February Nursing Student Spotlight

Our February School of Nursing Student Spotlight features one of our Bachelor of Science in Nursing students, Rachel.  On campus Rachel is the SNAOU President (Student Nursing Association at Oakland University), the Network of Enlightened Women Secretary, a member of the School of Nursing’s Dean’s Circle, and a member of Young Life. Off campus, Rachel works at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital as a Nurse Tech.

In 2019 Rachel was enrolled in a surgical summer program through her high school and planned on continuing her higher education in that field.  During this time her grandfather was diagnosed with Leukemia. Rachel saw firsthand the compassionate care provided by his oncology team and soon switched her focus to nursing.

When asked who has made an impact on her time here at OU, Rachel credits the School of Nursing.  She says “the School of Nursing has provided a lot of opportunities in academia and leadership. As President of the SNAOU, I am a member of the School of Nursing Board of Visitors and I appreciate that opportunity.” She went on to say, “the professors care and want to see their students succeed. They provide the necessary skills to help me better myself and reach my goals and successes.”

Looking at her time spent at OU, Rachel says, “the one thing I will always remember is what my thesis adviser, Dr. Baumann, told me, ‘success is not how you learn, failure is.’ I have learned to take things in stride and keep going.”

Rachel’s advice to new students, “Nursing is a team sport. Don’t be afraid to talk to people in your classes, get to know them, form study groups – they will help you thrive, especially in a program as rigorous as nursing.”

Rachel is an Honors College Presidential Scholar (4 years), a recipient of the Oakland University Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship (4 years), Calam-Malek Endowed Pediatric Nursing Scholarship (2021-2022), and Marisa Scibilia Pioneer Scholarship (2022-2023, 2023-20024). 

After graduation, Rachel hopes to be working in oncology and bedside.  Eventually she would like to pursue a Ph.D. in Nursing and obtain a leadership position with a health system or university.