Maisel wanted to be a nurse for the challenge. Each day, nurses face something different. Not only do they know the ins and outs of patient care, but they also serve as an advocate and confidant for their patients and families. More than anything, Maisel wanted to help others.

“Between the hands-on patient care approach and the ability to make a positive difference in someone’s life, it was an obvious choice for me,” Maisel said. “I feel like there is no better career than one where you have the opportunity to take a negative experience or time in someone’s life and make it a little bit better.”

Maisel’s college experience wasn’t an average one. As a first-generation student, learning at a higher education level was a difficult adjustment. The beginning of her college career was filled with lessons inside and outside of the classroom. Nursing students start on the pre-nursing track, then they apply to be accepted into the nursing program where they receive the bulk of their training.

In addition to school, Maisel became an Air Force cadet in the University of Kentucky Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). She was inspired to do this by her family members who served before her. While juggling another involvement on top of her schoolwork was a risk, Maisel said she wouldn’t change it for the world.

“It is an environment where you are constantly challenged to think critically and push yourself physically, and everyone is there to better themselves in some way,” Maisel said. “I knew that I wanted to surround myself with individuals who are highly motivated and committed to a purpose bigger than themselves because it would allow me to grow as a person and leader.”

That motivation led Maisel to be accepted into the nursing program ahead of her junior year. While preparing for the challenge , Maisel and her family experienced a great loss. Her mother died just two months before the school year began. Heartbreaking as it was, Maisel said the care her mother received in her time of need reaffirmed her decision to study nursing.

“To this day I remember the way my mom’s nurse made me feel,” Maisel said. “I know that I now have the opportunity to provide a sense of comfort and peace to patients and their families, just like my mother’s nurse did, and to me there is no greater honor.”

Maisel began nursing school with the memory of her mother leading her every step of the way. At times she struggled, but with reminders of how hard she’d worked to get there, there was no chance she was giving up.

When she reflects on the long nights in the library, or the hours of memorization prepping for clinicals, she is reminded of her strong connections within the college that carried her through. Specifically, she developed a close relationship with her pre-nursing adviser, Jennifer Sherwood.

“Jennifer is everything a good college advisor should be,” Maisel said. “Genuine, supportive and realistic. She had a knack for making me feel supported when classes inevitably became challenging and validated me when I expressed my feelings.”

Most students stop interacting with their pre-nursing advisors, since their main purpose is to help you plan your course schedule to meet your goal of admission to the program. Maisel was grateful to Sherwood and to all members of the College of Nursing faculty and staff for inspiring students even when it’s tough.

“My experience at UK was shaped by all the wonderful people and opportunities I encountered as a nursing student and a cadet,” Maisel said. “I will always look back on my experience here fondly because it has provided a wealth of opportunities for me to learn and grow.”

The University of Kentucky is increasingly the first choice for students, faculty and staff to pursue their passions and their professional goals. In the last two years, Forbes has named UK among the best employers for diversity, and INSIGHT into Diversity recognized us as a Diversity Champion four years running. UK is ranked among the top 30 campuses in the nation for LGBTQ* inclusion and safety. UK has been judged a “Great College to Work for" three years in a row, and UK is among only 22 universities in the country on Forbes' list of "America's Best Employers."  We are ranked among the top 10 percent of public institutions for research expenditures — a tangible symbol of our breadth and depth as a university focused on discovery that changes lives and communities. And our patients know and appreciate the fact that UK HealthCare has been named the state’s top hospital for five straight years. Accolades and honors are great. But they are more important for what they represent: the idea that creating a community of belonging and commitment to excellence is how we honor our mission to be not simply the University of Kentucky, but the University for Kentucky.