OUR TEAM
Student leaders within the School of Nursing.
Leaders are made, not born.
SISSY VAZQUEZ-CRUZ | PRESIDENT
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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As a first-generation college student, I had to rely on the little knowledge I had about college. It was difficult knowing even where to begin and I struggled to find guidance and found many barriers along my way. I ended up doing all my prerequisites at UW and worked as a CNA during school. Despite these challenges, thankfully I was able to make friends and find mentors that would guide me along the way. And truly, making friends and building community will take you a long way.
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Make friends and don't be discouraged. YOU CAN DO IT
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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Nurse Midwifery, Pediatrics, Labor and Delivery, NICU, Reproductive health, Community and Public Health,
DAWSON DANG | PRESIDENT
BSN 2 | HE/HIM/HIS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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As a first generation college student, I had no idea what I was doing when applying to UW nursing. I had no idea that once being accepted into UW, I had to then reapply to stay at UW. For half of my prerequisite courses I took them at my local community college back home in southern Washington during my Running Start years of high school. For the latter half I took them here at the University of Washington. As for my clinical experience, I worked during the summer months as clinical assistant back home at a small town local clinic. During my pre-nursing period, although tough, I made a lot of great friends that helped me through it!
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Make lots of friends and help each other out along the way!
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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Nurse Midwifery, Labor and Delivery, Reproductive Health, Neonatal, Ambulatory Care
YENNI PHONG | VICE PRESIDENT
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I started my pre-UW Nursing journey in high school where I explored some nursing prerequisites through UW in high school. During my freshman year at UW I decided to pursue nursing and used my first two years at UW to complete my prerequisites. I got my CNA license the summer of my freshman year and started working as a PCT at UWMC the following fall. I also did a lot of volunteering through UW Dream Project and UW Camp Kesem. I applied my sophomore year and started nursing school my junior year.
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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My biggest tip for applying to nursing school is that you do not need to have formal experience in a hospital setting. Find work and volunteer opportunities that you like and stick to it! It is more important to show what you learned from the experience, how you will grow from it, and how it can be applicable to you as a future nurse.
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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I open to any field but leaning towards oncology, derm, and plastics!
LIANGYI LEE | VICE PRESIDENT |
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I was a traditional UW student and completed my 2 years of prerequisites at UW. I started working as a CNA in my freshman year at an assisted living facility and eventually transitioned to work in a hospital setting on an oncology floor.
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Start early - in terms of getting the experience and skills that will benefit your application but also in terms of starting the actual application. For example, how will you get a good letter of rec, what jobs or volunteering positions should you apply for, etc. It is also really helpful to have multiple people look over your application, and it's best to finish your application early to have time to do that! Also, go to FNC meetings, I promise we have valuable information for you ;)
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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Peds, babies, L&D!
KELSEY QUEEN | RSO
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I knew I wanted to be a nurse by the time I started high school. My junior and senior year of high school I enrolled full-time in community college classes as a running start student and completed a lot of nursing pre-requisite classes in those two years, graduating with my associate’s. In my first two years at UW I completed my pre-reqs and completed a CNA program to work for healthcare experience hours.
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Don’t be afraid to ask for help and reach out to others! This is a super stressful journey to complete alone. We as a team want to support you and so do your friends and family.
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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I can’t decide! There are too many exciting things right now that I don’t know enough about.
CHELSEY CRUMBAUGH | MARKETING
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I completed most of my pre-reqs at UW after doing some in HS. I spent my freshman and sophomore years of college working as a CNA and a COPE Health Scholar. My winter and summer breaks were dedicated to volunteer experiences within the community.
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Diversify your experiences in clinical and volunteer settings; reflect on these experiences and what they taught you. Have mentors you revise your essay and resume. Sell yourself throughout your application, as UW's holistic review considers all aspects of an applicant (not just grades). Don't let the competitiveness of the process stop you from pursuing nursing, keep your head up!
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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L&D and Pediatrics
BAYLEE HARDING | MARKETING
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I started at UW in 2017 as a Biology major with the goal of wanting to attend Medical School. I started working at the Seattle Children's hospital and got exposure to the patients and staff and through this experience realized nursing was actually my passion. I then had to switch majors and began taking other classes because some of the prerequisites were not the same. This led me to take 2 quarters off because I was waiting to apply to the nursing program. Although it was frustrating to not stay on schedule for my degree I am thankful for the time I took off because I was able to work as a CNA and develop my skills and learn what I loved about Nursing. This helped me to understand the career and that confirm that it was something I wanted to be doing.
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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My biggest tip is to get exposure in the field and see why nursing is your passion and why it is what you want to do. There are so many roles in the healthcare field and getting involved to see how each role is different will help you understand the reason you want to be a nurse.
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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I am interested in becoming a labor and delivery nurse and going back to school to become a Midwife. I want to use this degree to work with women and reproductive health.
ANGELICA SAGUN | SOCIAL MEDIA
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I always knew I wanted to become a nurse since I was a child. I took my nursing prerequisites at UW for my first 2 years, became a CNA, and started working at a home care facility while also volunteering at different hospitals. I applied during my sophomore year but did not get in my first time. While it was tough to see a rejection, I took this as an opportunity to explore other interests of mine and decided to apply to the Public Health program at the UW. I learned so much as a Public Health major that changed the way I view health and healthcare – all of which I am so grateful for. After graduating in 2019, I took some time off to travel, work, and really figure out exactly what I wanted to do with my degree. This brought me back to nursing and wanting to bridge these two interests of mine. In the beginning of 2020, I reapplied to nursing program and got in!
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Applying to nursing schools is a stressful experience and it’s really important to be able to have communities of support to lean onto during these times. I had a lot of friends, family, and mentors workshop my application with me and provide a lot of words of encouragement when I was feeling stressed. Nursing is a collaborative field so don’t ever hesitate to ask for help and there will always be someone who will be willing to lend a hand :)
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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The options are plenty and I’m still undecided! But as of right now, I’m interested in public health nursing, labor and delivery, and pediatrics.
THAO BUI | SOCIAL MEDIA
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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Running start credits, AP credits, UW in high school Did pre-reqs at UW, 2x applicant, graduated with my public health degree prior to starting nursing school
What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Be authentic
What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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L&D, ICU, public health nursing
ANNY QIU | TREASURER
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I finished some prereqs through running start in high school when I was still unsure which path in healthcare I wanted to take and then once I graduated and knew nursing was the way to go, I finished the rest of my prereqs throughout my first two years at UW! During that time I also became a CNA and began working at a nursing home and eventually got a job as a PCT at UWMC where I'm still working to this day!\
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Don't be afraid to ask questions! The application process can be stressful and it can be super helpful to talk to some people who have been through the experience before! Whether it's through FNC or just reaching out to someone you know, I've found that people are always very willing to help!
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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Pediatrics or Labor & Delivery! Also considering family or pediatric DNP!
BRYAN PHUNG | SECRETARY
BSN 2 | HE/HIM/HIS
CHUNLI LIN | TREASURER
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I completed my prerequisites at UW. During my second quarter, I got my CNA license and worked at a nursing home, and volunteered at UWMC to gain healthcare experience.
What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Volunteer or work as a nursing assistant to gain experience and exposure in healthcare. Reach out to BSN students or get involved with Future Nurse's Club for advice/tips!
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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Pediatrics, Labor and Delivery, Family Nurse Practitioner
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I did running start at Edmonds Community College (EDCC) in high school. At EDCC, I finished most of my general college prerequisites. After that, I went to Seattle Pacific University (SPU) to finish my nursing prerequisites. I spent two years at SPU before transferring to UW for their nursing program. Throughout that time, I volunteered as surgery liaison, shadowed nurses, worked as a swim instructor and as a certified nursing assistant.
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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My biggest tip is utilizing your resources! What helped me reach nursing school is the support I got from others. I encourage all of you to reach out to peers, professors, attend tutor sessions, and seek mentors that are able to help support you in your journey to becoming a nurse.
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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Pediatrics and Intensive Critical Care Unit
AMANDA LE | SECRETARY
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I enrolled in the full time running start program at Edmonds Community College, and became determined to graduate with the pre-nursing associate's degree. When I transferred to UW, I shifted gears to taking electives part-time and working part-time as a CNA at a long-term care facility. While I have gained some unique and invaluable experiences working with a geriatric population, I am still learning about which field peaks my interest most!
What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Keep focusing on why you want to be a nurse, and take on challenges to expand your perspective!
What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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Psychiatric or pediatrics
MAKANNAAKUA CHAMPEUA | RECRUITMENT
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I got a BA in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies at UW before entering nursing
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What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Take care of yourself and it’s okay if everything doesn’t go to plan!
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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I want to work with IHS as of now but that can change as I gain more experience through the program
AMANDA YANG | RECRUITMENT
BSN2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I did running start in high school and finished most of my nursing prerequisites there! I applied as a high school senior thinking I would get in my first try without knowing anything about the application process (yikes! :0). After getting rejected, took traditional UW classes for Psychology but still wanting to get into the nursing major eventually. Fast forward, I got in my THIRD try as a junior with the help of FNC! It ended up working out because I got to finish my Psychology degree : )
What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Don't be afraid to ask for help! I was really stubborn and wanted to get accepted into the nursing major all by myself. After getting rejected, I came to realize that I need to network and reach out to other peers for help. Networking actually allowed me to explore other healthcare opportunities as well! Everyone has the capabilities to become a great nurse!
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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Pediatrics, Psychiatry, or Emergency!
WOOHONG LEE | WEBSITE & MENTORSHIP
BSN 2 | HE/HIM/HIS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I took a gap year working as a CNA at Harborview Medical center. Upon reflecting and learning through my experience there, I realized that nursing was something that I would love to do as a future career!
What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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Utilize resources! I definitely would not have been able to get to nursing school without all the support from family, friends, and peers. Be proactive, ask questions, reflect, and show your growth in your application! Nursing requires life-long learning and part of the process of applying to nursing school is learning to enjoy and cherish that journey!
What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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Trauma/Surgery/OR, Pediatrics, Burns, still deciding!
JAMES LO | WEBSITE & MENTORSHIP
BSN 2 | HE/HIM/HIS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I got my pre-nursing Associates degree in running start, traveled in Europe for half a year, and then did CNA training. When I was 19, I applied to an ADN program and didn't get in. Instead, I got offered a spot in an LPN program with a guaranteed admission to an ADN program after completion. While completing my LPN I applied to UW on a whim and got in. I chose to pursue a BSN rather than ADN.
What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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One tip I would recommend is pre-writing what you want your letter of recommendation to look like and giving it to your letter writter as a reference for what you want them to say.
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What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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I haven't experienced a field of nursing that I dislike. That being said I'm interested in public health, pediatrics and psych
RIKHIA CHATTERJEE | WEBSITE & MENTORSHIP
BSN 2 | SHE/HER/HERS
What was your pre-UW Nursing journey like?
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I started as a UW undergraduate psych major and soon learned how fulfilling nursing was, and how broad the field can be. I realized that my interests align when I think about nursing care with a psych framework. After that, I completed my pre-requisite courses at UW and applied to the SON!
What is your biggest tip for students applying to nursing school?
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For your personal statement, brainstorm all the qualities a nurse should be and think about your own personality and experiences. Try aligning them, I'm sure you'll find a connection & then begin writing!
What field(s) of nursing are you interested in?
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School nursing, FNP focusing on immigrant health