May 26, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Sara Kiliszewski has always known she wants to help her community. Growing up she admired her aunt, a nurse with a strong passion for helping others.
“I wanted to be like her. I wanted to help people in the community, be a part of something bigger and make a difference in a person’s health and healing,” Kiliszewski said.
She became a licensed nurse and began taking classes for a master’s degree in nursing education.
“Once I started training new nurses, I realized that I loved teaching more. I wanted to be a part of teaching and shaping the next group of nurses,” Kiliszewski said.
She knows the importance of having a strong support system of co-workers, friends, family, and instructors. At GRCC she is able to support future nurses as they work together to learn.
Kiliszewski says she is impressed by the commitment that faculty have toward meeting the learning needs of each student. The students are also committed to collaboration and working together to make sure no one is left behind.
The experience that students get in the nursing program is outstanding. They spend time in classrooms, simulation labs, and clinicals assisting real patients. The program provides students with not only the opportunity to become a licensed nurse, but the confidence and skills to succeed in the healthcare field.
The nursing program is incredibly proud of recently graduated nursing students who have established a very high passing rate of the NCLEX Licensure Exam. GRCC’s passing rate over the past five years has been well over the national average.
Kiliszewski encourages students to pursue a career that they are passionate about, and to be unafraid to ask for help. GRCC faculty enjoy helping students more than anything.
More information about the nursing program can be found here.