Student’s ‘own path’ led her to Ph.D.

Her fifth grade teacher came to her Ph.D. dissertation defense, which is appropriate, because it was her fifth grade teacher who told her, 19 years ago, that education was the best way out. And Carli Zegers, now soon to be Carli Zegers, Ph.D., was determined to get out of her situation. So education it was.

She Googled “highest paying jobs” and vowed to become an orthopedic surgeon. (She instead became an ER nurse, and is about to earn her doctorate in health literacy, self-management strategies, and underserved populations, along with a family nurse practitioner [FNP] degree, as well.)

Now, “It’s not about the money,” she said recently, “it’s about the impact.” It’s about making it, and making a difference. It’s about being where she is now in her life, ready to take off and ready to fly.

“It’s surreal,” she said.

When she was in fifth grade, her teacher could tell things weren’t always easy in Carli’s life. “My family is wonderful,” Zegers said. But, it’s complicated.

She knew even back then she had to make her own path.

And her teacher made a difference at a crucial moment. Then, so did her track coach. Then her high school assistant principal. A mentor in undergrad, at Creighton. All along her path key people saw something in her, realized she just needed to be seen, and heard, in order to reach her full potential.

And here she is, about to graduate with her Ph.D. from UNMC.

She’s looking for a job on faculty at an academic medical center. She took a big step toward that goal by earning, among so many other honors, a Johnson & Johnson/ American Association of Colleges of Nursing Minority Nurse Faculty Scholarship.

“I’m Mexican, among other things,” she said.

And on all of those national boards she serves, at all of those conferences she attends, “I’m the Nebraska girl,” Zegers said. She is Nebraska, Omaha, South Omaha, through and through.

She married into a rural Nebraska family. “It feels like I know or I’m related to everyone in Nebraska,” she said.

She hopes to start her career right here at UNMC. Serving Nebraskans just like her.

Her work is health literacy and communication — basically, making the effort to see, and hear, and connect with people, the way so many did for her along the way.

On second thought, this isn’t surreal at all. On commencement day, Carli Zegers, Ph.D., will be right where she’s always been meant to be.