Nursing school is a big commitment. Between classes, studying, and life outside the classroom, becoming a nurse requires discipline and determination.

Few people can say they spend their weeks studying patient care and their weekends performing on the sidelines of an NFL stadium. For Kinley Propes, that’s just life.

As a student at Galen College of Nursing’s Nashville campus and a Tennessee Titans Cheerleader, Propes seamlessly balances two demanding roles fueled by dedication, teamwork and a passion for serving others.

Propes has been cheerleading since she was 5 years old, but she never expected the journey to lead her to the NFL.

“I was in college at Austin Peay at the time, and I didn’t know if I wanted to cheer anymore,” said Propes.  “One of the guys was like, ‘Just come and try out for the Titans. I think you’d be perfect’, so I thought ‘You know what? Okay, whatever. What do I have to lose?’”

Being a Titans Cheerleader has meant much more than performing on game days. In her current role on the team, Kinley participates in school events and community outreach, at times making more than 80 appearances in a year on top of attending nursing school.

While cheerleading remained an important part of her life, Propes was also trying to decide what she wanted outside of it.

She originally attended Austin Peay University to pursue nursing, but after being discouraged by people around her, she changed her major. A decision she would later realize wasn’t the right fit. As graduation approached, she found herself questioning what came next.

“I was sitting in my car, having an existential crisis because I was like, “I don’t know what I want to do with my life,” said Propes. “I’m listening to the radio, and then all of a sudden, a Galen ad comes up on the radio.”

Having already completed one degree, she wasn’t sure she wanted to go back to school again. But after seeing she could earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in just two years, her mind began to change.

“I came home, and I talked to my parents about it, and they were like, ‘We were wondering when you were going to figure out how you were going to be a nurse.’”

Now, Propes is preparing to graduate in December.

Going to school and keeping up with community commitments for the Titans made for a busy schedule. But Propes found the transition into nursing school surprisingly easy.

“I wish I could say it was hard,” said Propes. “But the way that Galen is run, and the people who work there, have been absolutely a dream come true.”

Early in her time at Galen, Kinley was offered the opportunity to travel to Australia for a Titans pro tour, supporting U.S. troops and their families. She communicated with her instructors, and because she gave them advance notice and did not have a clinical scheduled, they worked with her to reschedule an exam.

“As long as I communicate with them ahead of time, they’ve been super transparent with me and very accommodating to my needs,” she said.

That support has helped Kinley balance both parts of her life without feeling like she must choose one over the other.

While nursing and cheerleading may seem like different worlds, Kinley found plenty of similarities. The discipline she learned through working for an NFL team helped prepare her for nursing school and taught her that reaching a goal requires putting in the work.

“You must put the work in. You must do the extra work outside of it in order to be successful,” she said.

Her experiences with the Titans have also shaped the kind of nurse she hopes to become. Through community appearances, she has learned how to communicate with people from different backgrounds, build relationships and make others feel comfortable. Whether she is interacting with fans or caring for patients, Kinley wants to leave people feeling a little better than when she found them.

“I want to make somebody smile, because if they don’t have a smile, then they can have mine,” said Propes. “Wherever I can, whether it’s in a uniform or in scrubs, that’s just kind of my M.O.”

For Kinley, becoming a nurse doesn’t mean leaving behind the passion she’s had since childhood. Instead, she has found a way to carry both with her.

“I don’t want another little girl or boy to feel like they have to choose between their career and something they’ve loved their whole life,” she said. “Because you absolutely can have both.”

And as she gets closer to earning her nursing degree, Kinley is proving just that.