Faces of Opportunity — Vanessa King

Born in Greece, UNMC College of Nursing student Vanessa King, lived in England before her dad was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base when she was 6.

A graduate of Papillion South High School and a National Merit scholar, King headed to the University of Oklahoma to major in aeronautical engineering.

“My mom is a nurse at The Nebraska Medical Center’s Papillion clinic and I wanted to try the most challenging, non-female career out there,” King said. “So, I choose aeronautical engineering.”

Vanessa King

King quickly learned engineering wasn’t the right fit. Time spent at numerous career fairs led her to consider health care which meant a trip back home.

“My parents were always supportive of my career decisions,” she said. “But, my mom was thrilled that I decided to become a nurse.

“I explored several colleges in Oklahoma, Nebraska and other nearby states, but everyone I talked to told me UNMC was the best place to go.”

While only in her first semester, King finds nursing challenging, yet rewarding. As most nurses will tell you, they enjoy spending time with and caring for patients. King particularly appreciates the clinical experiences at UNMC. She said it is a great complement to her classroom knowledge.

“I learn best from hands-on experience,” said King. “I find it is easier for me to remember lectures when the concepts are connected to nursing procedures.”

As a recipient of the Nell Catherine Smith Speck Scholarship, King is able to afford her UNMC education. The valuable gift enables her to start her nursing program without supplemental student loans.

Ballot initiative forum The Nell Catherine Smith Speck Scholarship is awarded to female students from Cass or Sarpy County. These valuable and necessary awards could be adversely impacted with the passage of an affirmative action ban prohibiting consideration of gender, race, ethnicity and national origin in public education, public employment and public contracting. UNMC’s Faculty Senate will sponsor a forum on the ballot initiative that will include representatives from both sides of this issue. Join the discussion on today in the Wittson Hall Amphitheater, Room 3034 from noon to 1 p.m.

“I can’t say ‘thank you’ enough for the generous contribution to my education,” King said. “Being a scholarship recipient allows me the opportunity to focus on my coursework and clinical skills without financial concern.”

Having lived and traveled abroad, King values diverse environments. She has had several opportunities to examine and compare European health care to the United States system. King believes these life experiences bring a broader perspective to the classroom. She hopes UNMC will continue to seek students with a variety of backgrounds.

As King digs into her nursing career, she was asked how it compares to aeronautical engineering. King simply replied, “It’s actually a lot harder. With nursing, if you make a mistake, your patient could die. That is not a daily occurrence in engineering.”