When Jeunesse Garces (BSN ’18) walked across the stage to receive her nursing degree from the George Washington University School of Nursing, she was carrying more than a diploma. She carried the stories of her parents—Filipino immigrant nurses whose careers brought the family to America. She carried the discipline of a Navy hospital corpsman who had served on both U.S. soil and in remote Pacific territories. She carried the determination of a single mother who navigated an accelerated nursing program far from home. And most recently, she carried forward a pioneering mental health initiative for service members, making a mark on the future of military health care.
Garces, a proud alumna of GW Nursing’s Veterans Bachelor of Science in Nursing (VBSN) program, completed her degree as part of Cohort 15 in December 2018. For her, nursing was not just a career—it was a calling passed down through generations, a bridge between cultures, and a platform for transformative care.
The Roots of a Calling
“Nursing was the only career I ever considered,” Garces said. Raised by two nurses—her mother a pediatric ER nurse and her father a psychiatric nurse—Garces grew up immersed in the language and ethos of caregiving. She recalls watching her parents blend creativity and compassion into their practice. Her father once started a cooking group for adolescent psychiatric patients and asked young Jeunesse to type up recipes for the sessions.
That experience taught her something that has stayed with her: “Nursing allows the integration of personal passions with professional work and creation of a nurturing environment of growth.”
The same spirit would carry her into the military, and ultimately to GW.
From the Navy to Nursing School
Garces’ journey to GW was far from linear. After struggling academically in her undergraduate pre-nursing courses while juggling three jobs, she made the difficult decision to enlist in the Navy. Determined to work in health care, she waited until a hospital corpsman slot opened up—and leapt at the opportunity.
She was stationed first at Naval Hospital Guam, where she worked in family practice and general surgery. Later, she transferred to the Naval Branch Health Clinic in Groton, Connecticut, where she collaborated closely with independent duty corpsmen who had served in some of the Navy’s most challenging environments. These experiences shaped not only her clinical skills but her resilience and adaptability—traits that would prove invaluable in nursing school.
When she was selected for the Navy’s Medical Enlisted Commissioning Program (MECP), which allows enlisted Sailors to earn their BSN on active duty, Garces applied to multiple schools, fearing that her earlier grades would hold her back. Most schools rejected her. But GW Nursing saw something more.
“I chose GW because the VBSN program and staff were phenomenal,” she said. “Their comprehensive communication, updates, and willingness to answer my questions made all the difference.”
Finding a Home at GW Nursing
The VBSN program, designed specifically for veterans transitioning into nursing, became a lifeline for Garces. It wasn’t just the academics—though she was inspired by the clinical rigor and interdisciplinary depth—it was the people.
She credits several faculty and peers with shaping her journey.
“Mr. Paul Tschudi was indispensable. He bridged the civilian academic environment with our military experiences in a way no one else could.”
Tschudi, who passed away in 2023, is remembered by Garces as a deeply empathetic mentor whose influence extended beyond the classroom.
Dr. Catherine Cox also left a lasting impression. A Navy nurse and researcher, Dr. Cox introduced Garces to the possibilities of a career grounded in scholarship. “Her transparency, responsiveness, and passion are qualities I strive to embody,” Garces said.
Another standout was Dr. Ashley Darcy-Mahoney, whose Pediatric Adversity elective turned out to be a life-changing course for Garces. The class, which explored the impact of structural and social determinants on health, helped Garces reframe her understanding of well-being.
“She ignited my passion for recognizing systemic influences in health,” Garces said. “If I ever pursue further education, I’d want it to be in a field that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration.”
Beyond the faculty, Garces built strong bonds with fellow MECP students and classmates—peers like Axel Dela Peña, Christian Taylor, Breighanna Cather, Carlos Rangel-Mejia, Aaron CarterMartinez, Rashawnda Singmore, and James Darnell—many of whom she remains close with today. “They were all influential in different ways,” she said. “We lifted each other up.”
And while she tackled the program’s rigors, she also navigated life as a single mother raising a toddler in a new city. “Take it one breath at a time,” she now advises students. “Soak up each second. And find your people.”
A Mental Health Mission
Today, Garces is completing her doctoral studies to become a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) at the Uniformed Services University’s Graduate School of Nursing. As part of her final project, she and two colleagues—LT Mateo McElroy and LCDR(Sel) Julius Jones—designed a groundbreaking mental health intervention for service members experiencing anxiety.
Their project, presented at the TriService Nursing Research Program’s (TSNRP) Research & Dissemination Course, evaluated the effectiveness of Group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in operational Navy environments. Unlike traditional talk therapy, ACT focuses on building psychological flexibility and aligning actions with values.
Garces and her team worked with Sailors over six weeks, adapting Cornell University’s ACT protocol to fit the Navy’s unique scheduling and cultural needs. They tracked anxiety symptoms using the GAD-7 assessment tool and found promising results: participants reported increased satisfaction and decreased anxiety by the end of the program.
“What was especially powerful,” Garces said, “was that during follow-up, participants who were in stressful situations didn’t panic—they said they were able to manage their anxiety using skills from ACT. That’s the real win.”
The project not only fulfilled their doctoral requirements but also opened the door to new possibilities for scalable, evidence-based interventions in military settings.
Embracing Common Humanity
For Garces, success in nursing isn’t measured just by outcomes—it’s also about mindset. Her guiding principle is embracing common humanity.
“Whether you're a patient, a provider, or a peer, everyone deserves compassion and dignity,” she said. “That’s how we revolutionize health care—by remembering that we’re all in this together.”
Her upcoming assignment overseas as a PMHNP represents the next step in her journey. She’s not sure what to expect, but she’s eager to listen, learn, and serve. “I’ll see what opportunities I can help with there,” she said modestly.
A Legacy of Learning and Giving Back
Even as she prepares to graduate again this May, Garces remains a lifelong learner. “I’m always trying to learn as much as I can and share what I learn,” she said. Whether mentoring others, adapting clinical protocols, or simply being present for a colleague, her approach is grounded in authenticity.
To prospective GW Nursing students, especially those with military backgrounds, she offers this wisdom: “Opportunities for insight often come disguised as failures or disappointments. Embrace them. Ask for help when you need it. And remember that to care for others, you must care for yourself.”
From Toddler to Trailblazer
Garces’ story is one of full-circle transformation. As a toddler, she emigrated to the U.S. thanks to her mother’s nursing job. As an adult, she’s reshaping the military’s approach to mental health through innovative, empathetic care.
She credits GW Nursing with expanding her vision of what a nurse could be: a scholar, a leader, a healer, a voice for change.
Today, as she prepares for her next chapter overseas, Garces carries that vision with her—along with the lessons of her mentors, the bonds of her cohort, and a deep commitment to leaving the world better than she found it.
In her own words, the revolution she’s part of begins with a simple practice: learning as much as she can, and sharing it wherever she goes.