Finding Confidence Through Community

Nursing was always what Keeley Herbert had wanted to do, but she started off in another program that really didn’t offer what she wanted. She decided to look into other colleges and found that transferring into a four-year nursing program would prove to be very difficult—but there was one school that stood out from the others.

“I wasn’t just a number to the people at Anna Maria. They considered my situation on an individual basis and were willing to work with me in finding a manageable path into the nursing program.”

For Keeley, the strong community at Anna Maria has really made a difference in uncovering who she is and where she wants to go with her career. Through her activities on campus, Keeley discovered a love for leadership and making changes, and close relationships with faculty and peers have provided a supportive environment where she has been able to pursue those interests. Keeley shares Anna Maria’s commitment to achieving social justice and has taken advantage of many volunteer service opportunities—as well as a unique clinical experience at the Worcester County Jail that has opened her eyes to a whole different side of the nursing profession.

After graduation, Keeley has a full-time job lined up as an ER nurse at Cooley-Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, where she currently works on the weekends, and she intends to go on to grad school to pursue her goal of eventually moving into a leadership role.

“Anna Maria gives you the confidence to believe in yourself and makes you feel like you’re ready to take on the world. You are not just a student here, you’re family – and everyone wants you to succeed. That’s the most rewarding thing.”