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Each year, a group of six outstanding members of the graduating class are selected to talk about their experiences over the past four years. Our staff recently sat down and had conversations with six members of the Class of 2014 who exemplify what's best about Boston College.
Name: Alexis Carriere
Hometown: Manchester, Conn.
Major: NursingNotable Activities: Undergraduate Research Fellow; tutor at Connors Family Learning Center; BC Women’s Rowing Team; Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association 2012 National Scholar-Athlete; ACC Academic Honor Roll; All-ACC Academic Team; Golden Key National Honor Society; Peer Advisor for CSON freshmen; Sigma Theta Tau (nursing honor society); Alpha Sigma Nu (Jesuit honor society); National Student Nurses Association.
Post-graduation Plans: Carriere is interviewing at New England area hospitals for a position as a critical care nurse. She plans to eventually become a nurse anesthetist.
Overview: With her strong science skills, Carriere knew she wanted to go into the medical field. She chose nursing because of the chance it gave her to treat the patient, rather than treat the disease, and she values making a personal connection with her patients and their families. Carriere worked closely with Connell School of Nursing Dean Susan Gennaro as an Undergraduate Research Fellow on the dean’s preterm birth study. Looking to replicate the camaraderie and competitiveness she enjoyed as a varsity athlete in high school, she joined BC’s Women Rowing team and has been a rower all four years.
How did you balance the demands of a varsity sport with the nursing curriculum and clinicals?
It’s particularly hard to be a nurse and to be an athlete. With competitions in the fall and spring, rowing is a year-round commitment. It takes up to more than 20 hours a week when you factor in travel time and meetings. Having athletics, though, has really sharpened my time management and prioritization skills. I think I get better grades because I’m an athlete. You can’t procrastinate on a paper because you have to get up at five in the morning! And if I’ve had a stressful day at clinical, there’s no better way to clear my head than going out for a row.
Who have been the most influential people during your time at BC?
Everyone at the Connell School has been outstanding, but the big three are [Associate Dean] Cathy Read, Susan Gennaro, and my clinical preceptor Elizabeth Bedenbaugh, an ICU nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital. These women are so knowledgeable and reach out to people in amazing ways. They really stood out to me as role models for how I would like to be.
What have been some of your favorite activities at BC?
I’ve tutored all the undergraduate nursing classes. It has been an incredible experience, one of my favorite things I do at BC. I had three girls this semester who felt really defeated after doing poorly on their first statistics test. We met every Tuesday and Thursday and all three of them got As on their second test. They want to be nurses and you don’t want to see that dream slip away from somebody. It’s great to be a part of that. I’m also in Stitch, a crafting club. I needlepoint.
How has BC made a difference in your life?
The nursing school fully embodies the Jesuit ideal of “men and women for others.” That really made an impact on me. That’s why I want to tutor and to help people. The BC nursing experience is about serving your patients. It changed the way I saw nursing and how I’ll practice.
What will you miss most about BC?
My friends. I know I’ve made lasting relationships here, but I’ll miss the closeness and the accessibility I have to all my friends now. There’s always a chance to have a spontaneous encounter with a friend on campus and that won’t be the same after graduation.
Meet our next Senior to Remember, Brooke Loughrin