My name is Lauren, and I am a senior in the Basic Baccalaureate Program from East Northport, NY.

I have long been driven by a passion for healthcare and a commitment to serving others. After earning a bachelor’s degree in health education and a Master of Public Health (MPH), I felt compelled to expand my impact by pursuing a career in clinical nursing, which would enable me to apply my knowledge through direct patient care.

I have about eight years of experience in the clinical setting as an ophthalmology technician, medical assistant, and clinical researcher. I have also volunteered with the American Red Cross for over six years, as I love being hands-on in the community.

While I remain open to exploring various nursing specialties, I am particularly drawn to the fast-paced, dynamic environment of the emergency department and the continual opportunities for growth and learning it provides. My long-term goal is to blend clinical expertise with leadership and administrative roles, advancing disease prevention initiatives, advocating for patients, and empowering future nurses to lead with compassion and purpose.

My name is Taya, and I am in my final year of nursing school. I am originally from Lviv, Ukraine, and moved to the United States at the age of 14 to pursue my dreams.

Ukrainian is my first language, and I continue to use it to communicate with my family and friends in my home country. Although English was introduced to me at a young age by my mother, growing up between the United States and Ukraine played a major role in shaping my fluency in both languages. I was born in the United States, but shortly after my birth, my family returned to Ukraine, where my parents lived and worked. Being raised in both countries greatly influenced my cultural background and language skills. 

My passion for healthcare developed through my father, whose dedication and hard work in the field deeply inspired me. As a child, I was always eager to hear about his days in the hospital, the cases he encountered, and what made each one unique. After moving to the United States, I began working toward my goal of entering nursing school, as nursing felt closest to my heart due to its emphasis on direct patient care and meaningful patient interactions.

Before nursing school, I worked as a Lifeguard for seven consecutive summers. This experience enhanced my attention to detail, situational awareness, and cultivated my sense of responsibility, leadership, and accountability while maintaining the safety and well-being of others.

I am particularly drawn to surgical-trauma intensive care, and this past summer, I completed an internship in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Stony Brook University Hospital. There, I gained valuable hands-on experience caring for critically ill patients, learning to navigate advanced equipment, complex procedures, and strengthening my skills in prioritization, time management, critical thinking, and patient advocacy.

My upcoming winter critical care immersion, alongside my fall clinicals in SICU, further excites me, as I value the opportunity for lifelong learning and applying knowledge to real-life scenarios. Moreover, as a future nurse, I am committed to providing detail-oriented, patient-centered care, advocating for patients, and upholding their dignity.

My name is Harleigh Buck, and I am a junior BBP student from Carle Place, NY. I began my undergraduate career as a biology major, guided by a passion for healthcare. Through shadowing experiences and hands-on clinical opportunities, I discovered that nursing was the career path that best aligned with my values and strengths.

Nursing allows me to combine my strong sense of compassion with critical thinking, teamwork, and patient advocacy. I find fulfillment in caring for others and helping them feel safe and supported during their most difficult moments. I am particularly interested in pursuing a career as an ICU nurse and may eventually explore the path to becoming a CRNA. The field of nursing is incredibly vast, and I am excited by the many possibilities it offers.

In addition to my academic pursuits, I work at the Lung Cancer and Chest Disease Center at Stony Brook University Hospital, where the nurses I work alongside have been deeply inspiring. I also have a strong passion for global health. In January 2025, I traveled to Tanzania to Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center, where I spent three weeks rotating through various hospital units. This experience exposed me to the realities of resource scarcity and demonstrated the powerful impact of collaboration and resilience among healthcare providers, even in the most challenging circumstances.

I am also involved in research with patients of the World Trade Center Health Program, where I help explore trends in lung cancer screening to determine appropriate screening intervals aimed at preventing adverse outcomes. Additionally, I am an active member of the community service–based sorority Sigma Delta Tau.

I am so thrilled to serve on this executive team, and I look forward to an amazing academic year!

Hello! My name is Bella Ibraham, and I am a senior BBP student at Stony Brook University from Oakdale, NY. I have always been interested in biology and anatomy, but the meaningful connection with patients is what inspired me to pursue a career in nursing.

Last summer, I completed an externship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the emergency department. This experience gave me valuable insight into the role of nurses and helped solidify my interest in emergency nursing. I was drawn to the fast-paced environment and the opportunity to care for patients during critical moments. I hope to contribute to the nursing profession by providing compassionate, patient-centered care while constantly continuing to learn. 

Hi! My name is Emily Haselton, and I am a BBP student from Long Island.

I have always wanted to become a nurse since I was young, but what inspired me to pursue healthcare was the nurses at Stony Brook Hospital who helped me when I was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic at eight years old. Their kindness and positive attitude had a huge impact on my life and showed me that, despite this diagnosis, I could still achieve anything I wanted.

I have some prior healthcare experience as a nursing intern at Stony Brook Hospital this past summer. I was assigned the night shifts on the med-surg oncology floor, where I was able to learn a lot of new things and practice my clinical skills. I am most interested in going into pediatric nursing, but I also have some interest in the emergency department and oncology.

I hope to contribute an attitude of kindness and create a safe and open environment for patients and their family members in the nursing profession. I want every patient to feel comfortable and be able to express to me their thoughts and feelings.

Hi! My name is Christine Lang, and I am a senior in the Basic Baccalaureate Program at the School of Nursing. I am from Port Jefferson Station and have lived here my entire life.

My inspiration to pursue a career in nursing stems from the personal growth I have experienced throughout my journey in healthcare. Beginning my first role as a CNA highlighted the importance of forming meaningful connections with patients during some of their most vulnerable moments, solidifying my passion for patient-centered care and compassionate advocacy.

Through my clinical and hands-on experiences, I have developed a strong interest in working in the emergency department, where I thrive in fast-paced, high-pressure environments. I hope to contribute to the nursing profession by delivering empathetic, evidence-based care while continuing to grow as a lifelong learner and leader, supporting both patients and fellow healthcare professionals.

Hello, my name is Ruby Zheng, and I am a BBP junior from Queens, NY. I was inspired to pursue healthcare because I always admired the work my sister did as a nurse and saw how meaningful it was to support patients during their most vulnerable moments.

In the past, I’ve completed a patient advocacy internship at Bellevue Hospital, where I gained exposure to patient-centered care and interdisciplinary teamwork. However, I am most interested in working in the ICU, particularly in a fast-paced and challenging environment, but I am open to exploring other areas of nursing.

I hope to contribute to the nursing profession by continuing to provide compassionate and competent care to all patients and families and by creating a welcoming and supportive environment in SBSNA.

Hi! My name is Stephanie, and I am a BBP senior from New York City. I felt inspired to pursue this field because I love the hands-on aspect of providing healthcare. It is a means for me to create meaningful relationships with patients and connect with members of my community in a special way.

So far, I have been able to build my clinical skills as a nurse intern at Mt. Sinai Hospital and the Long Island State Veterans Home. I am drawn to environments that require a lot of technical skills, like in high acuity units, such as the SICU. Personally, I’ve also enjoyed working with children in multiple capacities, so I would be very interested in the PICU or other types of pediatric units as well.

Having grown up in a predominantly immigrant community, I have seen firsthand how a lack of knowledge has resulted in negligence of health. I hope that, as a future nurse, I can make contributions to improve health literacy in the community through nursing education and create safe spaces for my patients in all care settings.

Hi! My name is Joshua, and I am an ABP student from Staten Island, NY. I was inspired to pursue a career in healthcare through my experience as an EMT with the Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Huntington Community First Aid Squad, and the Centereach Fire Department.

Through hands-on patient care, I discovered how much I enjoy helping others and collaborating with team members to serve the community. Witnessing the transformation of patients from illness to recovery has been incredibly fulfilling and has ultimately inspired me to pursue a career in nursing.

After graduation, I hope to apply the knowledge and skills I have gained in nursing school while working in either the emergency department or a pediatric intensive care unit. In the future, I aspire to bring a calming, compassionate, and cheerful presence to every patient I have the privilege to care for.

Hi, my name is Breeanna Tyrell, and I’m a BBP senior from Brooklyn, NY. I was inspired to pursue healthcare because I wanted to make a difference for people in my community and advocate for black women who often face discrimination and conflicts in receiving healthcare.

I have volunteered in two ERs before nursing school to get a feeling of what that environment looks like. I have been working as a certified nurse's aid (CNA) for the past five months to develop my communication and patient advocacy skills. I have been deeply interested in emergency medicine and cardiac care because I enjoy fast-paced learning environments. I love learning about the heart and think it’s the coolest anatomical part!

For nursing, I hope to contribute to the future of nursing leaders and become heavily involved in advocacy and obtaining the best possible outcomes for both patients and nurses.

Hi! My name is Luca Mardkha, and I am a junior in the Basic Baccalaureate Program at the Stony Brook School of Nursing. I currently live in Northport, NY, and a fun fact about me is that I lived in another country for 10 years.

My inspiration to pursue nursing began with the birth of my two younger siblings, who were born six weeks early and were extremely premature. My sister weighed just three pounds, and my brother weighed five pounds at birth. Witnessing the care, compassion, and dedication the nurses showed my siblings and family left a lasting impression on me, even at a young age. From that experience, I knew I wanted to become a nurse and provide the same level of support and comfort that my family and I received during such a critical time.

As I grew older, I became an EMT to gain hands-on healthcare experience, which only confirmed that nursing was the career path I wanted to pursue. Having watched my siblings grow and develop in the NICU, I am especially interested in working in either the NICU or labor and delivery departments, though I am very open to exploring different units.

In the future, I strive to be the nurse who once cared for me, a nurse who leads with empathy, provides holistic care, and makes a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and their families.

Hello! My name is Daniella Henriquez, and I am a junior BBP nursing student from Amityville, NY.

I have always had a passion for serving my community in whatever way I can, so I decided to turn that same passion into my career by pursuing nursing. I also experienced the impact of nursing at a young age, as I helped my grandmother navigate her own health journey, and the nurses who took their time to translate and explain everything meant the world to her.

For many years, I had the opportunity to volunteer with diverse populations, such as being a summer camp science teacher for children, a mentor for girls in middle school and high school, and as a friendly face for the elderly at the Long Island State Veterans Home.

I am most interested in the high acuity nursing fields, such as the ICU, ER, or OR, but am open to learning more about each field as I continue my education. I hope to contribute to the nursing profession with compassionate care, by addressing health equity, and by always being open to learning.

Hello! My name is Theresa Lamia, and I am an Accelerated Baccalaureate Program student at Stony Brook University. I am from Miller Place, New York, and received my bachelor's in health science from Stony Brook, which gave me a great foundation for nursing.

I decided to pursue nursing after having experienced a loved one undergo cancer treatments. This experience has opened my eyes to helping and advocating for those most vulnerable, and I feel I can fulfill this best as a pediatric nurse. During my pediatric clinical rotations, I felt so honored to be a part of the child and family’s story of healing. My goal is to use my personal and educational experiences to provide compassionate and family-centered care to all my patients.

Hi! My name is Zaina Abumusallam, and I am a junior in the Basic Baccalaureate Program. I grew up in Jordan and then in Port Jefferson Station, NY, but I’m originally from Palestine.

Since I was young, I developed a passion for helping others. Growing up, I was surrounded by children who lived in refugee camps and had limited access to healthcare. This is part of what inspired me to pursue a career in nursing—to help those who are under-resourced.

I took advantage of the opportunities that were offered to me by volunteering at Mather Hospital and later earning my CNA certification. My experience as a CNA allowed me to care for patients and residents during their most vulnerable moments and strengthened my commitment to further my education and become a nurse. Through this experience, I realized how much I value connecting with patients and caring for them the way they deserve to be cared for.

I am most interested in becoming a PICU or a NICU nurse, especially in areas with limited healthcare resources, such as war zones and areas where natural disasters are common. However, I am open to exploring other areas in nursing as well. Throughout my career, I hope to be able to contribute to environments where patients feel safe, supported, and respected, while continuing to grow professionally and academically.

Hey, my name is Iris, and I am a senior in the Basic Baccalaureate Program. I am originally from El Salvador, and live on Long Island.

I was inspired to pursue nursing through the kindness of nurses in my life and my own experiences during vulnerable moments. Before nursing school, I was a volunteer at a local ambulance department. I am interested in working in a step-down unit to gain experience, with the long-term goal of transitioning into women’s health or labor and delivery. As a Spanish speaker, I hope to support patients with language barriers and promote health literacy by helping patients understand their care and make informed health decisions.

Hi everyone, my name is Jacqueline Scanpico, and I am a senior in the Accelerated Baccalaureate Program. I am originally from Syosset, NY, but I pursued a degree in psychology at the University of Washington in Seattle.

What drove me to pursue nursing is my love for psychology, human interaction, and the ability to couple that with the science of biology. During my undergraduate years, I was a research assistant at Seattle Children's Hospital, and while I loved the research, I realized I missed interacting with the patient population. During my clinical rotations, I fell in love with pediatric nursing and am hoping to further pursue a career in this area. I will approach nursing with empathy, compassion, and research-backed evidence-based practice.

Hey, I’m Bri! I’m a junior in the BBP, originally from Holland but grew up in Holbrook, NY, since I was six years old.

A few things inspired me to pursue healthcare. I originally studied psychology and wanted to do more to help people, and I always had an innate desire to make a difference. I’m especially passionate about patient advocacy, as I grew up without a voice. I performed CPR on a young person in cardiac arrest, and that experience ignited the fire to go after my dreams after successfully saving his life.

I’m most interested in Pediatrics and the NICU. I've been a nanny for many years and love kids. I hope to make a difference in my nursing profession by implementing more than just professional nursing practices. I hope to utilize my psychology educational background and go beyond basic care.

I want to implement comfort, music, art, and different therapies that are part of mental health while battling an illness. I also want to promote kindness, empathy, and compassion to both patients and my health care team.