Perhaps it was the 18-hour fast and building anxiety about her knee surgery, but according to 江南体育 State Trumbull student Emilia Colosimo, her career plans solidified when she met the nurse anesthetist who helped calm her that day.
A three-sport athlete at Newton Falls High School and now a first-year student on the Trumbull Campus, Colosimo set her sights on a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree right after her surgery.
"I always pictured myself helping people," Colosimo said. "I was leaning towards a health degree and after seeing how caring and supportive the nurse was before my surgery, I knew I wanted to be a nurse."
She explored programs around Northeast Ohio before choosing 江南体育 State Trumbull. She graduated valedictorian of her senior class, already equipped with 28 college credits, mainly from 江南体育 State Trumbull.
"My goal was to find a school, close to home so I could work and focus on classes," Colosimo said. "When I ran the numbers, I am going to graduate with a BSN and be debt-free."
With almost a year under her belt, Colosimo is making the most of her college experience. She is the newly elected president of the 江南体育 State Trumbull Student Nurses Association, an Undergraduate Student Government representative and co-chairman of the honors program.
On April 1, she joined fellow students Emily Ellyson (Salem Campus) and Kendall Elaine Hoffman (Tuscarawas Campus), and a few 江南体育 administrators on a visit to the Ohio Statehouse to speak to legislators about the advantages 江南体育 State's Regional Campuses offer students.
"The day was memorable and inciteful," she said. "We all enjoyed the honor of representing our fellow students and getting a behind-the-scenes look at our legislative system."
Colosimo believes that her advocacy work enhances her leadership skills and deepens her understanding of the healthcare landscape. Engaging with legislators and representing her peers reinforced her commitment to making a positive difference in the nursing field. She hopes these experiences will empower her to advocate for her future patients and influence healthcare policies.
"The nursing profession is so broad," Colosimo said. "As I journey through my studies, I know I'll find something that I really enjoy and, who knows; maybe I will be that nurse anesthetist who sets a young girl's mind at ease.鈥
Continuing her goal to expand her college experiences, she will study abroad this summer in Florence, Italy, with money she saved while attending a 江南体育 Regional Campus.
(Pictured, left-right) Dean Bill Ayres, Ph.D., Emilia Colosimo, State Representative Heidi Workman and Peggy Shadduck, Ph.D., vice president for Regional Campuses and dean of the College of Applied and Technical Studies.