Keiser University New Port Richey student Greg Posso believes when a team works together, they can accomplish more than when members act individually. It’s a message he is spreading to the other members of his nursing cohort.

“During one of our exams we made this joke about using a beehive mentality. It stuck to the point where, I got these little bees for everyone in our cohort and we’re all wearing them on our nametags,” Posso said. “We try to help each other out. The hive accomplishes more as a unit than each bee going off doing their own thing.”

Posso is enrolled in the Associate of Science in Nursing program at Keiser University New Port Richey. The program prepares students for a career in healthcare through clinical decision making, error prevention, and care coordination. Students are taught effective communication skills and how to work with a healthcare team to achieve patients’ health goals.

After working nearly two decades for Disney, Posso, 52, is starting a new chapter with a career as a nurse. Describing himself as a ‘people-person,’ Posso says working in healthcare is a chance for him to give back and help others. Hesitant at first, he says seeing his daughter in the hospital after a leg injury inspired him to find a new career path.

“My girlfriend is an oncology nurse. Ever since we started dating, she’s like, you would be a great nurse, you have the personality, you have the demeanor, the tolerance. I wasn’t into it at first,” Posso said. “About two years ago my middle daughter shattered her kneecap in a motorcycle accident. You have those nurses that come in and are just straight business. You also have those nurses that came in, knew her name right away. I can see the difference in her demeanor when the people came in. In the back of my head, I think my daughter being in the hospital is what solidified me wanting to become a nurse.”

This is the second time Posso has attended college. He says, while going back to school after so many years was difficult and trying at times, he better understands t  he importance of working hard to reach new goals. It’s a message he has tried to instill in the fellow bees of his cohort, which he says has become like a family.

“I can honestly say there’s a maturity level, and I try to share that with the younger students.” Posso said. “This time around I’m really putting my nose in the books. There’s no doubt that to do this, there’s sacrifices. Sacrificing those weekends, sacrificing some family events, sacrificing just to spend more time studying.”

Posso expects to earn his diploma in August when he hopes to begin working as a nurse.

“I’ve taken so many snapshots in my head throughout life of experiences I’ve had with people, or experiences where people have helped me. Now is my opportunity to use all of that and make a difference,” Posso said. “I know right away what kind of nurse I’m going to be when I get there.”

Keiser University is a private, independent, non-profit university serving nearly 20,000 students at 21 Florida campuses, online, and two international sites. Co-founded in 1977 by Chancellor Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., and Evelyn Keiser, Keiser University currently offers more than 100 degrees from associate to the doctoral level. Keiser University is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in providing Social Mobility by U.S. News and World Report in 2023.