The National Student Nursing Association Scholarship winner, Joseph Halvorson, is pursuing his doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) in the adult-geriatric nurse practitioner specialty at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He has two goals: to expand his scope of practice as a healthcare provider and affect positive change in the health and well being of elderly  individuals in his community, and then to work as a faculty member in a school of nursing, promoting awareness of geriatric care throughout nursing education. Mr. Halvorson has worked with Essential Health in Fargo, ND, initially as an intensive care staff-nurse, then as care coordinator of the hospital-based palliative care program. Currently he is working with the elder care team on pragmatic and strategic patient care initiatives.  One day, as a nursing faculty member, he hopes to share his passion for holistic nursing practice with his students.