The Nurse Dads Are Here

From left to right, meet PhD student Andrew Corley, MSN (Entry Into Nursing) student, Derin Colvin, and assistant professor Michael Sanchez, DNP, ARNP, NP-C, FNP-BC, AAHIVS. They’re nurses and dads—Michael and Andrew are brand-new first-timers.

Read along to discover how each man found a nursing career in his own time, and his unique experience at the crossroads of “nurse” and “dad.”

Andrew Corley, PhD student

Andrew became a nurse after he served in Benin with the Peace Corps from 2008-2010. He earned his BSN and then a MSN/MPH at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and these days he’s a RN in the cardiovascular surgical ICU at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Now he’s pursuing his PhD—his research centers on early adolescents who live in a humanitarian setting, and how their wellbeing is impacted by parents who endorse restrictive gender norms.

Fun fact, Andrew’s married to post-doc, Kelli DePriest (who graduated with her PhD in May 2019), so baby Walter was in our Mother’s Day photo too!

From Andrew:

Fatherhood brought about an important shift in my priorities.

I’m deeply committed to my work as a bedside nurse and as a PhD student, but now I need to also be sure that I devote time and energy to my son, Walter, and to supporting my wife as we learn how to balance our professional, academic, and family responsibilities.

I wouldn’t wish for it any other way. Kelli and I feel so fortunate to have Walter in our lives.

Derin Colvin, MSN (Entry Into Nursing) student

Derin Colvin left corporate America to become a nurse. So his whole family—wife Keely, and sons Jagger (now 8) and Crew (now 6)—moved across the country to Baltimore from Arizona.

Now at the end of Derin’s program (he graduates in August), everyone’s settled in. Keely’s a graphic designer, so she can work from anywhere, and the boys are in a great school in Towson.

On his decision to pursue nursing, Derin says, “I want to help people. A few years ago I would have thought it sounded funny, but then my brother-in-law left construction to become a nurse.”

Derin explored his health care options—physician’s assistant (PA) or becoming a medical doctor (MD) “but there are just more opportunities in nursing,” Derin says. After graduation and a few years of experience, Derin plans to pursue his DNP to become a nurse anesthetist.

From Derin:

Balancing life as a husband, father of two boys, and a full-time MSN student can be a challenge.

I have classes, homework, and clinicals, and I own a medical translation business and work with Dr. Bruce Schoneboom (helping with project management as he develops the DNP Nurse Anesthesia program). I am a volunteer Sunday school teacher, too.

My boys Jagger and Crew have very active schedules. They play on different baseball teams and Jagger has Cub Scout meetings on Wednesday nights. And I try to set aside time to spend with each of them on a regular basis.

Although being a father keeps me extremely busy, it helps me to prioritize my time and keep things in perspective. I did not always know that I wanted to be a father, but I would not change it for the world!

Dr. Michael Sanchez, Assistant Professor

Dr. Michael Sanchez earned his bachelor’s in nursing, followed by a master’s and DNP from University of Miami. “I always knew I wanted to work in health care. I ultimately decided to pursue a career in nursing because of the variety and challenges it provided,” he says.

Michael and his husband Doug recently adopted their first child, baby Grayson. On fatherhood, Michael says, “I never knew this type of love existed and that it was possible for me to love this way.”

Bonus! Here’s May 2019 DNP Executive Track grad Darryn Dunbar and his daughters Molly (left) and Lilly (right). “They’re dad’s biggest cheerleaders!” Darryn says.