Dr. April Mackey Celebrates PhD Convocation
College of Nursing assistant professor earns PhD with research rooted in passion and experience.
Dr. April Mackey (BScN’12, MN’19, PhD’25), an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Nursing, undertook her doctoral journey motivated by a deep commitment to justice and the elimination of violence against women.
Mackey successfully defended her Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies in June and was among the graduates celebrated at the USask Fall 2025 convocation November 12.
Her dissertation, “Her Story, Her Power, Her Transformation: Narratives of Women’s Resistance to Intimate Partner Violence,” combined rigorous qualitative research with deep personal reflection. While grounded in academic scholarship, it was her lived experience and empathy that gave the work its depth and power.
Over six months of fieldwork, Mackey immersed herself in the stories of two women who were survivors of intimate partner violence, meeting with them weekly to listen, learn, and explore their experiences.
“My time with them was just a small part of their lives, but the interviews were so powerful—they really gave my thesis an emotional charge,” said Mackey.
The methodology used isn’t very common, but it's deeply relational.
“I don’t think I could have gotten the answers any other way,” said Mackey.
“I had to sit with both of them every week for six months—for them to trust me, to process their experiences while we talked, and to lead the conversation themselves, which was really important. I didn't come in with a list of questions. I just said, ‘Hey, tell me about your experience, and let's see where that takes us each week.’”
Mackey notes one of the major grounding points for her dissertation is intersectionality, which involves looking at the many overlapping factors that influence someone’s experience of violence.
“Women, or anyone experiencing violence in a relationship, aren’t defined just by their gender, race, or socioeconomic status,” she said.
“It’s all of these things layered together and overlapping.”
Mackey adds that taking a broader perspective could improve support services, which are often limited by a narrower lens.
“We still tend to see people as just one thing when they’re not,” said Mackey.
In studying intimate partner violence, Mackey’s PhD dissertation built on what she learned from her Master of Nursing (MN) thesis, which explored how technology empowers women. She credits her MN supervisor College of Nursing Professor Emeritus Dr. Sandra Bassendowski (EdD) not only for nurturing her academic interests, but also for igniting her passion for social issues.
“Nursing has a part of my heart, but I have always been drawn to social issues,” said Mackey.
“Those are the classes and the professors I connected most with.”
After completing her master’s thesis, Mackey found a mentor in her PhD supervisor, College of Nursing Professor Dr. Pammla Petrucka (PhD), who helped her refine and solidify her research focus.
“She sat me down and asked, ‘What do you want to be known for?’ In that moment, I reflected on my own experiences and said, ‘I think women don’t have enough power in our society, and I’ve seen that since my childhood.’ It made me pause and really think: how can we tip the scales back to women? How can we reclaim that power? That’s when I realized this is the work I could dedicate my life to.”
Mackey says Dr. Petrucka was also an excellent supervisor through her doctoral studies.
“She's been amazing and I wouldn't be where I am today without Dr. Petrucka,” said Mackey.
“She is a mentor beyond all mentors. I’d call her at 10 at night sometimes and she would always know exactly what to say. I feel so grateful to work with her.”
Since completing her PhD, things have moved quickly for Mackey, who was an instructor in the College of Nursing throughout her studies.
“I finished my PhD in June. There were openings for assistant professors at the College of Nursing, and I thought, ‘I’m probably too new, but I’ll apply and see what happens.’ And then, on September 1, I started as an assistant professor.”
Mackey is eager to pay the mentorship forward in her new teaching role, while remaining deeply passionate about the research side of academia.
“Teaching has a special place in my heart. I’ve been doing it for about eight years now, but research—being able to take ideas that have been rattling around in my mind for five years and bring them to life—is incredibly fulfilling.”
Of course, she has already jumped onto her next research project, planning a symposium day for women on agency and empowerment.
Mackey says she’s grateful to have found her place at the College of Nursing, where she can pursue the work that truly defines her.
“I’m so thankful I love what I do. Some people say, ‘I’ve got to go to work,’ but for me, coming here is a joy. This research; it brings me to life. It reminds me why I started, and why I’ll keep going.”