UT Tyler Faculty, Alumnus to be Inducted into American Academy of Nursing Fellowship
July 20, 2026 | Elizabeth Wingfield
Faculty members from The University of Texas at Tyler School of Nursing have been selected to
become fellows into the American Academy of Nursing Fellowship including Dr. Melinda Hermanns, professor and interim assistant dean for professional development; Dr. Grace Sun, assistant dean for advanced practice programs, and Cory Church, a PhD in nursing graduate. Sun has also been inducted as a fellow
of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners.
“We are incredibly proud to see our faculty and alumni recognized on such a prestigious national stage,” said Dr. Jenifer Chilton, UT Tyler School of Nursing dean. “Their work, dedication and leadership directly advance our mission to elevate healthcare outcomes throughout the East Texas region.”
The American Academy of Nursing is a policy organization and an honorific society that recognizes nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, practice, administration and academia. Fellows hold a wide variety of influential roles in healthcare and contribute their expertise to help achieve healthy lives for all people.
“Being selected for induction as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing is a profound honor, and I am deeply humbled to be joining such an esteemed group of nursing leaders,” said Hermanns. “This fellowship will provide a wonderful opportunity to continue advocating for and advancing nursing education, research, evidence-based practice and policies that improve health outcomes in East Texas and beyond. I look forward to collaborating with fellow nursing leaders to create meaningful change.”
With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 11,500 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.