Filipino Nursing Student Breaks New Ground as First AU-INP -WVU BSN Graduate

Elmira Tolentino, a Filipino nursing student, has become the first graduate of the groundbreaking partnership between Arellano University-International Nursing Program (AU-INP) and West Virginia University (WVU). The commencement ceremony was held on May 16, 2025, at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia.

Ms. Tolentino completed three years of her nursing education at Arellano University through the INP before transferring to WVU for her final academic year. She officially earned her nursing degree from WVU, becoming the inaugural graduate of the AU-INP and WVU collaborative initiative launched in 2024. She graduated summa cum laude, the highest academic distinction awarded to undergraduate students. In addition, she was named to the President’s List (Fall 2024) and is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.

"Ms. Tolentino’s outstanding achievements reflect the exceptional quality and dedication fostered by the AU-INP and WVU partnership," said Dr. Emerita Mendoza, AU-INP Director. "We are incredibly proud to celebrate her as our first BSN graduate, setting a high standard for future cohorts in this unique nursing program."

The partnership enables nursing students from the Arellano University- International Nursing Program to complete their first three years of education in the Philippines before spending their final year at West Virginia University (WVU). This collaborative program allows students to deepen their clinical knowledge, experience the U.S. healthcare system firsthand, and graduate with enhanced qualifications for a competitive global nursing workforce.

"I started nursing school with AU-INP in 2021, and 2025 seemed so far away," Ms. Tolentino said. "Now here we are—and with it comes a mix of excitement, nerves, and a deep sense of gratitude for my family and everyone who guided and supported me along the way."

As the first graduate of this new partnership, Ms. Tolentino serves as an inspiration to future nursing students, proving that dreams of studying internationally are now within reach.

- Dr. Anna Katharina G. Peña and Ms. Carla Gonzales, RN, MAN