Cali Karpinski, Fuld Fellow (ABS Program)

• Program: ABS Nursing
• Hometown: Buffalo, NY
• Favorite Self-Care Activity: Yoga at Power Yoga Buffalo
• Previous Education: Bachelor of Science, Biomedical Science, University at Buffalo

As a freshman at UB, I came into knowing that when I came out I wanted to have a degree that allowed me to help others in a way I wasn’t currently able to; I had no idea that after four long years I would be heading into nursing school to fulfill that dream. I shadowed a number of health care professionals along the way. Each time I shadowed a nurse, I walked away from it feeling like a difference was made in someone’s life, and they were helped for the better. It took a long time to get there but making the decision to be a nurse was one that just fit what I wanted out of a career -- I would be able to be hands on with patients and help them directly. 

After completing my undergrad at UB, I couldn’t see myself going to any other school. I looked at all the programs UB School of Nursing had to offer and the ABS program was a way to complete my goal of becoming a nurse while also being able to continue to call UB home. I feel comfortable on this campus and I know UB takes pride in their faculty, and I wanted to learn from the best. I also had first-hand experience seeing the professionalism and competence exhibited by UB nurses, and I wanted to be just like them. 

I am most interested in women’s health and I look forward to working with women from all walks of life. As a woman, I constantly see the struggles placed upon us and the lack of access often shown to women in health care. I hope one day to help bridge that gap and be able to treat women in an area where sufficient health care is lacking. After graduation I hope to work as an RN in an emergency room while I continue on to obtain my DNP from UB. I love the fast pace of the ER and how different day to day and even patient to patient is.

I currently work as an EMT for Twin City Ambulance and absolutely love my job and hope to continue working there for a long time. I have previously worked as a secretary and a research assistant at UBMD Neurology. I spent the last three years as a TA for Bio 200 (Evolutionary Biology), running two labs a semester, review sessions, and writing quizzes and exams. It was during this time that I learned my love for teaching. I have spent the last six months working with a small team to develop help videos for Bio 200 students in order to assist them in the changing technologies used at the university level. There are numerous videos, each with a unique script and cast, that will be used by the professor for years to come. During this time I also served as an mentor for incoming freshman through the Honors College. I was a member of the Honors College upon coming to UB and being a part of that small subcommunity was a great experienced that I hoped to pass along to future students and help them navigate their first year at UB. I am the recipient of the Grace W. Capen Award for my academic performance during undergrad and graduated summa cum laude distinction. 

College has been very busy and I found myself often booked to the max most weeks but I still had a few hobbies to help me unwind. I enjoy running in Delaware Park, going for picnics with my friends, and laying on the couch and watching Netflix. I also love going to morning yoga at Power Yoga Buffalo and getting coffee at Spot Coffee across the street after; it has become one of the things I look forward most during the week! As a proud dog mom, I am always taking my dogs for walks in the park and playing fetch with their favorite toys.

Ultimately, I would like to obtain my DNP so that I am able to prescribe medications and work in a women’s clinic. I would also like to use my DNP to be able to teach as an adjunct professor at the university level and teach future generations of nurses. 

Receiving this scholarship is a great honor and will help me largely during the program and after graduation. It has given me a little security to allow me to work less so that I can focus my summer on learning and becoming the best possible nurse, and helping me to overcome any obstacles along the way. This scholarship also puts me in a position to be more secure financially to apply and continue on to DNP school so that one day I may open and run a women’s clinic to help those that most need it.