First Cumming nursing cohort already thriving

Halle Ewing, a junior from Grayson, Georgia, wants to focus on wound care as a nurse. During high school, Ewing earned certifications as a certified nursing assistant and medication technician. She worked as a patient care technician in the medical-surgical unit at Northside Hospital Gwinnett, among other early health care experiences.

For Ewing, being vocal about her career interests has spurred her UNG faculty members to encourage her to dive deeper.

"This is a great school to be able to grow and see what you want to do and how to get there," Ewing said. "These professors, especially because they are nurses, they know what you need to do and what you need to know."

Laney Whithead, a junior who lives in Dahlonega, Georgia, said family helped her decide to pursue a health care career. Her father is a chiropractor and holistic wellness doctor, and her grandfather was a combat medic in the Army.

"They inspired me to get into the medical field," Whitehead said. "I knew nursing would keep me on my feet and occupied. And I knew I was going to make a difference."

Gracie Baker, a junior from Holly Springs, Georgia, said the Cumming Campus offering the BSN cut her commute by about half an hour. She pointed to the welcoming nature of her faculty members and fellow students as easing the stressful nature of nursing studies.

The combination of rigor and support makes Baker confident she can serve as a leader of character in the nursing field.

"The professors are great. They give us so much information, but it's because they really want you to understand every part of what they're teaching," Baker said. "I feel like they will prepare me 100% to be a nurse. I have no doubt at all."