Senior Success: Kristen Medlicott ’21, nursing major with Spanish minor, is ready to explore the world
Editor’s Note: SALVEtoday is celebrating the Class of 2021’s Senior Week with specially curated content Monday, May 3 through Friday, May 7. Senior Week will be devoted to sharing special Senior Success stories and other content relevant to the Class of 2021. Check back each day to read stories about Salve Regina’s incredible seniors. For more Class of 2021 stories, go here.
As soon as Kristen Medlicott ’21 has passed her nursing exams, she’s excited to go explore and serve all across the world. First, she’ll be heading to the Grand Teton National Park for a 10-day backpacking trip. After that, she’s been accepted into the North American Language and Culture Assistants Program (NALCAP) in Spain, which is an educational outreach program for college and post-grad students from North America and Canada.
“Those accepted into the NALCAP will work in Spain with elementary and secondary schools as an English teaching assistant while also learning and adapting to the different cultures within Spain,” explained Medlicott. “I am excited to find out where in Spain I will be placed and cannot wait to further develop my Spanish minor and language capabilities.”
Once Medlicott is home from working with the NALCAP, she plans on joining the Peace Corps. Her application is still under review, but she already has a preliminary placement in Guatemala in 2022 working with women and infants.
After all this traveling and serving, Medlicott’s goal is to eventually become a pediatric oncology nurse for cancer patients. “My capstone took place in an outpatient oncology clinic, and one of my first hospital volunteer experiences before coming to Salve was also on an oncology unit,” she said. “To say I fell in love with the specialty is an understatement. I hope to work in New York City with this patient population and then see where that takes me.”
Before coming to Salve Regina, Medlicott was accepted into 10 different nursing programs throughout the country, but she chose the University because the nursing program really stood out to her. When looking back on her educational experience at Salve Regina, Medlicott has no regrets. She believes that the most important lessons she learned through Salve Regina was how to collaborate with others and be an empathetic individual who continues to fight to make the world more harmonious, just and merciful.
These lessons will be pivotal for her nursing career. “With nursing, I will interact with many different individuals from many different life paths,” she said. “My ability to be involved in so many programs and organizations — such as First Year Transitions Peer Mentoring, Surf Club, the Female Empowerment Organization, Sigma Phi Sigma and Sigma Theta Tau — have helped me develop these values. I have met so many amazing individuals, all of whom are motivating and who encouraged me to be my best self. Thank you, Salve, for making every moment memorable and for making me a better person.”
Salve Success is a series of student success stories periodically featured on SALVEtoday. Check out the tag Salve Success for more stories. For more Class of 2021 stories, go here.
