cecilia-crane

What is your major, and why did you choose it?

I am a senior in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. I chose nursing because I wanted to pursue a profession where I am assisting others and helping the community. I want to be actively involved in my work. My senior year of high school, I wasn't completely sure what I wanted to do. Then, I thought about nursing, and I went for it. Over the years of being in nursing school, I've developed a huge passion for it. I love it. I love Loyola. I have had so many opportunities.  

Have you received any scholarship support? If yes, what has that support meant to you and your family?

I’ve received a significant amount of scholarship support during my time at Loyola. It’s meant the world to me. Finances were one of my biggest worries coming into college and one of my parents’ biggest worries, too. They have three other kids who they’re trying to get through Catholic high school, which is not easy. My dad is an electrician, and he was off work for a while during the pandemic. Even though they would love to, my parents really haven’t been able to support me very much financially. I knew that it was going to take some work to pay for undergrad and get through it.

It means the world to me that Loyola has supported me. By supporting me, they’re supporting the nursing profession. They’re helping me get through nursing school, and they’re assisting me with getting a fantastic education, which I’ll take out with me into the world of nursing in less than a year. I am so beyond thankful for that. With these scholarships, it’s taken financial stresses off so that I could focus on school and other opportunities that I probably would not have been able to take on if I had a heavier financial burden.

What are you planning to do with your degree? How has Loyola prepared you for your future goals?

After graduation, I hope to work in an inpatient oncology unit and then maybe go back to school to pursue a higher degree after getting some experience in the field. I really came to love oncology after working in a unit last summer, and I think that’s the direction I want to go after graduation right now.

Loyola has given me the skillset and knowledge that I need to go out into the world and into a hospital or a clinic and care for patients from the medical nursing standpoint. It’s also given me that idea of cura personalis, care for the whole person. Loyola has given me the ability to speak to a patient from a more personal standpoint, not just as a nurse and a health care provider. I’ve learned how to approach a patient compassionately and treat a patient like they’re a person, not like they’re a diagnosis.