Nursing majors Samantha Bedard and Ryan Stark help classmates handle college pressures
Samantha Bedard and Ryan Stark are sophomores in the Nursing program at Inver Hills Community College. Both Samantha and Ryan are on track to graduate this December. They are also co-presidents of the college’s Psi Beta chapter. Psi Beta, the community college national honor society in psychology, is highly beneficial professionally and academically for students majoring or minoring in psychology or students with a keen interest in the field of psychology.
Inspired by their work in Psi Beta, Samantha and Ryan developed a 10-minute presentation emphasizing the significance of managing stress for nursing students. They delivered their presentation to nursing cohorts, sharing their own experiences as nursing students nearing graduation. They also provided strategies and techniques to help reduce stress and boost psychological wellness.
Jennifer Parta serves as psychology faculty at the college. Jennifer is also the Psi Beta faculty advisor. She reported that the Psi Beta mission is centered on student professional development and psychology education. The society commends student excellence in four key areas: scholarship, leadership, research, and community service.
“Samantha and Ryan felt strongly that managing stress is a very important topic for our nursing students,” Jennifer said. “They wish they had known more about this subject when they started the Nursing program. As Psi Beta co-presidents, they hope their presentation will help others better handle the pressures and academic rigors of the nursing path.”
Manage Stress presentation gallery
Tips from Nursing Student Manage Stress brochure
Coping with Stress: Do something for yourself
- Relax
- Exercise
- Sleep
- Practice yoga
- Read
- Meditate
- Journal/Write
Inver Hills resources
- Food & Resource Center
- Counseling & Advising
- Mental Health Resources
- Cost & Aid
- Recreation Sports & Wellness
- Health Service
- Your instructors
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Minnesota Department of Health
Crisis Text Line: Minnesota Department of Human Services
Crisis Resources: NAMI Minnesota: 1-952-891–7171
Call 911 and ask for Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officer
Samantha Bedard
Nursing Major
Psi Beta Co-President
Inver Hills Community College
Age: 30
Hometown: Buffalo, New York
Current residence: Resides in St. Paul; after graduating from Inver Hills will be moving back to North Carolina, her permanent residence
High school and year graduated: Niagara Wheatfield Senior High School, Class of 2010
Major and degree earning at Inver Hills: Nursing A.S.
Extracurricular activities and student clubs/organizations at Inver Hills: Psi Beta co-president, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)
Inver Hills planned graduation date: December 2023
Transfer plans after Inver Hills: Transferring into the MANE BSN program at Metro State University
Career plans: Long-standing passion for taking care of America’s veterans; currently most interested in working at a VA hospital in a Charlotte, North Carolina, suburb; also loves mental health field and would like to incorporate that into her career; long-term goal is becoming psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and eventually teaching university-level nursing
Other degrees, diplomas, and/or certificates: Certified medical assistant (CNA)
Do you work while going to college? If yes, where, job title, hours per week? Currently not working; focused exclusively on Nursing program final semester; previously served as biology tutor at Inver
One word that best describes your experience at Inver Hills:
ENLIGHTENING
Samantha Bedard • Q & A
Why is stress management important for nursing students?
Stress management is important for nursing students because it is without a doubt one of the most stressful degrees to obtain. Nursing students are predisposed to stress as nursing programs can be very overwhelming.
As a nursing student myself, I know how easy it is for us to forget that we are still human. We get wrapped up in our academics and sacrifice our own mental health.
What do you like best about participating in Psi Beta?
Service-learning projects. Psi Beta allows me the opportunity to help others.
Three words that describe you as a college student:
MOTIVATED. PASSIONATE. HELPFUL.
What area of psychology interests you the most and why?
Abnormal psychology. I have a passion for mental health disorders and helping those suffering from. I find it fascinating how the brain works.
What inspired you to pursue a career in nursing?
When I was a freshman in college, I thought that I wanted to become a doctor. After shadowing doctors and becoming knowledgeable on the timeline of medical school, residency, fellowship, etc., I realized that becoming a medical doctor was not my passion.
I am fascinated with medicine and how the body works, so I became a medical assistant and started working with nurses and nurse practitioners. The ways that nurses practice was more aligned with my morals. Nurses treat patients holistically. It was then that I knew nursing was my calling.
Ryan Stark
Nursing Major
Psi Beta Co-President
Inver Hills Community College
Age: 29
Hometown: Mankato, Minnesota
Current residence: West St. Paul, Minnesota
High school and year graduated: Mankato East High School, Class of 2011
Major and degree earning at Inver Hills: Nursing A.S.
Extracurricular activities and student clubs/organizations at Inver Hills: Psi Beta co-president, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)
Inver Hills planned graduation date: December 2023
Transfer plans after Inver Hills: Plans on working as registered nurse after earning A.S. in Nursing and passing NCLEX-RN exam; dual-enrolled in Metropolitan State University B.S.N. program
Career plans: Pediatric nurse practitioner
Other degrees, diplomas, and/or certificates: B.S. in Psychology, Minnesota State University, Mankato
One word that best describes your experience at Inver Hills:
EVER-EVOLVING
Ryan Stark • Q & A
Why is stress management important for nursing students?
It’s important because nursing students are expected to learn many different skills and learn them quickly. Being able to manage the stress of nursing school, along with all of life’s stressors, has been a challenge for me.
What do you like best about participating in Psi Beta?
I like the collaboration and that it is focused on informing the community on different areas of health.
Three words that describe you as a college student:
PASSIONATE. DETERMINED. CURIOUS.
What area of psychology interests you the most and why?
I really have enjoyed working in the mental health field and seeing how different disorders affect people in different ways.
What inspired you to pursue a career in nursing?
I want to have a career in nursing to support my family and have a career that involves helping people.
Read “Student Spotlight: Ryan Stark” on DCTC News; published November 2022.
Learn more about Psi Beta at Inver Hills by contacting:
Jennifer Parta
Psychology Faculty
Psi Beta Faculty Advisor
Inver Hills Community College
651-450-3654
Learn more about the Psychology and Nursing programs at Inver Hills by contacting:
Admissions
651-450-3902
admissions@inverhills.edu
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