What is your background?: I am from the Quad Cities; Le Claire, Iowa to be exact. I grew up with my dad and went to our local public school until the 8th grade. I was a very skilled tennis player and began playing professional in high school and finished the rest of my education online as I traveled around the U.S. and surrounding countries.
What brought you to Kirkwood and why?: After a serious injury ended my athletic career, I moved to Iowa City to work and see what it was like living on my own. I spent a couple years working as a jewelry store manager before deciding I wanted to begin the process of becoming a nurse. I heard good things about the Kirkwood nursing program and knew that I would be able to take the tests and begin sooner than I would have enrolling at any other college, so the rest was history.
What is your program of study and what interests you about it?: All through my life as a tennis player, I had thought about what I would have wanted to be if I had a normal job. I went through several phases of wanting to be a dentist or a lawyer, but what I always came back to was nursing. From the time I was little, I viewed the nursing profession as a very respectable and admirable job, so as my career paths changed I thought it would be a great achievement if I could say I was a part of that group.
Are you involved in anything else on campus? If so, what and why?: I am a member of the Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Delta Nu honors societies and have participated in the Kirkwood vaccine clinics. Currently, I’m working on a capstone project with three other classmates focused on bringing awareness to the importance of organ donation in the state of Iowa.
Are you involved in anything off of campus?: I’ve been a part of a couple internships geared towards education. I love teaching, especially things to do with health, wellness, and medicine. I shadowed a high school science and biology teacher and helped lead a senior class, which was very fulfilling.
What do you do for fun?: Well, with the time and commitment I’ve lent to school and homework, it seems like there is very little time for anything else. However, I love being busy and working towards a goal, so it’s not all bad. I like taking my dogs for walks, fishing, kayaking, and watching criminal investigation shows.
Where do you see yourself in five years?: I’ve put a lot of thought into this myself, as it’s a pretty pivotal time where I’ll be changing from academic challenges to working life. It’s difficult to know for sure what I want to do, but in five years I’ll probably still be in school as I plan to pursue specialized training in an area of nursing. Not sure exactly what area that is yet, but I guess I have some time to figure that out!