Meet Elsie.

What made you consider nursing as a program of study?

From a young age, I knew I wanted to work in healthcare. At the time, it felt like the main paths into medicine were either becoming a doctor or a nurse. While I now realize there are many more options, that early understanding led me toward nursing, and eventually a career in nurse anesthesia. I’ve always been fascinated by the human body—how it functions, adapts, and responds—so nursing felt like the ideal path to combine that curiosity with hands-on care and meaningful patient interaction.

Did you have an ah-ha moment about wanting to become a nurse?

I guess my “ah-ha” moment regarding nurse anesthesia school was during high school when I decided to shadow a CRNA. At the time, I didn’t even know nurse anesthesia was profession, but I also knew that I didn’t want to go to nursing school and be at the bedside through retirement. So I started talking with a few people in the healthcare field to see what my options were. After shadowing the CRNA, I immediately knew I wanted to pursue a graduate career in nurse anesthesia due to the flexibility in work life balance, the autonomy, and just how interesting it is that we are able to care for a patient during these intense, extremely invasive procedures, then the patient is able to wake up and be discharged the very same day. I find that amazing that we are able to administer so many different types of anesthesia that can be curated to each specific patient based on their comorbidities and medications. Anesthesia is one of the few fields where there is one thousand correct ways to achieve your goal, so it makes it interesting/fun to try different techniques and figure out which ones you like and which ones you don’t.

Why did you choose WVU School of Nursing? 

I originally started my nursing career elsewhere and then ended up transferring to WVU after I visited campus for the first time for a weekend trip with a friend. I instantly noticed a different in the sense of unity and camaraderie of the campus as a whole. After looking into the school of nursing in particular, I noticed how proud the faculty and students in the program are, and how eager they are to expand the WVU SON family to anyone who is interested. Additionally, WVU Medicine has access to a variety of different patient populations in various settings like level 1 trauma centers all the way to small community hospitals. So it offered the ability to create a well rounded provider who has experience with many different patients.

Could you share a positive experience from your time at the SON?

One of the most memorable experiences was my clinical rotation at Ruby Memorial, where I participated in complex surgical cases under the supervision of seasoned CRNAs. It was one of the first times I truly felt like a clinician, not just a student. The level of trust, collaboration, and mentorship I received was empowering and reaffirmed that I had chosen the right path. I also made lifelong friends in the program; we supported each other through the late-night study sessions, long clinical days, and celebrated our milestones together.

What’s one piece of advice you would give your freshman self?

I’d tell myself to trust the process more and stop trying to have every detail planned out. Nursing, and especially nurse anesthesia school, isn’t about being perfect; it’s about growing through the challenges and learning to be flexible. Lean into the hard days, ask for help, and celebrate small wins. The journey will be tough, but you’re more capable than you think.

What do you hope to do after graduation?

After graduation, I plan to work as a CRNA in a setting where I can continue to build on my experience with a wide range of surgical cases—ideally somewhere that balances high acuity with a strong team environment. Eventually, I’d love to mentor future SRNAs and maybe even precept students, just like others have done for me. I also value flexibility, so I’m exploring opportunities that allow for a healthy work-life balance and time to pursue other passions.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?

My inspiration comes from the providers who mentored me, especially the CRNAs who balanced confidence with compassion. Their ability to maintain calm in high-pressure environments while advocating for patients and mentoring others left a huge impact on me.

Why would you recommend WVU SON to someone?

WVU SON offers more than just an education, it provides a supportive, hands-on, and dynamic environment that prepares you to be a confident provider. The variety of clinical experiences, access to top-tier hospitals, and the genuine commitment from faculty to student success makes it stand out. If you're looking for a program that challenges you while also equipping you with real-world experience and lifelong connections, WVU is a great place to be.