A nurse, teacher, researcher, mentor, role model and passionate advocate for the nursing profession, Cassidie Thomas is this year’s recipient of the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing’s Distinguished Alumni Award. 

From a young age, Cassidie knew she wanted to care for others, a passion that grew during a health profession course as a teen. Growing up in the small, rural town of Red Bluff, California, she was unfamiliar with the college application process. During a trip to visit colleges with a generous family friend, Cassidie was struck by the warm environment of UC Irvine. 

She enrolled at UC Irvine and, after earning her B.S. in nursing in 2013, held a variety of nursing roles, including positions in the pediatric ICU, reproductive endocrinology and infertility clinics and labor and delivery. She later became a school nurse where she discovered her passion for education, leadership, and quality improvement – and identified a need for greater resources and support for school nurses.  

Cassidie returned to UC Irvine to pursue her doctor of nursing practice degree to expand her impact on the school nursing community as well as pursue her love of nursing education. After graduating in 2024, she continued to be part of the UC Irvine community. Cassidie is now a health sciences clinical instructor for the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing’s prelicensure program, educating future generations of nurses and engaging in school nursing research. 

She is deeply committed to serving as a mentor, inspired by the generosity of those who supported her academic and professional journey. Cassidie served as the president of the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing Alumni Chapter from 2022 to 2024, creating the first mentorship program, hosting networking events, and leading fundraising efforts at the annual reunion. She served as the UC Irvine College of Health Sciences 2024 commencement ceremony mace marshal, welcoming new students with an Anteater pin.  

Cassidie remains dedicated to mentoring and advancing the nursing profession. She serves in a national leadership role within the Private, Independent, and Parochial School Nurses special interest group of the National Association of School Nurses and continues to support UC Irvine nursing alumni and current students through mentorship and engagement.