My nursing journey at USF did not initially have MSNS incorporated into it. I went through all of freshman year not really identifying with any of the nursing organizations let alone knowing about MSNS. However, towards the end of my freshman year, I was approached by the incoming President for the next school year and recommended to join the Executive Board as the Career Chair. My job was to find and promote volunteer opportunities for the organization’s members along with planning a resume workshop.
At that time the organization was still under the radar and experienced relatively low retention rates. Fortunately, I was elected Vice President the next year alongside the new President, Shane Yoshiyama and an entirely new Executive Board. Shane’s vision for MSNS and the club’s potential really allowed the organization to flourish and make a name for itself. That next year, we were able to recruit more nursing students than ever before and even had some upperclassmen come back to the club. With this newfound growth we were hopeful for the next school year.
Going into my senior year, MSNS had so much more momentum and determination to make the club even better. The drive and ideas of the new Executive Board increased membership numbers and retention rates. We were finally able to book full-sized classrooms instead of having twelve chairs in a circle every meeting. MSNS was finally able to break through barriers that it had struggled with since its inception. We were no longer just the “male nursing organization,” but a fully-realized co-ed nursing society.
But how does this relate to my journey at USF? Unfortunately, I did not particularly enjoy my first year at USF, I didn’t have a community that I felt connected to and I was struggling academically. But, once I found MSNS and started putting more effort into the organization and nursing school, I enjoyed my time at USF tremendously. I found a community that I belonged to. Part of that included meeting older nursing students who went through the same struggles as I did, allowing me to recognize my potential. What I’m trying to say is that the growth of MSNS mirrored my growth as a nursing student. Once I was able to fully apply myself and find motivation to work towards a goal, it rubbed off into my academic life.
Lastly, some words of advice for incoming nursing students. Nursing school is a challenge and it isn’t easy. Recognize that you are still growing as a person and still have a lot to learn. What is important is the effort you put forth and the growth you gain from that.
“Anything worth doing is worth doing right.” – Hunter S. Thompson