Abigail “Abbie” Stockard—the first-ever nursing student crowned Miss America—spoke at the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies Preceptors Appreciation Dinner on April 29 at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. Dean Hudson P. Santos Jr. welcomed over 75 nurse leaders, educators, administrative staff, and clinical instructors to the event, including Dr. Ellie Vieito-Smith, chief nursing officer for UHealth – University of Miami Health System. “We couldn’t do what we do at the school without our incredible team of preceptors and clinical partners throughout the region,” he said. “We know you put in long hours and dedication to make sure our students are ready for their careers.”
Dean Santos went on to introduce Stockard, an Auburn University undergraduate nursing student, saying she “represents the reason we are here as health professionals and educators: the next generation.” Stockard thanked the nurses in attendance for their inspirational impact. “You bring hope, you bring healing, and you bring support to people in their most vulnerable moments,” she said. “I am humbled to be standing in front of you tonight representing the Miss America Organization. As a future nurse, my hope is to bridge the two communities of health care and public service.”
Stockard underscored the importance of the University of Miami’s Centennial as well as Nurses Month, calling both “an amazing reminder that you all are a part of something bigger and contributing to the legacy of this University.” In the Miss America pageant’s 100-plus-year history, only one registered nurse has held the title of Miss America—Kaye Lani Rae Rafko in 1988. Stockard, 22, is the first-ever nursing student to win the title, and she has already brought compassion, leadership, and impact to her prominent role.
“Tonight, I recognize I am surrounded by so many dedicated and compassionate individuals,” she said. “I see the people I know who are helping shape the future of health care—not just the individuals you have cared for, but through the students you mentor, the policies you influence, and the standards you all uphold.”
Stockard said she first began competing in pageants as a college student to address her family’s financial needs but soon came to love the Miss America mission. “It’s humbling, but also empowering—because I get to stand at the intersection of two worlds that have more in common than most people realize,” she said. “As Miss America, I get to celebrate a profession I’m deeply passionate about—and inspire the next generation of nurses to dream big, serve boldly, and take up space on every stage they enter, whether it’s a patient’s bedside or a national spotlight.”
Stockard also uses her national spotlight to call attention to nearly 40,000 children and adults living with cystic fibrosis in the United States—her friend Maddie among them. “Maddie has been in and out of the hospital for years, and there were moments when I honestly did not know if she would make it,” said Stockard. “I truly believe she’s still here today because of the compassion, dedication, and skill of the health care professionals who cared for her. Maddie’s story is my why.”
Stockard was able to establish May 26 as Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Day in her home state of Alabama and raise nearly $200,000 in one night through an event she spearheaded. She serves as an ambassador for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as well. “Like many of you here today, I discovered I have a heart of compassion and service,” she said. “Service is the heartbeat of nursing. Doing my hospital clinicals and watching the role of health care professionals on a daily basis, I have seen how every shift is an act of service—offering comfort, advocating for patients, and being a steady presence in moments of uncertainty.”
The school’s Preceptors Appreciation Dinner is an annual tradition honoring the many invaluable nurse educators who oversee nursing students in all programs across a range of clinical settings. “Because of your leadership, your dedication, and your belief in the next generation, I stand here not only as Miss America—but as a proud future nurse. Thank you for teaching students like me not just how to treat, but truly how to care. Not just how to show up, but how to actually make a difference,” concluded Stockard.
Attendee Bonnie Galvez, M.S.N. ’13, who works in the emergency department at Jackson Memorial Hospital, shared why she gives back as a preceptor. “Because University of Miami provided me with the experience and opportunity to be the nurse practitioner I am today,” she said, “it is with pleasure that I show future nurse practitioners the passion and the culture behind being a nurse practitioner.”
