How this English graduate became a leader in nursing accreditation

This story is part of an occasional series, Why Liberal Arts, that explores how a liberal arts education helps people grow as thinkers and leaders and opens doors to meaningful careers.

When Jennifer Butlin ’92 boarded a plane to England in the summer of 1990, armed with a backpack, a notebook, and a syllabus featuring Shakespeare and English Romanticism, she had no idea she was stepping into an experience that would transform her life.

Standing in the Globe Theatre in London, surrounded by the energy of centuries-old craftsmanship, she felt something click. Literature wasn’t just another subject to study. It was a way of understanding people, systems, politics, culture, and the world.

She didn’t know it then, but her interests and the skills she developed at Virginia Tech would eventually help her to lead the premier organization responsible for setting national standards and accrediting nursing education and nurse residency and fellowship programs.

“So much of what I do goes back to those early skills I learned at Virginia Tech,” Butlin said. “Writing persuasively, documenting with precision, understanding audience, and thinking critically — those abilities translate to any field.”

Today, Butlin is the executive director of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, where she oversees accreditation for nursing programs across the country. Her work shapes how future nurses are trained, how programs maintain quality, and how institutions meet the evolving needs of health care. She said it’s a role that demands passion, accountability, collaboration, and the ability to guide conversations among educators, policymakers, employers, and regulators.

Her foundation began surrounded by Hokie Stone.

As an undergraduate, Butlin embraced everything Virginia Tech offered: rigorous English classes, a minor in history, and involvement in the women’s fraternity Kappa Alpha Theta, Circle K International, and several honor societies. Those experiences taught her how to build relationships, navigate new environments, and see learning as circular. She learned to seek out lifelong learning opportunities, prioritize serving others, and honor commitments.

“Part of higher education is exploring interests simply because they matter to you,” Butlin said. “Work hard and have an inquiring mind. Your best work will come when you’re interested and dive deeper.”

The study abroad program was a turning point. Traveling with classmates, studying Elizabethan literature in Edinburgh and Brighton, and walking through the historical homes of English poets opened her eyes to global perspectives and the importance of context. These are insights that she uses daily in her work.

“We visited places where writers lived, created, and struggled,” she said. “It made everything we studied feel alive.”

After graduating in 1992, Butlin earned both her master’s and doctoral degrees in higher education administration from George Washington University. A graduate professor saw something in her writing: thoughtful analysis, persuasion, confidence, and the ability to translate complexity into clarity. She encouraged Butlin to consider higher education accreditation, a field she hadn’t realized existed but drew her in quickly.

“If I wasn’t a strong writer, I wouldn’t have been interested in or selected for this kind of work,” she said. “Accreditation requires precision and integrity. People rely on accreditation policies, procedures, and standards and want to know that there’s accountability, consistency, and fairness. Documents need to be readable and reliable.”

That strength in writing is also what opened the door to the nursing world. The same graduate professor who saw Butlin’s talent for clear, analytical writing, recommended she apply for a position at the national public health accrediting organization. She didn’t enter the nursing field through a health profession background, but through her ability to interpret, translate, and communicate complex information with clarity and accuracy.

Early in her career, she was often the youngest person in the room by 20 years. She worried her age would undermine her credibility, until another professor and mentor reframed her thinking.

“He told me my age was only a barrier if I allowed it to be,” she said. “That changed everything. I focused less on how old I was and more on the quality of my work.”

Her English studies helped her navigate the complexities of higher education systems and accreditation with confidence, she said. Understanding audience became essential. Breaking down complicated issues into digestible language became second nature. And the kind of careful, evidence-based writing she practices — avoiding absolutes, eliminating ambiguity, grounding every statement in verifiable detail — is the same discipline used in scientific and technical communication. Listening deeply, something she learned from years of interpreting literature, helped her unify educators, policymakers, and practitioners around shared interests and goals.

“When you study literature, you become attentive to nuance,” she said. “That skill is invaluable when you’re bringing people together, navigating differing opinions, and strategizing about the best solutions.”

Butlin said her father shaped her leadership philosophy. He is an exercise science professor and department chair who modeled a strong work ethic, humility, kindness, and collaboration. His influence instilled in her the belief that strong leadership begins with respect, relationship building, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

“No individual or program is perfect,” she said. “But excellence comes from showing up every day and trying to make things better.”

Today, she encourages English majors to follow their curiosity and trust that the skills they are developing are powerful tools.

“Read deeply and stay curious,” she said. “Surround yourself with mentors who challenge you. Say ‘yes’ to opportunities, even the unexpected ones. And, in time, aim to become the mentor you once hoped you would have so you, too, can make a difference in others’ lives.”

Looking back, Butlin can see how clearly Virginia Tech shaped her. The friendships she formed, the professors who challenged her, the study abroad trip that shifted her worldview, all of it led her to today.

“Virginia Tech helped me understand who I wanted to be,” she said. 

Written by Madeline Thomas, who wrote this story as part of Words and Pictures, a Department of English field study course