Student’s Life Lessons About Resilience Guides Him To Duke

Vernon Stepney will begin studies at the School of Nursing

New Devils Vernon Stepney Jr with image of Vernon in blue devil horns

This is part of a series of stories about our newest Blue Devils.

The late North Carolina poet, artist and activist T.J. Reddy wrote, “One tiny sprouting flower flourishes within the confines of cracked brick.”

Reddy’s image comes to mind with the remarkable growth of Vernon Stepney, Jr., a 2023 graduate of Howard University who will begin his first year of studies this month at the Duke University School of Nursing.

Stepney grew up in West Baltimore, Maryland. The neighborhood is in the western section of the city’s downtown district. It has a rich cultural history, but also is plagued by violent crime, illicit drugs and poverty.

Stepney is one of the inaugural students enrolled in the university’s newly launched Master of Nursing (MN) program.

The MN program is designed to provide a pathway for people without an undergraduate degree in nursing to become registered nurses (RNs). It is one of only two such direct-entry master's degree programs in North Carolina.

Grad student Vernon Stepney visits a farm on one of his travels.

“The launch of Duke’s MN program represents a significant step forward in nursing education in North Carolina and at Duke,” said Dr. Michael Relf, Dean of the School of Nursing. “We are providing our students with a robust foundation for their nursing careers and opening doors to advanced practice and leadership roles in the future.”

Stepney earned a Bachelor of Science degree in public health from Howard with a concentration in management. He wanted to go into public health but was drawn to nursing.

“I realized I like developing these intimate relationships with the patient and working with them either long-term or short-term,” he said. 

“You’re on the frontlines every day developing these relationships, seeing what those patients need, whether it’s in a community setting or an outpatient setting. You’re developing these relationships and really making an impact.”

After earning a graduate degree, Stepney wants to return to the community where he came of age. West Baltimore residents, he said, are disproportionately challenged by “so many obstacles” that make it difficult for them to achieve and live “their healthiest, longest life possible,” he said.

“One of the major things that impacted me and made me want to give back was just the area I grew up in,” Stepney added. 

“There were these groups of individuals who wanted to get better, you know, go to rehab, but just didn’t have that health care or access to it, and they didn’t know how,” he said. “So really, just being exposed to all those things kind of instilled in me early on [that] I had to find a way to give back to the people who need it most.”

Stepney enjoys cooking, especially grilled chicken recipes he finds on TikTok. He was bitten by the travel bug after graduating from Howard when he visited Egypt and stayed for nine days at the Pickalbatrous Royal Moderna Resort, along the coast of the Red Sea.

”One of the major things that ... made me want to give back was just the area I grew up in.”

Vernon Stepney, Jr.

“The water was so clear. I saw so many different tropical fish,” said Stepney, whose eyes lit up with memories of his visit. “I had the opportunity to be on a whole different continent on the ot her side of the world. It was amazing.”

Growing up in West Baltimore, Stepney learned an enduring life lesson -- be resilient.

“There were so many times during my life that I was told ‘no,’” I can’t do that, or I shouldn’t do that,” he said. “One thing I’ve really learned to love about myself is to just keep going, to follow my dreams and believe in myself.

“And you know, when you feel like you don’t have that support from anyone, make sure you are one of your number one fans, and when you are knocked down, you can continue to get up and follow your dreams.”