Lindsay Eisaman is a December 2019 Nursing Program graduate from the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) Boyce Campus. She has landed her dream job as an Obstetric Nurse at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Magee-Womens Hospital on the High Risk Antepartum Unit, and is pursuing a BSN at Aspen University. Lindsay loves helping people and is following the example of her grandmother Estellebelle Eisaman, who was a NICU nurse. 

How did you choose your major? What motivated you to choose that field/profession? 
My grandma was a NICU nurse, and I grew up listening to her stories about being a nurse. I think she is the one that solidified my choice of becoming a nurse. I love helping people and making a difference in their lives. 

What did you enjoy about attending CCAC? Any memorable moment to share? 
My classmates were great and made the struggles of nursing school a lot easier. CCAC Boyce has great instructors who want to see you succeed. 

How involved were you at CCAC? Did you study abroad? Did you have internships or Co-Ops? Clinicals and/or practicums? Were you a part of any clubs, sports, or extracurriculars? 
I had clinical each semester of nursing school at various hospitals and healthcare facilities in the area. I also was a part of Work Study Program.

Did any of these experiences lead you into realizing your passions for work and career? 
Learning during clinical solidified my choice that I nursing was the right career path for me. I loved it. 

What skills did you gain that you could take into a workplace? 
Compassion, patience, critical thinking, interpersonal skills, the ability to comfort patients, and being empathetic are the skills that I gained during my studies. 

What are you hoping to do next? What would you like to do professionally? 
I will eventually return to school for my master’s degree. I plan to become a Nurse Practitioner. The amazing thing about nursing is that I can get a job in any area/field that I want at any time, so the options are truly endless. 

How do you manage stress (most especially during these uncertain times)? 
I have fallen in love with working out, and noticed that going to the gym helps me to alleviate a lot of my stress. I work in a rather high-stress environment, so it is nice to finally have learned how to separate work from home and enjoy my time away from the job. I also like to play with my nine-month-old puppy, Paisley. 

What do you want prospective college students to know—what advice do you have for them? 
If you put your mind to it, you can achieve any goal you have for yourself. We truly are our own biggest critics. All you need is the motivation, and you will be successful in whatever path you take. CCAC offers so much assistance, and there are a lot of people who will do whatever they can to ensure your success. 

Who inspires you and why? Do you have any mentors or people of influence in your life? 
My parents inspire me! I grew up in a home with two parents who worked very hard to provide for my sisters and I. I can never repay them for all they have done for me in my life, so at the very least, I want to make them proud of me and show them how much I appreciated their unselfishness.

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Stasia Lopez is the Global Education Editor for Wandering Educators and is Director of Student Life and Engagement at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC), as well as an Instructor for a class on "The Job Search" at CCAC. She graduated with her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Western Michigan University in 2013 and earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Robert Morris University. Stasia is passionate about international education, travel, college to career topics and loves working on a college campus. She’s lived in four different U.S. states (Florida, Michigan, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania) and also studied and lived abroad in Rome, Italy. Stasia lives in the Pittsburgh area with her husband, Fernando, precious daughter, Maya, and playful kitty-cat Zorro.