Caps off, talent on and then... a new chapter 

“I moved on from my position as a patient care technician at Lansing Sparrow Hospital to work as a medical assistant at Michigan Orthopedic Surgeons for a year. I got to see imaging and help with casting, splinting and putting in orders. It was a really big change, but I was excited to have a different experience. That was really good for me. I even think being a surgical orthopedic PA could be my future specialty."

“The whole summer I was doing application interviews for PA school. I ended up getting into four and waitlisted at two. I went out and traveled, saw the schools. And then in November I went to Lincoln Memorial University in Knoxville, Tennessee. It's crazy because, I had heard about Lincoln Memorial when I was in an MSU pre-health fraternity. We had a guest speaker who was a new grad, and she went there.  I decided to apply and see how it was. I absolutely loved it, and that's where I'm going!"

"I've known where I'm going to PA school since December. And so, I've been hanging out with family, working and going on some trips. I traveled with a coworker who was also an MSU alum. We never crossed paths on campus, but we met at work and became friends. We went to Portugal, Switzerland, Hungary, Croatia and Italy. We gave ourselves this gift before we had to really lock in and focus on our graduate studies. I also visited my best friend in New York. She was my roommate at MSU and is now at Columbia for her master's."

"I was really happy that I completed a health promotion minor because the classes talked a lot about the social determinants of health. That's a big factor in PA school. Also, MSU extracurriculars helped me with my communication skills. All these little experiences came together to help me at different points within this time of my life. In the beginning, I could never imagine myself working in the medical field. I was a first-generation student putting myself through college, and I didn't know what I was doing. What really helped me was being in the First-Generation Leadership and Innovation (FLI) Vanderploeg Scholars Program, which helped me meet my goals. So, it's all about having a support system to do anything that you set your mind to."

"I really want to push myself to become a surgical PA. Lincoln Memorial University focuses more on surgical skills, so it's a perfect fit. What makes me passionate about being a PA is being able to work closely with doctors and see what they do and how many people need help. Some of my doctors see 60+ people a day. As a PA, a big part of the profession is to alleviate stress from both doctors and patients. I'm glad I'm there to help. That way, people who really need help, especially in emergency situations, can get care on the same day. After PA school, I think that I'll return to Michigan because it's my home. It's where my family and my support system are."

"I've been back to campus since graduation. My last time was the beginning of 2026. It was so weird and bittersweet seeing my old house off campus. I sent a picture to my roommate. We will always have that connection because of our little college house. I miss it a lot. I love it on campus, but I'm ready for the next thing. Yes, I'm sad that I'm not there every day, but I know it'll always be with me. And now I'm on to a different chapter."