AMERICA | A remarkable lady named Karyssa Coston has made history by earning her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of South Alabama in the United States.
This milestone that places her among the 1.2% of Black nurses in the country who hold a doctoral degree in Nursing.
Karyssa’s academic journey reflects both excellence and resilience.
Karyssa's Story and How She Did It
Karyssa began her Nursing journey at Clayton State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Nursing degree.
Determined to go further, she proceeded to the University of South Alabama, completing her Master’s degree in Dual Role Family Nursing Practice before earning her DNP.
Now dually certified as an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner and a Family Nurse Practitioner, Karyssa stands as a symbol of Black excellence in healthcare. Her achievement is even more powerful considering the deep historical context she draws inspiration from.
Reflecting on America’s Three-Fifths Compromise on Instagram, which once regarded enslaved Africans as less than whole human beings, Karyssa noted that she has risen “from being considered three-fifths of a person to becoming part of the top 1.2% in my field.”
Karyssa credits her drive and advocacy to the influence of Dr. Earl Campbell’s #FromThreeFifthsAPerson campaign, a movement celebrating the progress, value, and capability of Black individuals who continue to overcome systemic barriers.
She explained that while over 64% of nurses in the US hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, only 1.2% have attained a Doctor of Nursing Practice, with Black representation in that group being even smaller.
Beyond her academic success, Karyssa is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and the founder of “Black Nurses Killing It”, a platform dedicated to uplifting, connecting, and celebrating Black nurses across the world.
Reflecting on her journey, Karyssa shared a deeply emotional message: “I’m not trying to brag, but I’m determined to make my ancestors’ brief, agonizing, undervalued, and stolen lives worth something.”
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