Dear Graduate,

Congratulations on the completion of your educational program at the Frontier Nursing University. What a wonderful accomplishment! We are so thrilled that you are now joining Frontier alumni across the United States and indeed the world to deliver health care to deserving families.

We hope that you can join us Saturday, October 26, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, for your graduation celebration, which will be held at The Hal Rogers Center “The Forum” in Hazard KY. We have special events planned on campus on Friday, October 25th. The entire faculty will be in Hyden that weekend and will be here to greet you. We encourage you to come and bring your families to the University and show them our campus. Don't forget to ring the bell while you are there.

There will be much pomp and circumstance to celebrate the day. A highlight is the hooding ceremony as your Department Chair places your master's or doctorate hood over your head and adds this to your graduation regalia. We have selected beautiful FNU medals on blue ribbons to add to your regalia. We also have a pinning ceremony where faculty pin your new FNU pin to your gown and then welcome you into the profession. It is a wonderful time and a very special event that you don't want to miss.

Our speaker this year is Holly Powell Kennedy, CNM, PhD, FACNM, FAAN. She is an internationally known midwifery researcher and leader. Dr. Kennedy is the first person to be appointed as the Varney Professor of Midwifery at Yale in 2009. She came to the position with broad experiences as a clinician, researcher, educator, policymaker and leader in a variety of settings. Collectively these experiences have shaped her current vision of academic and clinical scholarship in US maternal-child health care. She is President of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM), the professional association representing Certified Nurse-Midwives and Certified Midwives in the US. Holly Powell Kennedy Bio.

It is a beautiful time to come to Kentucky. Our magnificent mountains will be adorned with fabulous fall colors. Wendover Tours will be available during the weekend of graduation. The Bed and Breakfast will not be available for rental but for your next vacation consider staying at the Wendover Bed & Breakfast. You may enjoy the peaceful seclusion and taking your family for a historical tour. http://www.frontier.edu/bedandbreakfast

In addition there are several attractions nearby that you may be interested in. Here are only a few:

• Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, dubbed the "Niagara of the South" where you can see the moon bow when there is a full moon. www.cumberlandfallspark.com
• Natural Bridge State Resort Park, stone arch, cottages & campgrounds: www.naturalbridgepark.com
• Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park Resort Lodge and cottages: www.buckhornlakepark.com
• Levi Jackson Wilderness Rd State Park with historical trails, grist mill and museum: www.levijacksonstatepark.com
• The Great Smokey Mountains, Pigeon Forge, TN www.mypigeonforge.com
• Hiking Trails: http://kygeonet.ky.gov/kytrails

There are no motels in Hyden but there are several available a short distance away. If driving in from the west, you may want to stay in Manchester KY and if traveling in from the East you may want to stay in Hazard KY.

Please plan to join us for a magnificent day that will be a treasured memory for you and your family. Log on now http://www.midwives.org/graduation to find your graduation registration form, regalia order form and even more tourism information. If you have any questions please contact Debra Turner, Student Services Coordinator at Debra.Turner@frontier.edu or 859-899-2602. She will be more than happy to help you.

Sincerely,
Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FAAN, FACNM
President and Dean