Shelbee S., ’22, felt like a Golden Flash from the moment she first set foot on campus. Her passion for helping others led her to pursue a nursing degree at Kent State, and her visit to the Stark Campus made her feel immediately at home.
She was participating in her first clinical experience with patients in a public hospital when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“As a nurse, you have to learn to face any situation,” Shelbee said.
“This pandemic has reassured me that nursing is my calling because I have a passion to help people and impact them in a positive way.”
While Shelbee’s intrinsic desire to help others has been buoyed by the public health crisis, she also faced the stark reality of job loss. Both of her parents and her sister also lost their jobs.
“I started searching for assistance to help pay my bills, and I was so thankful to learn I could receive a grant from Kent State,” Shelbee explained.
“These times are hard, and even a small donation can ease a tremendous amount of stress for someone like me.”
As Shelbee prepares for the unknown in her future coursework and clinical placements, she is relying on her personal values of compassion and caring for others to anchor her studies. She appreciates the support of her Golden Flashes family and knows she and her fellow students are not facing their challenges alone.
“The idea of Flashes taking care of Flashes means so much to me,” Shelbee says. “This community has pulled through for me and my family, and I have never been so grateful to be a Golden Flash.”