Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Schulte to graduate summa cum laude
 Sara Schulte didn't expect to maintain a perfect 4.0 grade point average throughout her college career at the University of Southern Indiana (USI), but the Jasper native did expect nothing but the very best from herself."I set my standards high," she said. "People ask me if parents or anyone else pressure me into doing well, but I just won't settle. It's all about self-motivation." Schulte will graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in May and begin work in the critical care department of Jasper Memorial Hospital. She credits the USI nursing program for preparing her to succeed in the nursing profession. "When I was interviewing for jobs recently, everybody I interviewed with and the nurses I spoke to at the various hospitals were impressed that USI students get so much on-the-job experience," said Schulte. "They complimented the USI graduates saying they have been some of the best nurses." On her way to gaining that valuable on-the-job training, Schulte spent the majority of her school week at Deaconess Gateway Hospital meeting her clinical hour requirements. "We have three clinical hours at the hospital per one class hour," Schulte said. "I'm in class Monday and Tuesday, and the rest of the week I do surgery rotations at the hospital." Schulte and her classmates are teamed with nurses during various hospital shifts while a USI instructor supervised. Schulte racked up 192 hours of nursing practicum over a six-week period. In addition to her clinical hours, Schulte worked as a student nurse at St. Mary’s Medical Center for six months, earning valuable work and life experience. "It helped me learn how a unit runs and how to interact with nurses, patients, and patients' families," she said. Though her nursing major demanded the majority of her time, Schulte participated in extracurricular activities at USI. She is the acting vice president of the USI Association of Nurses and an elected member of Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor society of nursing. "I was involved in high school, so I felt I should get involved in some way with the USI nursing program," she said. "I enjoy it because you learn how to work well with faculty members, and you get to keep up-to-date on what's going on in the program." Even with her busy schedule, Schulte always found time to study and focus on her actual in-class material. "I always make sure I'm prepared for every test or every assignment," she said. "I can't stand feeling like I'm not prepared for something. I guess I probably put a little too much pressure on myself sometimes." One of her study strategies that allowed her to succeed in the classroom was group studying. "I have a group of friends I always study with," she said. "We'll read every page of our notes aloud and at the end of a page, we'll review what we've learned. Then we go to the textbook and look charts, tables, or extra reading." Now that the hard work has paid off in the form of Summa Cum Laude honors, Schulte can look back and know that it was worth it. "I never believed I would maintain a 4.0 for four years, but I'm very proud of it, and I know that others are," she said. "I think it shows that it's possible to do well in school. You just have to know your priorities." Schulte will soon begin the career she always knew she wanted. Growing up, she dreamed of being a doctor or a nurse, and then when her older sister became a registered nurse, it solidified Schulte's decision to pursue the profession. Now that her college career is coming to a close, she has one more challenge to face before settling in to her new job - adjusting to a smaller hospital. "Jasper's hospital is smaller than St. Mary's, but if I can learn my way around a larger hospital, I know I should be fine at Jasper Memorial," she said. Schulte is the daughter of Doug and Karen Schulte of Jasper, Indiana. She is a graduate of Jasper High School where she maintained a near-perfect 3.9 GPA and was a member of student council, Key Club, and the Wildcats' softball team. |
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