“The instructors at Belmont combined their real-world experience with genuine, one-on-one mentorship. They taught me how to think critically, handle the unexpected, and advocate for patients. The rigor of the clinicals gave me a real sense of working in healthcare and built my confidence.”
I grew up in Barnesville, Ohio, a close-knit, hard-working community. In high school, I planned to become a teacher, going so far as serving as state president of the Future Educators of America. But watching my dad go through nursing school at Belmont College to pursue a second career inspired me to choose a profession where I could make a difference.
My parents encouraged me to start college courses at Belmont as a sophomore in high school. I built a solid foundation while getting a head start on my career—I was able to get my nursing license and earn a salary while finishing my bachelor’s degree.
I graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing just before my 20th birthday in 2012 and started as an ICU nurse at Ohio Valley Medical Center. I later finished my Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Ohio University, received my Master’s in Nursing from Xavier University, and recently earned my Doctorate of Nursing Practice from The Ohio State University.
Today, I’m nurse manager for the medical intensive care unit at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, where I support staff and solve complex clinical issues. It’s both challenging and incredibly rewarding to help our team provide world-class care during critical moments in people’s lives. I’m also the clinical consultant for a new inpatient tower project that’s Ohio State’s largest-ever construction project.
I hope to expand my leadership role to be able to make a bigger impact without losing touch with the frontline teams that make healthcare work.
Belmont gave me the skills, foundation and confidence to launch a career that’s taken me where I never thought I’d be. Education is a lifelong journey — you don’t have to have it all figured out on day one. Start where you are, with the best tools and support around you, and then keep building. Your associate’s degree can be the first step toward a future even bigger than you can imagine.