in ethics, caring, and love. She shares insights on leadership, policy, and the critical role of authenticity and creativity in shaping the future of healthcare.

Listen Now