Background Healthcare's rapid evolution has increased focus on doctoral nursing education and expanded experiential immersion opportunities created through innovative academic–community partnerships. Methods A partnership between an academic institution and a state board of nursing was formed to provide two Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) students with a fellowship opportunity to learn health policy, strategy, and systems thinking which culminated in participation in a state‐wide collaborative and published report. Results Practicum experience outcomes consisted of learner comprehension of DNP Essential II as evidenced by attendance at health policy meetings, participation in state‐wide Summit planning meetings with community partners and Summit participation, facilitation and follow‐up report contribution. Conclusions Providing students with a practicum experience based on the DNP essentials promotes a curriculum based on scholarly evidence to assure the DNP will be competent to face current demands in healthcare. Experiential learning provides a framework for the DNP to fulfill curriculum while applying skills learned in a real‐world environment.

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