Compassion is a cornerstone characteristic of many nurses. Bhumika Trivedi, this month’s Student Spotlight, discovered her compassion for others as an employee in the Activities Department at Friendship Village, an Assisted Living Community in Schaumburg. Working with Alzheimer's patients and observing the nursing staff she works alongside, Bhumika was inspired to pursue her LPN education.

The search for the right program was the first step in the process. After visiting CMK, and Harper College, Bhumika found the right fit for her with Ambria. She had heard good things about the program from co-workers and the location proved to be convenient. The decision was a wise one on her part, as her experience so far has shown. She currently holds a place on the Dean’s List with a cumulative GPA of 4.0. Interaction with other students has also been a highlight for Bhumika. She describes her fellow classmates as the feature of Ambria she most enjoys.

In addition to her outstanding academic performance, Bhumika is also a model for the power of a positive attitude. Her disposition is constantly upbeat and pleasant, and when asked to give advice to any future nursing students she replied, “Just keep smiling.” These are wise words for those entering a practice where both the educational training and on-the-job experience can be more than a little stressful. She expands on this outlook by adding, “Keep your fear to yourself,” “remember what it is you want to do,” and always “be open-minded about learning.” She declares that retaining these qualities will help Ambria students achieve success in their nursing education.

Currently Bhumika is enrolled in NUR 101: Fundamentals of Nursing with Lesa Williams. She finds her biggest support in her husband, and continues to work in the Activities Department at Friendship Village in Schaumburg. She looks forward to graduation and is eager to begin working as a Licensed Practical Nurse.

• If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?  Indian food
• What is your favorite thing to do when you have a day off?    Be active
• If you could be any animal for 24 hours what would you be?   Penguin
• If you were given a yacht, what would you name it?   "Sunshine"
• If you would be any flavor of ice cream, what would you be and why?    Mango
• If tomorrow you woke up blind, what would be the one thing you miss seeing the most?   Myself. I want to see myself working as an LPN.
• If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?   Paris
• If a genie could grant you three wishes what would you wish for? 
  - Free people from human trafficking
  - Have my family live near me
  - Make me an RN
• If you could be on any reality TV show, what show would you choose to be on?   Dancing with the Stars
• If you had to wear a t-shirt with one word on it for the rest of your life, what word would you choose?   Smile
• If you could be any Disney character, who would you be?    Cinderella
• If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the leading role?   Julia Roberts

Anna Koscielniak began her nursing career in Poland, working with children and adults alike. She loved her job and made sure to always treat her patients with the upmost respect. Eventually, Anna and her loved ones moved to America in 1999. Shortly after her arrival to America with her children, Anna became a bookkeeper. Her children seemed to adjust to America quite well. Presently, one is a Pre-Med student and one is an 8th grader.

I asked Anna, “When you first arrived in America, why didn’t you pursue your Nursing Career?” Anna explained the frustration she felt at having years of experience as a nurse in Poland, but not being able to practice here in the United States because her credits were too old. She went on to explain, “In Poland, the standards for a Nursing Degree are much lower. I only figured this out after I started looking for a school.” After speaking to some friends about different places to attend a college for nursing, she heard about Ambria. Anna chose Ambria because she knew she would get a great education. She was looking for a college that had high standards, small classes and instructors that would assist with tutoring. Tutoring was very important to her because she had been out of school for many years and wanted to ensure she had high grades when she graduated. Besides the instructors assisting her with tutoring, she has also found study groups that help break down the nursing concepts.

When asked what her favorite class has been so far, Anna instantaneously replied, “All of them!” Anna offers the following words of advice to those who want to pursue a career in nursing: “Be sure you want to be a nurse. It takes hard work, patience and responsibility. Also, always believe in yourself, be confident, and study hard and often!”

Anna thrives on challenges, has a great sense of humor, is devoted to her family, and wants to further her career in nursing to help her children and people in general. Anna is currently enrolled in the LPN Program and works as a Certified Nursing Assistant at Silverado Nursing facility in Lake Zurich. In the future, Anna would like to continue her college career and become a Surgical Nurse.

• If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?  Burritos
• What is your favorite thing to do when you have a day off?  Sleep
• If you could be any animal for 24 hours what would you be?  Bear – because it sleeps!!!
• If you were given a yacht, what would you name it?  "A DREAM"
• If you would be any flavor of ice cream, what would you be and why?  Vanilla
• If tomorrow you wok up blind, what would be the one thing you miss seeing the most?  Family
• If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?  Africa – Never been there...
• If a genie could grant you three wishes what would you wish for?  
  Family, friends to be healthy
  Finish School!!!
  Cure Alzheimer’s

Life changed one day for the subject of this month’s Student Spotlight, when she attended a career fair on her college campus at Northern Illinois University in 2007. Brittney Catalano had been pursuing a degree in Business before she came across a booth at the fair promoting jobs in nursing. The information presented was enough to ignite a transformation in the young student’s thought-process. Reflecting upon her natural qualities of empathy and kindness, she realized that nursing was a better fit for her as a career path.

Initially Brittney began her healthcare training at a local college in the Chicago area. She earned her C.N.A. certification and began progressing through the program until life changes inspired her to take a break. She took a year off, during which time she got married and began looking for a different school. She discovered Ambria College of Nursing and made the decision to enroll soon after. She found in Ambria a program that offered a flexible schedule, no waiting list, and a convenient location. Once she began attending classes however, she found even more qualities of the program to appreciate. Among them is the small and friendly atmosphere that encourages students to assert their individuality on campus. “I’m Brittney here,” she says, “not just a student ID number.”

Perhaps this ability to feel like a recognized and appreciated member of the community manifests itself most prominently in the classroom. Without hesitation, Brittney describes Nursing 103: Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing as her favorite course thus far. Her instructor, Ms. Priscilla Rivera, mentored her through both the theory and clinical components of the class. Brittney credits Ms. Rivera with helping her overcome the natural fear and apprehension that every nursing student experiences. She says of her former professor, “Never have I learned so much from one teacher. She gave me my confidence!”

The lesson has stayed with Brittney throughout her time at Ambria. Confidence, along with compassion and professionalism, is one of the virtues she lists when asked, “What three qualities should a successful nurse possess?” She has done well in taking her own advice too, considering she currently holds a 3.75 GPA and was nominated by Ambria Faculty to be featured in this month’s Student Spotlight.

The twenty-five year old LPN student will be starting Role Transition this January and is scheduled to complete the program in April. After passing the NCLEX exam, she has plans to work for her current employer, Sunrise Assisted Living, as an LPN, and to enter into the ADN Program at Ambria.

• If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?   Chinese food.
• What is your favorite thing to do when you have a day off?  Spend time at home cleaning.
• If you could be any animal for 24 hours what would you be?  A Beagle.
• If you were given a yacht, what would you name it?  “La Vita E Bella” (Italian for “Life is Beautiful”)
• If you would be any flavor of ice cream, what would you be and why?  Spumoni. It has a little of each flavor!
• If tomorrow you woke up blind, what would be the one thing you miss seeing the most?  My husband and my dogs.
• If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?  I would want to do mission work somewhere in Africa.
• If a genie could grant you three wishes what would you wish for?  A long life, good health for my family, and lifelong love.
• If you could be on any reality TV show, what show would you choose to be on?  Keeping Up with the Kardashians
• If you had to wear a t-shirt with one word on it for the rest of your life, what word would you choose?  OMG!
• If you could be any Disney character, who would you be?  The Little Mermaid
• If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the leading role?   Kristen Wiig

One day Tommy Batoto decided to change his career goals and become a nurse.  This major career decision came while working at National Nurse Registry (hospice registry) as a payroll employee.  Not only did Tommy see from the reports that nurses were well compensated, but that the rewards in a nursing position were overwhelming.    With the way the economy is today, Tommy felt his job might be in jeopardy as a payroll employee and decided to ask the Ambria graduates who worked with him at National Nurse Registry for their advice.  Tommy asked the Ambria graduates because they demonstrated the best behaviors; they followed the rules, were on time, and paid attention to details.

Since National Nurse Registry assisted with tools for Tommy’s schoolwork and he was eligible for financial aid, Tommy decided to start his nursing career by taking the pre-requisite courses, graduated from the LPN program and is now a student in the RN Program.  Continuing to work at National Nurse Registry, Tommy has been promoted, has more responsibility and is feeling the appreciation and rewards of being an Ambria LPN graduate.

While taking classes at Ambria, Tommy’s favorite class was Adult Medical-Surgical because, “that is “when you really feel like you are becoming a nurse.”    His words of advice for people thinking about entering the nursing field is, “Be patient. It won’t be easy, but it’s very rewarding.”  When asked what he felt were Ambria’s best qualities, Tommy responded, “One of the best things about Ambria College of Nursing is their clinical sites.  I have heard about other schools sending you out to less than adequate facilities.  At Ambria, they are flexible and send you to wonderful clinical sites including hospitals in the upper classes.  This is where you really learn what it means to be a nurse!”

Tommy said that he even though he didn’t get the best grades in High School, he’s come to learn that it’s amazing that when you truly enjoy what you are doing, the ‘A’s’ start to accumulate in your grade history.  “I had a misconception of how hard it was to get through a nursing program.  By putting time into studying, setting goals, and setting aside hours to study, I am becoming more successful everyday."

Ever since Stacey Gildelatore was a little girl, she knew her path in life would be in the health field. Growing up in Alabama, Stacey loved assisting the elderly and helping out children. Having a military husband moved her to the New Jersey area. Since then, Stacey has been in school.

While trying to get accepted into an RN program, Stacey worked as an assistant property manager. She enjoyed the work, but knew that she wanted something more fulfilling and rewarding. She decided to try her hand in the dental field and while still trying to fulfill her dream of being a nurse, she took a job as a dental assistant. Immediately after learning everything in the office, she got promoted to assistant manager where she was able to obtain lots of hands-on-experience with the DON's and social workers of different accounts. Her boss was aware of her plans to become a nurse and fully supported her intentions. Stacey and her husband moved from New Jersey to Illinois.

While attending another college, Stacey found out about Ambria’s LPN program from a fellow student. Since Ambria offered her many choices, such as Full-Time, Part-Time, Days or Evening classes, and she didn’t have to put her life on hold for 6 months (waiting for a class), she decided to join Ambria’s LPN program.

After graduating, Stacey plans to immediately take the NCLEX test and would like to pursue her RN degree. After she obtains her RN degree her dream is to become an Emergency Room (ER) Nurse. There is variety and challenge in an ER, along with constantly learning new techniques, methods, systems and processes.

Stacey wanted to list all of her instructors when asked which one stood out. Her Pharmacology instructor, Linda Steffens picked her up when she was down and out. Her Medical Surgical instructor, Pricilla Rivera helped her obtain confidence in herself and taught her to do the head to toe assessment. Her Pediatrics clinical instructor, Mary Girardi challenged her by having her put thought into the plan of care for each patient. According to Stacey, the instructors are some of the best attributes of Ambria College of Nursing and the staff is great too.

Just a few words of wisdom from Stacey, “Never, ever give up. Give it 100% and always push forward”. Her grandmother had a saying, “Always set a goal and don’t stop until you reach it.” Stacey also believes that patience, nurturing and observation are necessary characteristics of a successful nurse.
 

• If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Thai Food
• What is your favorite thing to do when you have a day off? Go to the Park or working out at the gym
• If you could be any animal for 24 hours what would you be? Blue Whale to view all of the wonderful things underwater
• If you were given a yacht, what would you name it? “GO FOR IT!!!”
• If you would be any flavor of ice cream, what would you be and why? Cookies and Cream because it has a little of vanilla and chocolate.
• If tomorrow you woke up blind, what would be the one thing you miss seeing the most? Bright Sunny Day
• If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Europe
• If a genie could grant you three wishes, what would you wish for? Cure for cancer, own my own successful business, and give every one 20 more years to live
• If you could be on any reality T.V. show, what show would you choose to be on? Don’t' have time for T.V. but, I would love to play the part of Jillian Micheal's on the biggest loser if I  had to choose one. 
• If you had to wear a t-shirt with one word on it for the rest of your life, what word would you choose? Conscientiousness
• If you could be any Disney character, who would you be? Pocahontas
• If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the leading role? Sandra Bullock

Born and raised in Nigeria, Irene Iwerebon made her way across the Pacific and halfway around the world to find Ambria College of Nursing.  When Irene was only fifteen years old, her parents sent Irene to a boarding school in England to study Accounting and Financing. After completing her studies in England, Irene traveled to the United States. In Heiniker, New Hampshire she attended college and earned her accounting & financing major. Soon after met her husband and settled down. For the last twelve years she has been raising her two beautiful and talented children, Serena and Alexander.  Both are extremely talented in orchestral music. “In my spare time, I run or ride my bicycle”, Irene said.  Irene has run a marathon, but her true love is bicycling.  On the weekends she rides 25-30 miles on Lake Shore Drive.

Irene’s goal is to become a Certified Registered Rehabilitation Nurse (CRRN), and she has already planned her academic steps in order to achieve this goal. In order to become a CCRN, one first needs to become a CNA, then LPN, then RN, and then finally a CRRN.  Irene is currently a CNA enrolled in the LPN program at Ambria.  In addition to going to school and taking care of her family, Irene also works part-time and is currently working with two clients that are giving her experience in rehabilitation.  One client is a physically challenged child and the other has dementia.

While researching nursing colleges, Irene found she was most impressed with Ambria College of Nursing because of the lack of waiting list. She also said the LPN Information session was extremely helpful (i.e., the presentation offered information about success rates, jobs after graduation and other very impressive statistics) and outclassed all other schools she considered.

I haven’t taken all the LPN classes yet, but Pharmacology was most challenging. However, I learned so much.  The challenge and variety in this class kept it so exciting. The class sizes are much smaller than other schools. Therefore, we [students] get more attention from the instructors, including outside classroom time,” said Irene. She went on to say that, “A successful nurse should always have patience, and good communication skills, including good listening skills. Nurses should have a genuine care for the patient. Also, you always remember to set goals for yourself!”

• If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? An omelet with onion, sausage and mushrooms
• What is your favorite thing to do when you have a day off? Ride my bike
• If you could be any animal for 24 hours what would you be? An eagle, so I can look down and see everything.
• If you would be any flavor ice cream, what would you be and why? Vanilla fudge, I love hot fudge sundaes with vanilla fudge.
• If tomorrow you woke up blind, what would be the one thing you would miss seeing the most? My children Serena and Alexander.
• If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? Dubai
• If a genie could grant you three wishes, what would you wish for? Unlimited cash, world peace and a cure for cancer
• If you could be on any reality T. V. show, what show would you choose to be on? Intervention – being the encourager
• If you had to wear a t-shirt with one work on it for the rest of your life, what word would you choose?  Peace
• If you could be any Disney character, who would you be? Mini Mouse – she keeps Mickey in place!
• If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the leading role? Jada Pinket Smith

Some people have the gift of knowing what they want to become when they grow up. Vanessa Martinez is one of those people.  As a young girl, Vanessa knew she wanted to become a nurse.  She was fortunate to have loved ones willing to support her goals.  Her parents encouraged her to follow her dreams, especially her dream of helping people.

Vanessa pursued her dream by becoming a certified nursing assistant.  After working for a year as a nurse aide, she knew she wanted to help people even more, so she joined the U.S. Navy in October 2004.  She was stationed at Naval Hospital Lemoore in Lemoore, CA and Naval Medical Administrative Unit in Monterey, CA.  While working as a Hospital Corpsman in the US Navy, she learned to give immunizations, draw blood, and counsel patients to improve their quality of life.  This experience helped her prepare for her nursing education later on.

One day, while she was researching the Internet for LPN schools, Ambria College of Nursing caught her attention.  “[Ambria College] has no wait list while most schools have a really long one.  It would take me years to get into their program,” she mentioned.

Vanessa also shared with us some of her favorite nursing classes, one of which was Anatomy & Physiology.  According to Vanessa, her instructor went out of his way to make sure the students understood the concepts and terms.  Another one of Vanessa’s favorite classes was Nursing Pharmacology.  She said that her instructor was always available to answer any of her questions, and she seemed reachable at almost any time.

Going to school full-time while having a spouse in the military and raising three children was not easy.  Yet, despite her hardships, Vanessa persevered.  She was determined to complete her training to become a licensed practical nurse.  No one could stop her - not even her difficult situation.  Last week, Vanessa finally achieved her dream.  She graduated from the LPN program from Ambria College of Nursing.
 

• If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Tempura fried sushi.
• What is your favorite thing to do when you have a day off? Spend time with my kids.
• If you could be any animal for 24 hours what would you be? A Bird, so that I can fly high. I can go anywhere I wanted to go, and see everything.
• If you were given a yacht, what would you name it? Fantastic 5 for each member of my family: my husband and I and our 3 kids.
• If you would be any flavor of ice cream, what would you be and why? Pralines n cream because you get sweet on the outside of the praline and salty on the outside and it is soooo good!
• If tomorrow you woke up blind, what would be the one thing you miss seeing the most? I would miss seeing my family, especially my children.
• If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? I'd travel all over Europe: Italy, France, Spain, Germany, just everywhere.
• If a genie could grant you three wishes what would you wish for? 100 million bucks so I would help out my family and friends, private jet so I can fly any where I wanted to go and owner of the Chicago Bulls so I can watch Derrick Rose play
• If you could be on any reality T.V. show, what show would you choose to be on? Amazing Race because you get to travel all over or Real World
• If you had to wear a t-shirt with one word on it for the rest of your life, what word would you choose? Love
• If you could be any Disney character, who would you be? Mulan because she is tough and sweet
• If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the leading role? Rosario Dawson

For 10 and a half years Melissa Trzaskus had been working as an office manager when she decided that she wanted to pursue a career in something more challenging and rewarding and nursing was the perfect option for her. She was given the opportunity to begin a job where she could help others and do something meaningful with her life and not have it just be about receiving a paycheck at the end of the day. She enrolled at Ambria College of Nursing in June of 2009 and was on her way to receiving the education that she needed to succeed in reaching her goal. Melissa originally decided to attend Ambria because there was no wait list and she wanted to start classes as soon as possible. She also did a lot of research on many nursing schools and was the most impressed by Ambria She started by completing her C.N.A and decided that she wanted to continue to receive her L.P.N and she is now thinking that she will go even further to get her R.N. after she passes her NCLEX exam in a few short months.

During Melissa’s time at Ambria she has come to love the instructors such as Priscilla Rivera who teaches Med Surg. She mentioned that “Priscilla had the highest expectations for us because she sees potential which made us want to try that much harder. She made the class hard because she knew that we were capable of it and because of that we are walking out of the class with so much knowledge. She is making sure that all of her students are well prepared because it will benefit us in the long run.” Melissa also really enjoyed her O.B. class because she would like to be a labor and delivery nurse in the future. She thought it was interesting how the nurse has two patients at the same time, being the mother and the child, and they are both in two separate realms. Being a mother herself, she is able to understand what her patients are going through which only helps her be a better nurse.

When asked if she has any advice for others who are thinking about being a nurse, Melissa stated that “you need to be in it for the right reasons. You should not go into nursing because of the job stability, family pressure, or the money, but instead because you have the drive and compassion and want to help others.” She also said that “it is important for nurses to know their limits and to know what their strengths and weaknesses.” Over the past two years Melissa has made many friends and has learned a lot. She is impressed by the new facility the school has built and mentioned that the accommodations are state of the art. She loves that the school is constantly striving to improve and that “all of the pieces are falling into place.” Because of Melissa’s dedication, compassion, ability to be open-minded, and her drive to succeed, there is no question that she will be one of the top nurses out there.

• Favorite Color: Silver
• Favorite Food: Seafood
• Favorite Movie: The Notebook
• Favorite T.V. Show: Grey’s Anatomy
• Hobbies and Interests: Spending time with her son, reading, and cooking
• Favorite Animal: Dogs
• Favorite Holiday: Halloween
• If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things would you take with: “My son, a pocket knife, and water.”
• If you won the lottery, what would you spend your money on: “I would continue my education to eventually become a midwife, and put most of the money away for my son.”
• If you could have any superpower, what would it be: “I would grant wishes so people in the world who are suffering could be helped.”
• If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be: “Probably Kristen Stewart because she gets to spend all of her time with Robert Pattinson.”
• If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the leading role: Jenny McCarthy

Since she was a little girl, Cindy Calderon knew that she would choose a career that was in the medical field as she had always loved the idea of helping people and being able to change their lives for the better. Originally, Cindy had wanted to go into physical therapy, but when she started applying to schools she became discouraged when she realized that she would most likely be wait listed for at least a year. She began talking to her friends and looking at her other options when the idea of nursing was mentioned. She had previously volunteered at a nursing home and really enjoyed spending time with the residents so she decided to attend an information session at Ambria College of Nursing to see if nursing was the right fit for her. She quickly realized that it was her dream to help others and nursing was the perfect opportunity to follow her dream; “plus there was no wait list and I loved the fact that the school was small so I could receive one on one attention from my instructors.” She enrolled at Ambria shortly after and was on her way to becoming the first nurse in her family.

Cindy recently completed her LPN from Ambria and has just passed her NCLEX exam! She is hoping she can find a job and start working so she can continue with her education. She would love to come back in six months to receive her R.N. and possibly continue her education to obtain her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. Looking back on her time at Ambria, Cindy mentioned that her favorite class was Medical Surgical Nursing with Priscilla Rivera. She stated that “Priscilla was one of the best instructors I have had at the school. She makes sure that we understand the information and she pushes us to succeed. She is strict but in the best way possible because she knows that we can do it. She will give us more than one patient because she wants us to learn what it is really like to be a nurse. She definitely knows what she is talking about and she is able to teach us in a fun and amusing way.” When asked what she has enjoyed the most about Ambria, Cindy said, “the instructors. They are able to give their students one on one attention which is very important in this field of study.”

The best advice that Cindy could give to others who are just starting their journey into the nursing field is simple, “Do not do it for the money; that is not why you become a nurse. If money is your top priority you might want to look into it more and start working as a C.N.A first to see if you can handle it. It is a lot of work and you must have patience if you want to succeed and if you enjoy what you are doing do not stop with your L.P.N.” Cindy is hoping to one day receive a job in Pediatric Nursing because she loves kids and she wants to see them smile. She is hoping to work with kids with disabilities so she can help them through the difficult times. Her little sister has been her motivation to succeed because she wants to show her to never give up and to always follow your dreams. Being a nurse takes patience, good critical thinking skills, and a friendly attitude; Cindy has shown all of these qualities and more and everyone can agree that she will not let anything stop her from achieving her dreams.

• Favorite Color: Pink and Purple
• Favorite Food: Chinese food
• Favorite Movie: The Day After Tomorrow
• Favorite T.V. Show: Grey’s Anatomy
• Hobbies and Interests: Dancing, Playing Basketball, and Reading
• Favorite Animal: Puppies
• Favorite Holiday: “Christmas and my Birthday”
• If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things would you take with: “I would take a boat, my friend Julie Ann Marcial, and Eminem.”
• If you won the lottery, what would you spend your money on: “I would use the money to pay off my loans, I would give a lot of it to my family to help them out since they have done so much for me, and I would donate it to St. Jude’s to help the kids.”
• If you could have any superpower, what would it be: Invisibility
• If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be: Oprah
• If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the leading role: Mila Kunis

Charminee Pastor is not the first in her family to pursue a career in the medical field. In fact, she decided to become a nurse because of her family’s influence as well as her want and need to help others and her community. Originally from Hawaii, Charminee applied to the nursing program at the University of Hawaii, but like most schools around the nation they had a very long wait list to get into the program. Not wanting to wait a few years to start her degree, she began to look elsewhere in hopes of finding a school that she could enroll in right away. Her cousin, Judee Pascual who is a former Ambria College of Nursing Honor Roll student, told her about the school and mentioned that there was no wait list and only a few pre-requisite courses she had to complete. Immediately, Ms. Pastor became very interested in learning more about the program so she sent an email requesting more information and received a reply from Jon Oliveros, the President of the school. “I thought it was cool how the president emailed me back in an instant and answered all of my questions.” She decided to move to Illinois and enroll at Ambria in hopes of becoming the best nurse possible.

Charminee mentioned that “great nurses must have the capacity to retain knowledge and that it is an obvious essential for nursing practice.” She has demonstrated this quality time and time again with her outstanding grades and ability to excel in and out of the classroom. She is currently working at Abbington Nursing Home in Roselle and hopes that after graduation she will complete her R.N. degree and work at a long term care facility, after taking a well-deserved vacation to Hawaii, of course. Along with being knowledgeable, Charminee believes that “without compassion, you will not be able to emphasize with your patients who need somebody to be there for them,” so to be a good nurse it is vital to be compassionate. Ms. Pastor stated that “in the medical field, nurses are asked to do more and more; always remember that patience helps in any situation.”

During her time at Ambria, Charminee has come to love the instructors as well as the hands-on experience she receives from clinical. Two of her favorite instructors have been Dr. Faiz, who teaches Anatomy and Physiology, and Priscilla Rivera, who teaches Adult Nursing. “Dr. Faiz has the ability to turn a hard-to-grasp concept into a more understandable and funny notion. Priscilla is very knowledgeable and pushes her students to always do better. I also enjoyed clinical because I’ve witnessed the tremendous impact that the nurses have had on the lives of the individuals and I am able to work with people of different cultures and backgrounds.” Charminee attributes her success thus far to her family for giving her the love and support that she has needed while in the program. She will be graduating in a few short months and wishes the Class of Spring 2011 “nothing but success and good health. Congratulations! We made it!”

• Favorite color: Grey
• Favorite food: Filipino food
• Favorite movie: 500 Days of Summer, The Notebook and Inception
• Favorite T.V. show: Anything on HGTV and the Travel Channel
• Hobbies: Photography, reading, music, travelling, and learning about World History and other cultures
• Favorite animal: Dogs
• Favorite holiday: Christmas
• If you were stranded on a deserted island, what 3 things would you take with you? “I would take a boat filled with food and drinks, a fishing pole which will allow me to catch fish which I can use as a food source and Bruno Mars so he can sing to me all day long.”
• If you won the lottery, what would you spend your money on? “I would use the money to further my education because I believe knowledge is a good investment that pays the best interest. The rest of the money will go to my family.”
• If you could have any superpower what would it be? “If I could control the invisibility so I could become invisible then visible again at will, I would travel the world by sneaking onto airplanes.”
• If you could trade places with one person for a week, who would it be? Bill Gates
• If Hollywood made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the leading role? Rachel McAdams