Maggie Pruitt
Sports Editor
maggie.pruitt@hawks.shorter.edu
Photos By: Dawn Tolbert
(Top Left Photo) Junior nursing major and soccer player Julia Raymond takes notes during class.
(Bottom Right Photo) Junior nursing major and softball player Kenall Johnson focuses during an in-class activity.
Students around campus know studying and succeeding in the Ben and Ollie Brady School of Nursing is not an easy endeavor. From waking up early to go to clinicals to knowing numerous medications, nursing students have to be dedicated and focused in order to succeed.
The rigorous program starts during students’ junior year after they are accepted into the school.
Because of the time and commitment needed to succeed, many students have to quit their sport after their sophomore or junior year.
Senior Emily Fusan decided to end her collegiate lacrosse career after being her first year in the nursing program. Fusan never thought quitting lacrosse would be a decision she would make, but she decided to leave her cleats on the field.
“I had been an athlete since before I could remember, so giving up my senior season was rough. I feel like when I define myself, I say that I am an athlete, so it was hard to give up a big part of my life,” Fusan said.
Fusan believes she made the right decision and looks forward to applying for jobs at three or four different hospitals after she graduates.
Unlike Fusan, many athletes have taken a different path through their nursing education.
Junior Julia Raymond came to school here because of the soccer and nursing programs. She had no intention of quitting soccer to pursue nursing school. She quickly learned the benefits of good time management as a student-athlete.
“My first semester in the program was manageable even with soccer, and my professors helped me by working around my schedule when I have to miss class for games,” Raymond said.
Some student-athletes even change majors during their senior year of school to balance their work-load with their sport.
Senior Kendall Johnson came here because it was one of the few schools that would let her play softball and study nursing at the same time.
“Not being able finishing my softball career was something I would not have been happy with, so I decided to go five years and get a minor so that I can play softball for all four years,” Johnson explained.
Student-athletes make many sacrifices in order to succeed in the nursing school. The students who quit their sports show true dedication towards their studies and future jobs. The student-athletes who continue to play their sport while in the nursing program are excellent at managing their time, whi
ch will help them when they are out of school, as well.
“Being a student-athlete has helped me stay disciplined on getting up early and
managing my time. We also have a team rule where if you miss class you have to run,”
Johnson said.
Students know the great opportunity they have when they are accepted into the nursing school, so they put all of their effort
into it. Whether that be by sacrificing their sport or having a demanding work schedule, nursing students here know what they want to do in life and are able to succeed by their own means.
