How UA helped Sophia Swain find confidence, purpose and her voice in nursing

At UA, you'll always have someone in your corner. Through real stories from students and their mentors, MentorZip highlights the support network that makes UA a place where every Zip thrives - whether it's a professor igniting a passion for research or an upperclassman helping a first-year student find their path.

Be inspired as we showcase impactful mentorship stories that prove one thing. Here, success isn't a solo journey - it's powered by mentorship, guidance and a community that truly cares.

Anesthesia training is demanding by design. The knowledge is complex, the stakes are high, and confidence is earned through experience. But for Sophia Swain, BSN, RN, CCRN, success in the field didn't come from rigor alone. It came from mentorship - and from people who believed in her before she fully believed in herself.

"When I first came to the University of Akron, it was kind of a stark difference between where I had grown up and the academic culture there," Swain said. "In my previous academic settings, there were really rigid boundaries between students and professors. There wasn't a lot of camaraderie, and there definitely wasn't much mentorship or back-and-forth exchange."

Her earlier education gave her a strong foundation, she said - but something essential was missing.

At Akron, that shifted almost immediately.

"On the first day of orientation, our program director gave out his phone number and said, 'If you ever need anything, please reach out. Never hesitate,'" Swain said. "And that's been consistent in every class I've been in."

That sense of access and belonging quickly became critical as Swain entered one of the most challenging transitions of her career guided by strong mentorship.

When confidence is tested

Before coming to Akron, Swain had spent a year working in an ICU, where she was confident in her skills and often the one others relied on in high-pressure situations. That confidence was shaken during a difficult first anesthesia rotation leaving her questioning her abilities - and her path.

Her next rotation, however, reframed everything. She went from receiving only criticism to working with preceptors who slowed down, taught intentionally and invested in her growth.

"It was a night-and-day difference," Swain said. "I went from feeling unsure to thinking, 'Oh, this is something I can be really good at - and I can make a difference in people's lives doing it,'" she said.

For Swain, the contrast underscored the impact of mentorship.

"Having those mentors that are willing to build into you, teach you, encourage you - especially when you're brand new at something - makes a world of difference," she said.

That understanding deepened through her work with Dr. Tim Meyers, executive director of UA's School of Nursing, who became a defining influence in her graduate experience.

A mentor who changed the conversation

Since her first year, Swain has served as a graduate teaching assistant in the Learning Resource Center, working closely with Meyers while assisting with his health assessment course. The experience reshaped how she views education - and her place within it.

"On the first day, he tells students, 'Please don't call me Dr. Meyers - it's Tim or Dr. Tim,'" she said. "He really breaks those walls down."

That approach sets the tone for an environment where students feel comfortable being "a little uncomfortable" - where curiosity is encouraged and learning feels collaborative rather than intimidating.

"He knows all of his students by name - all of them," Swain said. "By week two or three, it's his goal to know every single student. You can tell he's invested in their success. He wants them to grow."

That investment became especially meaningful during one of the most difficult periods of her graduate program.

"He was a really good sounding board when I felt like I was at my lowest point," she said. "He reminded me that I was chosen for this program for a reason." Beyond encouragement, Meyers challenged her to take ownership of her growth - to intentionally seek out mentors instead of waiting for support to happen organically.

Finding her 'YES' moment

Over time, Meyers also helped Swain recognize strengths she hadn't fully seen in herself. Through their work together, he noticed her ability to break down complex concepts in ways students could understand - and encouraged her to consider a future in that goes from nurse to professor.

"Dr. Meyers once told me I had a gift for explaining complex concepts in a way that made sense to students, and he asked whether I had considered academia," Swain said. "That encouragement stayed with me. It reframed how I saw my own potential." What began as mentorship soon sparked a genuine interest in pursuing a faculty role alongside her anesthesia career.

That confidence extended beyond the classroom. Swain traveled to Washington, D.C., with Meyers and fellow nursing students to advocate on Capitol Hill for the profession. Standing among hundreds of students from across the country with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, she spoke on issues impacting nursing education, faculty recruitment and patient care.

"This opportunity allowed me to advocate at a national level," she said, "which is something I now feel personally invested in because of the mentorship I've received at UA."

Today, Swain is carrying those lessons forward. In her graduate role, she mentors younger students - modeling the same approachability and support that shaped her own journey.

"When you feel supported, you can show up better - for your patients and for your team," she said. "I want to be able to give that back - to create an environment where students feel confident, capable and like they truly belong."

For Swain, mentorship didn't just help her succeed at Akron. It helped her find her voice - and the future she now aims to shape for others.

Story by Alex Knisely
Media contact: [email protected]