Keiser University learner Lisa Scharnagl is sending out a shout of gratitude to her grandparents both real and adopted, and other family members as she appreciates opportunities to hearten others.

The whirlwind multitasking is paying off for Scharnagl, a Keiser University Sarasota campus Nursing student. She continues to excel academically, while her original transcript titled Isabella – the Whale who Learned to Fly is now carried on Amazon and Barnes and Noble after being picked up by a British publishing company.

As an emerging author and illustrative artist, Scharnagl was first inspired to express herself imaginatively at a young age and credits her grandmother for her creative flair. “I guess you could say I inherited a little of her artistic talents though, I am nowhere near as great as she was,” smiled Scharnagl, who said she also wrote thousands of poems as a teen as a form of self-expression and began penning some of them as lyrics for pals when she was 18. “My friend Isabella randomly liked the thought of flying whales, so I wrote her a song on that topic,” smiled Scharnagl, who stumbled across the song ten years later on an old flash drive and decided to edit it into a story.

Scharnagl shared that her family is thrilled with her efforts, and she credits them for their support and inspiration. “I love to hear stories from the elderly and their perspectives considering they have seen so much,” reflected Scharnagl, a New Jersey native who had earned her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) degree in 2011 and along with her mother who is a licensed practical nurse, helped take care of both her grandparents until they passed away. “I have seen so many elderly people forgotten in nursing homes, and I think about my grandparents. This inspires me to give the best care possible,” she said while adding that her resolve is strengthened even further by the special bond she shared with her grandfather.

While imparting the importance of not letting life’s ‘what if’s’ get in the way of realizing dreams, Scharnagl revealed that she’d eventually like to assist geriatric or trauma patients, and it’s likely this is only the beginning of her uplifting reads. Upcoming books include a tribute to her brother titled Detective Dan and the Missing Flan and Flamingo Lou – dedicated to grandpas everywhere.

Keiser University’s Associate of Science degree in Nursing prepares students to practice professional nursing. Professional nursing involves the performance of those acts requiring substantial specialized knowledge, judgment and nursing skill based upon applied principles of biological, physical, psychological and social sciences.

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 associates 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. 5 in the U.S. in Social Mobility by U.S. News And World Report in 2022.