Laura Herrick, Fuld Fellow (ABS Program)

• Program: ABS Nursing
• Hometown: Greenwich, NY
• Favorite Self-Care Activity: Hiking
• Previous Education: Bachelor of Science, Geography, SUNY Oneonta

I’ve been working as a massage therapist since 2011. While I enjoyed it, I wanted to do something that was more challenging and that would afford me more opportunities. I also wanted to have more of a significant impact on peoples’ lives, especially those who are suffering.  Several of my friends over the years have become nurses. I was inspired by their stories to look into and then ultimately decide to become a nurse.

I like that there are so many options in nursing. There are many different areas of specialization, there’s opportunity to pursue further education, and there are so many different settings a nurse can work in. Nursing is important and challenging work, and I like that it involves engaging with patients.

I chose UB for my nursing education for several reasons.  I was drawn to UB because it is highly regarded and professional and because it has a reputation for preparing its students to be successful, competent nurses. I like that UB has an emphasis on research, which is something I’m interested in. UB’s location is close to so many different hospitals; clinical experiences are in convenient and diverse locations and give students the opportunity to work with a variety of populations.

At this point, I’m staying open to experiencing all the different specializations of nursing while I’m in school. I have interests in so many different areas, and I’ve only been able to experience a few so far. However, coming into the program I’m most interested in critical care nursing, and I’m especially interested in working with patients with cardiac issues. It’s important work because cardiac and vascular diseases are prevalent, and I also find the complex physiology of the heart fascinating.

While in college, I volunteered over spring break doing hurricane relief work in Galveston, Texas. After gradation, I spent a summer at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore as an Americorps volunteer doing wetland restoration work. I spent three months teaching English to ninth graders in rural Thailand in 2015. More recently, I volunteered at Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital in Schenectady, NY, and at a daycare center in Troy, NY.

After graduation I plan on passing the NCLEX, first of all, and then I’d like to stay in the Buffalo area and work at a local hospital. I plan to work for a couple years and then reassess if I feel prepared to return to school to become a nurse practitioner. Since starting at UB, I’ve realized how much there is to know and understand relating to the role and scope of a nurse before I feel like I’d be comfortable assuming the role of a nurse practitioner, but it’s something I would like to pursue at some point in the future.

This scholarship award will help me to achieve my academic and professional goals in several ways. I’ve wanted to return to school for several years now, and financial concerns are what have caused me to hesitate. This scholarship has helped to ease this burden by allowing me to feel comfortable in my decision to pursue nursing as well as allowing me to more fully focus on my studies without worrying so much about the cost.

In addition to easing the financial burden of returning to school, this scholarship will positively impact my finances after school. I value volunteering, and I’d like to be able to give some time after graduation utilizing my nursing skills. The alleviation of financial burden will enable me to do this.