Maria (she/her/hers) graduated from UC Davis in 2019 with a B.S. in Psychology. While she was an undergraduate, Maria worked at a local facility for adults with mental illness and volunteered in a research lab at the Center for Mind and Brain. After graduating she worked both in research for the University of Colorado and in inpatient psychiatry for Stanford before switching gears to nursing. She is a current student at the Masters Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis set to graduate in 2024. In her free time, you can find Maria cooking, baking, hiking, and enjoying happy hour with her friends. 

What advice do you have for pre-nursing aggies?

I would advise students interested in nursing to learn about the scope and daily practice of various medical professionals (not only nurses!) to make sure that nursing is the right fit for them. It is also very helpful to try to get hospital experience to get a feel for some of the terminology used and the flow of hospital work, including interacting with patients and other medical staff. 

Is there anything you wish you would have done differently in undergraduate?

I wish I had a better understanding of the breadth of resources offered by UC Davis. For example, the craft center has SO many different classes and there are a lot of tutoring resources available through Academic Assistance and Tutoring Centers. I wish I would've taken advantage of these kinds of resources and opportunities more. 

What has been your favorite memory at UC Davis nursing school?

My favorite memory from nursing school so far has been playing rec volleyball with some of my cohort members last quarter.