When nursing junior Allison Wiebking came to the University of South Carolina, she wanted to build connections with people in the health care field. Joining the Galen Health Fellows living and learning community provided the perfect opportunity to do that.
Wiebking, who is from Kernersville, North Carolina, says the connections, skills and experiences that she has gained in the Galen Health Fellows program will be beneficial long after she graduates.
USC’s intellectually stimulating living and learning communities help students turn their interests and passions into fulfilling careers. We talked to Wiebking about her experience living in Patterson Hall, one of USC’s seven faculty-led living and learning communities.
What are some highlights of your experience as a Galen Health fellow?
I cannot speak highly enough of my experience as a Galen Health fellow. My roommate became my best friend, and the faculty supported me not only professionally, but also personally. I had access to upper classman mentors who supported me through the nursing school application process, and I have gotten hands-on health care experience like CPR certification, stop the bleed certification, physical therapy skills and suturing practice that I would not have had access to if I was not a part of this community.
How has your experience with the Galen Health fellow program impacted your overall student experience at USC?
Galen Health Fellows has made USC feel like home. I have found other students that understand me and what I am going through academically, and I have made connections within the health care community. I have met mentors in our faculty as well as graduate students that I know will continue to support me well beyond my years at the university. I have also gotten a chance to extend my service into the Columbia community through service events that have made me feel more connected to the other members of Galen, as well as the community as a whole.
What do you hope to do after graduation, and how has being a Galen Health fellow help set you on that path?
After graduation, I plan to become a nurse in a hospital setting. Galen Health Fellows has helped me obtain the certifications that are needed for nursing school as well as provide additional experience with the skills that are needed in health care. I have also been able to connect with nursing upperclassman who mentored me and eased my stress that was associated with the nursing school application process. Finally, through leading my own mentorship group, I realized that I love to teach and relay my experience to other younger nursing students. Galen Health Fellows has helped me realize that one day I would like to enter academia with the knowledge and experience that I have gained in the clinical setting. I would not be where I am today without Galen.