How did you become interested in the nursing major at UNI? 

In the summers, I work at an assisted living facility in Waterloo. Here, I learned that I love taking care of my residents and interacting with all sorts of people. I originally was a Biology major and rather than going that route, I chose to change my major to Nursing. This way I can have a more hands-on learning experience and dive right into what I actually wanted to pursue as opposed to spending unnecessary time in biology classes. I also will no longer have to go to graduate school unless I choose to further my nursing education. 

What have been some of your favorite aspects of the program so far?

My favorite part of the program so far has been the Health Assessment class. In this class, we had the opportunity to learn in a clinic/hospital class setting. This made practicing skills very realistic without the stress of a real life situation at the very beginning of my nursing journey. I also enjoyed taking Microbiology with Professor Rodriguez. Not only was microbiology interesting to learn about, but she taught in a way that allowed me to retain and actually learn a lot of information. I am looking forward to continuing to make nursing friends and study groups and eventually figuring out what aspect of nursing I want to dive into. 

Are you involved in any other activities outside of the classroom? 

I am on the women’s basketball team at UNI. I also work at an assisted living facility called Birdee Cottage in the summers. 

Any faculty you’d like to highlight who have helped you along your way?

I already talked about Dr. Rodriguez, but I have also loved interacting and learning from Professor Nezda and Professor Holman. They both have been very flexible with my conflicting basketball schedule and ease my concerns about not being able to do it all. They also make nursing classes fun yet informational, and again help ease anxieties about the rigorous course materials. 

What advice would you give to students who are considering this major?

It takes a great deal of time management and study, but ultimately I think it is worth it. The professors are kind and truly care about each of their students. You can tell they want you to succeed. If you are interested in this career path, I say definitely go for it here at UNI!