WKU senior Riana Berry from Lexington will graduate on Saturday with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree with hopes of working in mother-baby services. Her journey at WKU started off similar to many students, and a few pivotal moments helped narrow her direction.
Every semester countless students begin college without declaring a major. For Berry, she knew she wanted to pursue a degree in healthcare, but she was unsure how well she would do in such a competitive program. As a first-generation college student, Berry had support from her parents, but had to learn about college mostly on her own.
“I didn’t apply for the nursing program because I was discouraged. Like I said, I am first generation, and I kind of needed that push,” Berry said. “And, after having a conversation with my dad. He kind of opened my eyes and said ‘you are not there to waste time and don’t let anyone discourage you’.”