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Motivated by the opportunity to conduct research, Abby Seydel switched from South ��ֱ���� State University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program to the Doctor of Philosophy in nursing program in fall 2023. 

In May, she became the 50th and most recent graduate of the program that started 20 years ago this fall. There are 16 students currently in the program and another five starting in the fall. She is among only six students who have taken the 90-credit bachelor’s to doctorate route. 

Seydel participated in May’s graduation, but her thesis defense wasn’t until July 1. 

A Sioux Falls native, Seydel began her nursing education at Augustana University, earning her bachelor’s degree in 2018. She worked in pediatric units at Sanford Children’s Hospital from 2018 to 2022, when she transferred to Sanford’s Children’s Specialty Clinic, where she worked in the pediatric hematology/oncology clinic and infusion center for two years. 

The thought of an advanced degree formed early in her career. She enjoyed working with pediatric patients and saw how various support programs could assist them. 

Knew she had made right decision 

Seydel said she chose SDSU based on the quality she had seen in its graduates, and its Doctor of Nursing Practice program allowed her to continue her current job and not have to uproot her family from Sioux Falls to get an advanced degree. She began the DNP program in fall 2020 and in spring 2022 reached out to the college about switching to the Doctor of Philosophy in nursing program. 

“I shifted my goals for my career. I became interested in research, policies and systems of care. In working with the patient population I had been exposed to, I realized there are a lot of support care systems that can be put into place to help them,” Seydel said. 

In her initial meeting with Tom Stenvig, who then oversaw the Ph.D. in nursing program, she knew she was making the right decision. 

“When I met with faculty, I could just tell they really do care about helping people grow as both scholars and leaders. It was really about being part of that community that values that curiosity and supports bigger ideas and really advocates for nursing research to go further. … I knew they would be there to help me along the way,” Seydel said. 

Faculty formed her support system 

It’s a good thing they were. While the program normally starts with a cohort, Seydel joined the doctoral program in fall 2023 “as a cohort of one,” she said. 

She heralded the faculty’s mentorship. “I never felt like I was trying to do anything on my own. The faculty were my support system for going through this. They also took the time to recognize I am person outside of the program.” 

Seydel and her husband, Sam, have two children, a girl, 3 ½, and a boy, 1 ½; both were born during the time she was pursuing her advanced degrees. “The faculty all during this time were all just very supportive. I don’t know if I would have been able to do that in other programs. I definitely appreciated that. It was busy and crazy at times.” 

While there weren’t peers in the same spot Seydel was in the program, there were students a couple years ahead of her, and peers came behind her. 

“I wished I would have reached out to them earlier. Peer support is super important. Once I did make those connections, it was really nice to meet someone who was going through just what I did, trying to balance work and family,” Seydel said. 

To continue research as faculty member 

Her dissertation topic was “Exploring How Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease Experience Stigma.”  

She did a qualitative study, soliciting participants ages 18-30 via social media platforms and interviewed seven of them via Zoom. Seydel found participants “are living a balance between revealing their condition and receiving the support they need and not disclosing their condition for the fear of stigma for fear of being judged or biased.” 

Since April 2024, Seydel has been working as a case manager for the South ��ֱ���� Newborn Screening program as a contract employee with Sanford. In addition, she has been a temporary clinical assistant in the SDSU graduate nursing program. In August, she becomes a full-time employee, teaching undergraduate courses in Sioux Falls. 

In addition to coursework, “I hope to continue to expand on my research on transition of care and how to support young adults with chronic conditions.”