Why I Chose My College Nursing Program

Hailey Clancy / Elmira College

My name is Hailey Clancy, and I’m a nursing major as a member of the 2024 graduating class at Elmira College! I’ve wanted to be a nurse my entire life; I toured several nursing programs at a number of different colleges, but as soon as I stepped onto the campus of Elmira College (EC), saw the surrounding area, and spoke with the nursing professors and other EC students, I knew EC was the place for me!

One-on-One Attention

I picked this nursing school because Elmira College has small class sizes. Coming from a small high school, I knew I wanted a small college to help me achieve more academically! With one professor and an average class number of 30 students, it allows the school to have a clinical group of no more than 5 students. I’ve really benefited from the small class sizes because they’ve given me more opportunities for hands-on learning and have allowed the professors to be more open to helping me and other students achieve success. 

For example, the guided simulations that are run in EC’s simulation laboratories include lifelike mannequins with names like Hal, Victoria, and Andy. These advanced teaching tools benefit students and help us prepare for the real thing. The professors use them to help us work through challenging scenarios throughout our clinical experience. We then watch the recordings and assess our performance while searching for areas for improvement.

Hands On, Early On

Another significant factor in my decision to attend EC is that students start their clinical journey in their second year. At many other institutions, students don’t start until their third year. Starting clinical experience as a sophomore allows us to develop fundamental nursing skills early on, including soft skills like communication and other professional abilities.

EC also gives us the opportunity to work with a wide range of specializations, including long-term care, medical-surgical, intensive care, OB, mental health, pediatrics, operating room, emergency department, and community health. We gain experiences in each of these specialities beginning our second year all the way up to our senior year. The opportunity to work with these specialties means we can choose the one that interests us the most and fits our personality best when finishing our preceptorship in our senior year. 

Community Involvement

One last benefit of EC’s Nursing program is how EC promotes nursing students to participate in extracurricular activities like sports, clubs, and the pursuit of other majors or minors. For example, I am involved with numerous clubs and organizations on campus such as Elmira College Dance Marathon, a tour guide, and a student association senator! These opportunities have helped me grow as both a nurse and a leader throughout my college journey! The EC nursing program also has even allowed me to earn my associates degree in Human Services, which will help me become a better nurse in the future! 

Overall, I chose Elmira College because of the small class sizes, faculty-student relationships, and real-world applications that EC has to offer!