#MeetUsMonday - Meet RN to BSN Student and Student Ambassador Tyler Atkinson
Meet Tyler.
Originally from Chesterfield, VA, he’s lived in Farmville and Appomattox and now calls Crozet home with his wife and two daughters, including their new baby born in October 2025. Before becoming a nurse, he worked as a medic in the Virginia Army National Guard and as a firefighter and paramedic. In addition to being an RN to BSN student, he currently works in UVA’s thoracic cardiovascular ICU, where he shares the unit—and a love of cardiac care—with his wife, who’s also a nurse. He also enjoys backpacking, cycling, and exploring virtual reality worlds—sometimes with unintended wall collisions!
WHY UVA SCHOOL OF NURSING?
"I chose UVA for its exceptional culture that I experienced while working at UVA Health. I had to see if the academic side could match, and I’m happy to report that the University and the Health System are two sides of the same coin! This program has been supportive, flexible, and relevant to both my nursing practice and professional development."
HIS PATH TO NURSING AND CAREER GOALS
"Nursing drew me in with its structured career path, educational opportunities, better work-life balance, and diverse roles. My ultimate goal is to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist while still being able to soak up adventures with my growing family."
"Prospective students should know that, despite my initial apprehensions about returning to school, UVA has exceeded my expectations. Balancing work, family, and studies has been manageable, thanks to the program's quality and support. I enjoy my classes, my relationships with professors and peers, and have honestly never felt more capable professionally."
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE RN TO BSN:
"Prospective students should know that, despite my initial apprehensions about returning to school, UVA has exceeded my expectations. Balancing work, family, and studies has been manageable, thanks to the program's quality and support. I enjoy my classes, my relationships with professors and peers, and have honestly never felt more capable professionally. My wife and I both work and are raising a toddler with another one on the way. At no point have I felt like the workload is unmanageable or regretted my decision to go back to school. The RN to BSN program is top notch, and I’m happy that I found it."
THE SCHOOL IN A WORD?
"REWARDING. Being part of this program has given me a deep sense of confidence and belonging—and has shown me that there are truly no limits to what a person can achieve through nursing. Before starting school to earn a BSN, I assumed nursing would just be a job—something where I’d find the specialty I could tolerate most while counting the hours until the end of my shift. What I discovered instead is that nursing is a launchpad. With a BSN, you can work across a wide range of specialties inside and outside the hospital and support a family.
Want to advance into leadership, education, or advanced practice? There’s the MSN or DNP. Interested in research? PhD. And no matter which direction you choose, the programs are built to support your goals while still fitting into real life. This program helped me see myself as a lifelong learner—and once that door opened, the opportunities haven’t stopped showing up."
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RSVP for our next RN to BSN Info Session on February 19 at 5:30 PM with Tyler, program leaders, and our admissions team learn more about our powerful, part-time RN to BSN program that offers working nurses who already have an associate's degree or nursing diploma a pathway to earning all the personal, professional, and financial benefits a BSN degree brings. Tyler will also offer his personal insight about the joys and challenges of balancing school, work, and family life as nursing student at UVA.