Tracee Chapman, a graduate of Boise State University’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in 2015, returned to the School of Nursing as a faculty member in 2021. Chapman, who has been a lifelong supporter of Boise State, did not initially plan to pursue nursing or teaching. Her original interest was European history, but she decided to follow her parents’ path into healthcare.
Chapman described her journey as nontraditional. She attended the College of Western Idaho part time while raising a family and working as a hair stylist. When searching for nursing programs, she found many options too expensive or with demanding admission requirements such as extensive volunteer hours or additional certifications. After completing her prerequisites, she applied solely to Boise State due to its affordability and was accepted.
After graduating, Chapman worked in various roles including emergency department nurse, school nurse for the Boise School District, and forensic nurse. “I’ve just had the coolest jobs,” Chapman said. “I haven’t had any of those ‘I hate nursing, I don’t want to be a nurse anymore’ type roles.”
She later earned her master’s degree in nursing education in 2021. During her graduate studies, she reached out to Max Veltman, one of her former professors at Boise State, for help completing student teaching hours. With his assistance, she finished these hours at Boise State and learned about full-time job openings from him.
Kelley Connor, divisional dean of the School of Nursing at Boise State University, said: “We love welcoming alumni from our nursing program back to help educate future nurses. Tracee is a wonderful role model for students to see how a career can evolve through lifelong learning and curiosity.”
Chapman noted that strong relationships have shaped her career path. Before joining the faculty alongside clinical associate professor Paula Shaver and professor Kelley Connor, she was Shaver’s hair stylist and participated in Connor’s research surveys; Connor’s daughters also babysat her children. She credits Veltman with helping launch her specialty practice as a forensic nurse by securing an internship during nursing school.
“They were really supportive professors,” Chapman said. “The relationship with them is really what I remember. And when one of those two says, ‘Do you want to come back?’ Heck yeah, I do.”
Transitioning from bedside care to teaching brought new challenges for Chapman. She experienced imposter syndrome despite her experience and academic preparation. “For the first two years, I was like, ‘How are they letting me do this?’” she said. “You do all those classes, but then when it comes to implementing all that in real life, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, they let me get paid for this?!’”
As Director of Simulated Learning and Research at Boise State University today, Chapman sees both continuity and change within the Simulation Center since her days as a student—she still remembers using Hal the manikin during training sessions.
Chapman described changes in curriculum design over time: rather than focusing on checking off required skills under pressure from instructors wearing white coats—a process that could lead to failing if any steps were missed—students now engage in deliberate practice over several weeks with support from faculty members.
“They’re supported and coached through 15 weeks of growth,” Chapman said. “We want them to build muscle memory for very specific skills that will make them successful as a generalist nurse versus checking them off on 50 skills that they may never use again.”
She emphasized prioritizing each student’s learning journey—allowing time for repeated practice until mastery is achieved—and building connections within the local nursing community.
“It’s this tiny little nursing community,” Chapman said. “I think we care more about people because we know our neighbors and we know who we’re working with. And when I send a student somewhere and I say ‘You’re going to my people,’ they really are going to take care of that student because they are my people and they know me.”
Chapman remains passionate about supporting students both academically and personally: “I want [students] to know that when they come here they belong with us; we care about them mind body soul,” she said.
“We want them to be good nurses; we want them to be strong nurses,” Chapman added. “So yes we challenge them and it feels hard and ugly through part of school but we do that because we know how important it is to be challenged every day as a nurse and to build that skill. It’s so much easier with people who love and support you.”
