Keiser University Daytona Beach campus seniors Ann Marie Chain and Chasity Fitzgerald are nearing the end of an educational season which has produced a lifelong friendship along with an array of new opportunities.

The Associate of Science in Nursing program students established a bond at the very beginning of their program that led to valuable mutual support as they kept each other prepared throughout their academic journey. “We just clicked, and kept each other grounded,” said Chain, whose grandmother, mother, and sister were nurses.  “If I was having a hard week, she would settle me back down to earth and the same with me.”

For Fitzgerald, Chain’s experience, both in the field and as part of her current role as a case manager for a healthcare provider was invaluable. “I found the best friend ever in Ann Marie. She has assisted me more than I could have imagined, as her knowledge as a licensed practical nurse has really helped to put the pieces of the puzzle together. We helped each other realize that we went to school for a reason and to not give up on ourselves,” she said.

In addition to the camaraderie that comes from having a friend and classmate like Fitzgerald, Chain is also thankful for her academic leaders. “My Keiser University professors truly care about my education and success – especially professor Lacson who led by example with professionalism, decorum, and patience while checking in with me regularly,” reflected Chain.

Fitzgerald agrees. “Professor Chulak was a great help to me when things got tough. She believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself, and Student Services Director Lynne Carr provided much help with preparing my resume and was willing to assist in any way we needed as students. The unselfishness of these two ladies will always be one of Keiser’s best assets,” added Fitzgerald who plans to eventually earn her Master of Science degree to become a Nurse Practitioner. “I have a dream to one day work in the trauma operating room and can picture myself as the one who mends broken and displaced bones and washes out abscesses,” she said.

It’s not out of the question that the two could partner again, both academically and professionally as they look forward to a world of opportunities.  “We’ve discussed possibly opening our own practice one day, and I have thought about everything from adding certifications to not stopping until I achieve my Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner degree,” said Chain. “Either way, the possibilities are endless.”

Keiser University’s Associate of Science degree in Nursing program 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, not-for-profit university, serving nearly 20,000 students and employing 2,900 faculty and staff members. Co-founded in 1977 by Chancellor Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., and Evelyn Keiser, the university currently offers more than 100 degrees at 21 Florida campuses, as well as online and at two international sites. Keiser University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges as a level VI institution to award certificates and degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, masters, specialist, and doctoral levels. For additional information regarding Keiser University, visit http://www.keiseruniversity.edu.