Kristine Sparks, D.N.P., A.G.P.C.N.P.-B.C., has played a key role in mentoring students in Seton Hall University’s Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) program since 2014. As an alumna of the College of Nursing, Sparks draws on her clinical experience and commitment to education to guide future nurse practitioners through their required 600 hours of clinical training.
A preceptor is an experienced clinician who supervises and mentors nurse practitioner students in real healthcare settings. This mentorship helps students move from classroom theory to advanced clinical practice.
“Precepting has been a genuinely rewarding experience for me,” Sparks said. “Every student brings a fresh perspective, thoughtful questions and a desire to grow. Being able to guide them through the realities of clinical practice, decision-making, communication and the human side of care has been meaningful.”
Sparks works as a family nurse practitioner at Kean University’s wellness center, where she also serves as a preceptor for Seton Hall students. Her background includes over a decade in the U.S. Air Force and service as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve since 2020.
In 2024, Sparks was deployed with the U.S. Army for seven months as medical director at Fort Hood’s Deployment Readiness Center in Texas before returning to her position at Kean University in March 2025.
Sparks emphasizes helping students apply what they learn in class to real patient care situations. “I love seeing the moment when things click for a student, when they connect textbook knowledge to a real patient and start trusting their own clinical judgment,” she said.
She credits her own mentors with shaping her career and sees precepting as giving back: “What keeps me engaged is seeing students grow into capable, compassionate providers who will go on to care for our communities,” Sparks said. “Knowing I play even a small part in their journey is incredibly fulfilling.”
Sparks chose to mentor at Seton Hall because of her positive experiences there as a student: “I earned my Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree from Seton Hall, so I know firsthand the strength of the program and the high standards the College of Nursing sets,” she said. “Seton Hall shaped me as a clinician and a leader, and precepting is my way of giving back to a school that invested so much in my growth.”
Alexandra Ebol, one of Sparks’ mentees, described her practicum under Sparks’ supervision as transformative: “I enjoyed having my first nurse practitioner clinical rotation with Dr. Sparks. She is energetic and welcoming, and created a safe space for me to ask questions while also encouraging independence in practice,” Ebol said. “Her constructive feedback has strengthened my confidence as I work toward becoming a nurse practitioner.”
Joyce Maglione, Ph.D., ANP-BC, FNAP, director of Seton Hall’s AGPCNP program, praised Sparks’ contributions: “Kristine Sparks exemplifies the very best of clinical preceptorship,” Maglione said. “Her commitment to mentorship, her clinical expertise and her unwavering support of our students reflect the values of Seton Hall’s College of Nursing.”
