Hometown: Canby, Minnesota
Campus: Brookings
Current semester: Semester four student (planning to graduate Dec. 2022)
What motivated you to choose a career in nursing: I've always known that I wanted to enter the medical field so that I could make a difference and help people. When my dad was diagnosed with cancer and began going through treatments, I saw the impact that nurses had on his care, while seeing first-hand how they were a huge reason why he is cancer free today. I want to be able to help people just as those nurses helped my dad.
Why did you choose SDSU to pursue your nursing degree: South Dakota State University always felt like home when I visited. It offers such endless opportunities inside and outside of the nursing program and gives students a great experience during the time that they attend.
Organizations that you are involved in (on or off campus): nursing student ambassador, Student Nurse's Association (SNA) and SDSU State-A-Thon.
Is there a particular field of nursing you are planning to pursue: I am interested in either critical care nursing in the ICU or NICU or women's health nursing in labor and delivery or postpartum. The best thing about becoming a registered nurse is that there are so many different places to work, and you can always try new things.
What is your big dream (future goals): After finding a specialty that I love and gaining a few years of experience as a nurse, I would love to go around the United States as a travel RN.
What advice would you share with a future nursing student: Follow your dreams, do what makes you happy and stick to it. Always take time for yourself outside of school, but get involved around campus to make some lifelong friends.