Taking care of others has always come naturally to Carrie Olson—and she was in high school when she found the perfect outlet for that trait. She was taking some healthcare classes, and it was then that her love for nursing was born. “My teacher, Nurse Johnson, was the one who inspired me to become a nurse,” Olson says. “She taught me that compassion for others is what separates the art and the science of nursing.”
Nurse Johnson would surely be proud to know that Olson will be graduating with her TBSN in December of this year—and that she’s already hard at work in the field, and loving it. “I work at Guadalupe Regional Medical Center as a Tech on the Surgical Floor. I love my job because I get to expand upon my skills and continue to learn while I am working. I love working at GRMC because it is small, and everyone knows everyone. The staff that work there are fantastic and I love the surgical floor!”
Olson’s years on campus are peppered with cherished experiences like late-night study sessions in the ASC or Blumberg Memorial Library, tailgating with her sorority sisters, and getting to live with her best friends in the South Apartments. “We love Kramer 4!” she says. She treasures the memories of speaking at the President’s Associates dinner this past December, serving her fellow students as a Peer Mentor and Peer Consultant, and being a member of Xi Tau sorority. “I love to be a part of a strong group of women who support and empower each other. Xi Tau has taught me to be confident in who I am and what I stand for, and it has given me many great memories.”
Another experience she’ll never forget from her college years: being inducted into the Black and Gold President’s Council in May of 2022. “It has been one of the most transformative experiences that I have had during my time here at TLU. I have learned how to interact with people professionally, I have been able to give back to the community of Seguin, and I have been able to represent the school and student body at many events.”
And finally, there is the memory of receiving her acceptance letter into TLU’s nursing program and calling her family and friends to share the good news. Olson is quick to recommend the program to up-and-coming nurses, mentioning that small class sizes are one thing that sets this program apart from others. “At the TLU Nursing program, you are seen as a student, a person, and as a future nurse. My professors know me by name, and I am not just another face in the crowd. I feel comfortable going to my professors for help, and TLU Nursing has amazing opportunities for nursing students,” she says.
She also appreciates the TLU nursing program’s reputation for excellence out in the field. “TLU Nursing truly is known for their academic excellence and their professionalism,” she says, adding that it “offers more clinical hours than most other programs, which allows students more time at the bedside, working with patients and nurses.”
Her bottom-line advice to prospective students who might be considering the program? “TLU will truly set you up for success. I have confidence in saying that when I graduate, I will be a knowledgeable, well-rounded, and safe nurse.”
And come May, Olson will be more than prepared to pursue her dreams—which are mighty, indeed. “I plan to work as a Surgical or an ICU nurse. I want to be a critical care nurse for a few years, go to get my master’s degree, then work as a hospice nurse. I would like to eventually go back to school and gain my doctorate in Nursing Practice.”
For Olson, it all circles back to taking care of others—a gift of hers that’s always been there, and which has now been given the perfect way to shine.