Written by Stephanie Gordon
From a young age, Julia Formentin Callahan, ’19, MSN, FNP-BC, knew she wanted a career in the medical field. Hillsdale College doesn’t have a pre-med major, but that didn’t deter Julia. With the College’s preprofessional program in medicine, and with some graduate school research, Julia knew Hillsdale would prepare her for the medical field. In fact, Julia believes that her Hillsdale education prepared her better for her post-graduate degree than that of her classmates who attended colleges with pre-med majors.
“I was drawn to Hillsdale because of its liberal arts education,” Julia said. “I wanted a school that aligned with my Christian and conservative values, and Hillsdale checked those boxes. I visited the campus and fell in love with it. It felt like home, and I definitely made the right choice.”
The Grosse Ile, Michigan, native also played tennis and knew she wanted to play at the collegiate level. According to the Athletic Department, Julia won more than 90% of her matches throughout her high school career. She was a top-15 recruit in the state of Michigan and played varsity tennis all four years of her high school career for the Red Devils.
“Former head coach Nikki Walbright really pushed me as an athlete, a student, and as an individual,” said Julia. “She also taught a women’s health class that I took, and that really sparked my interest in women’s health.
“As I looked into different careers, I was drawn to the mid-level provider role because it would give me the opportunity to take care of patients and be involved with medicine while providing the flexibility to have a good balance between work and family.”
Hillsdale’s exercise science major helped pave the way for Julia. “Exercise science, biology, or chemistry —you can’t go wrong,” she said. “Even though these programs aren’t specific to nursing or medicine, any of these majors are beneficial for preparing for grad school. At the time, I didn’t understand the importance of the core curriculum, but looking back, the variety of classes helped me think differently and helped me overall, academically.”
During her time as a student, Julia volunteered at Hillsdale Hospital’s labor and delivery unit. “It’s so important to get patient care experience, especially if you’re planning on grad school,” she said. “I took a couple of years off from school after I graduated and started working in an OB/GYN office in the Metro Detroit area.”
Julia attended the University of Toledo’s Graduate-Entry Master of Science in Nursing program, which awards an MSN degree without a prior BSN degree, and, upon graduation, made her eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination. Julia then completed the post-graduate nursing certificate program to obtain her Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) degree. She now works as a nurse practitioner in the same OB/GYN office she worked in post-Hillsdale graduation.
“I had my daughter in December of 2024 and graduated with my FNP degree in May of 2025,” added Julia. “Finishing my degree with a newborn was challenging, but I spent many hours studying with her sleeping on my chest. She was with me through it all, and we have a special bond because of that. I felt very accomplished when I graduated.”
Julia loves that she’s able to take care of a unique population and plans to continue her work as a nurse practitioner. She focuses on lactation consulting and postpartum mental health. “I get to take care of patients during the most important times of their lives. They come in for their first ultrasound, and then I see them for their postpartum visit with their baby, and it’s just amazing to see.”
Julia said the demands of Hillsdale’s academics helped her in incredible ways in grad school. “If you’re looking at a grad program, just review the prerequisites that Hillsdale offers,” advised Julia. “Get involved with patient experience. The more you have on your resume, the better. I had an easier time than a lot of my grad school peers. I credit Hillsdale for the rigor.”
Outside of the office, Julia and her husband, Drew, ’19, currently reside in Grosse Ile with their daughter. They enjoy outdoor activities, traveling as a family, and spending time with family who all live very close to the Callahans. “I also enjoy reading and am part of a book club,” she said. “I currently serve on the Grosse Ile Education Foundation, which is a volunteer, non-profit organization that provides grants to local schools for educational activities.”
Julia’s younger sisters followed in her footsteps and attended Hillsdale College. Both sisters also met their husbands at the College. “Hillsdale is very special to our families,” she added.
For Julia, Hillsdale was challenging, and at the time, she says she didn’t really understand how the rigor would benefit her future, but reflecting back, her Hillsdale experience helped shape her as a person, provider, and individual. “I had to be diligent between being a student and a student-athlete,” she said. “That’s how I became successful on the court and in the classroom. It taught me to balance time, prioritize, and focus on what was important, which now translates to my day-to-day life.”
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children – Eloise, Flora, and Jack. She enjoys baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, Detroit Lions football, and breaking a sweat at the gym.
Published in August 2026
