When Hazard Kentucky native, Krista Ritche, reflects on her Galen experience as an ADN program alumni, she recalls the importance of maintaining the small-town feeling and finding a sense of community in determining where to pursue her nursing degree.

Finding an institution that embodied the same values as Ritchie was an important component of her educational journey. Growing up, Krista was diagnosed with various illnesses and spent a lot of her formative years in hospital rooms and doctor’s offices. “The nurses that took care of me growing up made the greatest impact on how I see myself and who I wanted to become. I just knew that I too wanted to be one of those people and help others feel better in the same way that was done to me.”

After having her two children, Ritchie’s desire to become a nurse became too large to ignore. A few friends suggest Galen College of Nursing. She decided to attend one of our enrollment workshops and recalls the feeling of shock and excitement after arriving on campus.

“When I first stepped on campus, I was welcomed with open arms. I met almost every faculty member that day and felt invested in from the start. I could just tell that they were willing to work with me in any way I would need to be successful,” said Krista.

Krista graduated from Galen in March of 2020. She is currently working “exactly where she should be” in Pediatrics and Labor and Delivery.

“I would say the Galen family didn’t just focus on my education. In my home town, everyone knows everyone in their class and we were all taught one thing. You don’t just become a nurse because you know things. You become a nurse when you care and develop a sense of empathy. My Galen experience engrained the confidence in me to deliver compassionate, empathetic, and quality care to my patients.”