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Meet Melissa Bauer, a Nursing major from Ishpeming, MI. Melissa plans to graduate in 2025.
Why did you decide to come to NMU?
I always had NMU as a thought when choosing colleges as it was close to home. Originally, I was planning to go to college elsewhere. However, I was part of the Westwood High School class of 2020 where COVID-19 shut down our senior year. Suffering from severe migraines, I was unsure where my college journey was going to take me as most colleges that following fall was returning in an online setting. I decided to come to NMU because they were trying to stick to as much in person learning as they could, even if learning did look different. Out of the four classes I had my first semester, three were fully in person, with one being hybrid. After that first semester, I knew I made the right choice by coming to NMU.
How did you decide your major/minor?
In high school, I was always so certain my career path was going to be somewhere in Forensic Science. I was passionate about working within Science and a lab setting. When beginning at NMU I started out as a Forensic Biochemistry major. After taking my first chemistry class at the college level I found out that long term Forensic Biochemistry wasn't for me. The next semester I enrolled in a nutrition class as a general education class. In this class, we did case studies which lead me to become fascinated with anatomy and physiology. After, taking a few other courses and talking with my advisor Nursing seemed like where I wanted to be in the sciences.
What's an example of a cool, interesting or helpful thing that you have done as a part of your major?
Within the Nursing department something very cool and interesting to me would be the NMU Wildpups. The Wildpups come to campus every so often and are not only there to get all the attention in the world by us on campus. They are also conducting research on the effect of therapy animals on a college campus.
What are you involved in on- and off-campus and what has been the most rewarding experience?
On campus, I work in the Admissions office as a Campus Visit Assistant. By far, this has been the most rewarding experience on campus that I have had for many reasons. Having an on campus job they are flexible with my class schedule, I have a huge supportive staff, and most importantly giving the campus visits and sharing my journey of NMU to prospective students.