By: Olivia Schroering, Nursing
I chose Bellarmine for a variety of reasons, but what really set Bellarmine apart from other schools for me was its nursing opportunities, location, and core values.
When first looking at colleges my senior year of high school, I knew I was going to major in nursing. I also knew I wanted a university that would provide me more experience than my small hometown ever could. With Bellarmine being in a city as diverse and populous as Louisville, I knew I would see such a variety of patients in clinicals who would really expose me to what a nursing career in a large-scale hospital is like.
I also loved how the nursing program at Bellarmine is organized. The only requirements to be accepted in nursing school are maintaining a certain GPA and keeping at least a B in specific pre-requisite nursing classes. I am not going to lie; these classes are not always easy! However, I love that Bellarmine does not have an overly competitive program and allows opportunities to anyone who wants to pursue nursing to succeed.
Bellarmine also has clinicals start for sophomore nursing students, so all those in the nursing program will receive three full years of real experience inside some of Louisville’s top facilities. There is a reason Bellarmine is known for the success of its nursing students, and it’s because Bellarmine holds its programs to a high standard while still giving plenty of resources to help its students thrive in their field.
Secondly, I knew Bellarmine was going to be a perfect fit for me because of its location in Louisville, KY. I was raised in a very small town in Indiana, which is about an hour and a half away from campus. Until this year, I really had no experience living in or even near a city. I love that Bellarmine is close enough to home that I can easily go home on weekends if I need/want to. However, it is still far enough away that I can experience some independence for the first time.
I also have completely fallen in love with the city of Louisville. Louisville is such a progressive, diverse, vibrant city with so many things to do and sights to see. I know the city looks a little different right now, but it is still such an amazing place to live with so many parks and other outdoor activities that allow for socially distanced fun. Bellarmine is also in such a safe and charming part of Louisville that I have never felt in danger walking on campus or exploring the city with some of my friends.
The third aspect of Bellarmine that really secured my decision to attend was its central values, especially its desire to make campus feel like home. Bellarmine really focuses on the concept of the Bellarmine community being like a family. I had no idea what that would mean until I moved in this semester. Everybody at Bellarmine is so welcoming and inclusive, and all of the students seem to have each other’s backs. Even through the pandemic, Bellarmine has provided numerous opportunities to meet new people and have fun with other students. I have never felt unwelcome or unaccepted within this community, and I love how much Bellarmine staff, faculty, and students seem to genuinely care about one another’s well-being.
Overall, Bellarmine has given me such a wonderful, inviting home-away-from-home, and I am so happy I made my decision to come here. As great as the impression I got of Bellarmine when I toured, nothing could have prepared me for the experiences I would have here. I know Bellarmine offers something unique nowhere else possibly could: the wonderful Bellarmine community. I hope my reasons for attending BU helped make your decision a little easier. Swords Up!