Student Nurses of Azusa Pacific

Emily is currently in her mental health/psych rotation (UNRS 310). In her free time she enjoys reading, filming and editing videos, watching shows, traveling & spending time with friends! Her current read is The Housemaid!!

Her goals for the semester:
My goals for this semester are to continue to do well in my nursing courses and to continue furthering my education and practicing new skills.

Her advice for nursing students:
Take advantage of your clinical experiences and find what type of nursing style you would like to adopt into your own practice!! There are so many different kinds of nursing styles that you may come across and it’s important to discover which style might work for you!

Please come join us on March 25th for our semesterly volleyball tournament! Show up and play for your cohort. We had a great turnout in the fall and can’t wait to see everyone this Thursday!

Join us for Cultivating Gratitude! The second Monday of each month beginning at 7pm, the link will take you to the page for this event!

Gabby is the TUG Program Manager, she oversees the daily operations of our undergraduate nursing division, serving as a bridge between students and faculty. Her mission is to ensure that our 350+ nursing students have a seamless journey from their first orientation through to their Pinning Ceremony. Her work is highly varied and touches almost every aspect of the student experience:
- Student Support & Advising: I meet with prospective families to tour our skills labs, advise current students on their course schedules, and monitor academic progress to ensure everyone stays on track for graduation.
- Clinical Compliance: I manage the onboarding process for clinical placements, including tracking CastleBranch requirements to ensure every student is cleared for their clinical sites.
- Faculty Collaboration: I assist our faculty with course scheduling, rosters, and academic coordination to keep our classrooms running efficiently.
- Departmental Support: I provide administrative support to our Department Chair, Dr. Smith, manage monthly meeting operations, and proctor exams when needed.

Why she enjoys working with nursing students:
I love having the opportunity to guide students through every step of their journey. Every student has a unique story and a personal “why” for entering the profession. The most rewarding part of my job is definitely the Pinning Ceremony. Seeing the joy on their faces at the finish line—knowing the immense dedication and hard work it took to get there—is incredibly inspiring.

Her advice for nursing students:
The program is rigorous, but try to savor your time at APU because it goes by so fast! My biggest pieces of advice are:
- Communicate clearly: Strong communication is essential in school and in life. If you don’t speak up, no one can hear you or help you.
- Follow directions: Staying organized and attentive to details will make your journey much smoother.
- Use your resources: If you are struggling with a course, don’t hesitate to reach out and use the support systems available to you.

Outside of the School of Nursing, I’m a big fan of coffee and the outdoors. I love traveling and taking long walks with my dog!

Caleb is currently in his nursing management and restorative care rotation (UNRS 314). In his free time he enjoys going to Jolibee or watching people eat at Jolibee. He also enjoys leading worship, playing guitar, going on spontaneous adventures with friends, and driving to new places.

His goals for the semester:
My goals for the semester and going forward is to make the most of every opportunity, whether in class or at clinicals, and to truly be shaped by compassion as we have the privilege to take care of someone’s loved one.

His advice for nursing students:
If I can do it, you can do it. Take it one assignment at a time. One test at a time. Take care of your patients the way you would care for your friends and family.

Please come join us for Foundations Night + Code Blue Mixer! This gives you guys the opportunity to meet back up with your mentor or mentee, ask questions about clinical and review the Foundations Night slides, and make custom badges/name cards!

Dr. Heinlein serves the university in several capacities, including membership on the Faculty Evaluation counsel and as the faculty representative for SNAP. Her teaching and clinical portfolio are diverse. She is the instructor for UNRS 260 nutrition, kin 260 nutrition for exercise and sports nutrition, UNRS 496 ethics in healthcare, and UNRS 386 population and community health nursing. She leads the lab sections for UNRS 220 health assessment and has supervised clinical groups for UNRS 107 at PIH Whittier. She has proudly developed the minor in nutrition, including the foundational curriculum for its courses. For many years she has also led the short-term study away india program. She facilitates a 3-unit

Why she loves working with students:
I consider working with students an absolute ministry and a divine calling. My journey into academia began unexpectedly years ago when a colleague at Pasadena City College asked me to cover her nutrition classes while I was working at Huntington Hospital and finishing my master’s at USC. That experience launched my love for teaching. The best part of working with nursing and kinesiology students is witnessing their “aha!” moments and their unwavering commitment to their future vocation. While the road is challenging, my hope is that my passion for nursing and nutrition inspires them to keep their eyes on the prize: the profound blessing of serving patients and their families.

Her advice for nursing students:
Believe in yourself - you can do this! The quote “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”, is a perfect mantra for the nursing journey. nursing school is demanding, so please seek help early. Whether it is through faculty support or university resources, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to support you because we view our roles as a ministry to God’s kingdom of servants. Let us know what you need to succeed!

Casey is currently in her mental health/psych rotation (UNRS 310). In her free time she loves to be with friends and family while spending quality time with them. Recently she has been into trying new coffee/matcha places, trying new hiking trails, going to concerts, discovering new food places, and traveling. She just visited Japan and the Philippines last summer!

Her goals for the semester:
With the help of some of the classes I am taking, I am looking forward to exploring different departments that nursing has to offer: psych and research. Like any other semester, I hope to stay on top of my school work while also making time for people who mean the most to me.

Her advice for nursing students:
Be prepared to apply your knowledge in every aspect of nursing school whether it be your clinical skills or real life case studies that prepare you for your future practice! There is a lot of information to grasp in such little time but being intentional with your time is gold!

Last semesters volleyball champions - Spring Sophomores! 🏆

As this semester comes to an end, SNAP wants to thank everyone who got involved! We can’t wait to do it all again next semester. We hope that everyone’s finals week was successful and pray that you all get some much needed rest and time spent with family and friends over break. We’ll see you in January!

Kiersten is currently in her pediatrics rotation (UNTS 404). In her free time she loves to crochet, bake, read, work on ceramics, go to the gym, try new coffee shops, go hiking, and go on adventures with friends and family. Her and her roommate have also been rewatching Avatar the Last Airbender.

Kiersten’s goals for the semester:
Academically, my goal for the semester is to gain more clinical experience working with different population groups. I’ve also been trying to take advantage of my last school year living in LA by going on lots of adventures and trying new places.

Her advice for nursing students:
Take advantage of and always be on the lookout for opportunities in clinical.