Over the past four years at Mount Saint Mary College, Reyna Baumann, a Nursing major from Hopewell Junction, N.Y., has constantly been involved on-campus.
Baumann has made the best of her college experience. She has been an Orientation Leader and Coordinator, an Admissions Ambassador, a cheerleader, and a member of the college’s Track and Field Team, shaping her into a better leader, an effective communicator, and a team player.
She has also been honored for her academic achievements, having been inducted into Sigma Theta Tau (the Nursing Honor Society) and Chi Alpha Sigma (the Athletics Honor Society). But through everything, her favorite part about being involved is getting to know as many students as possible and helping to shape their college experience.
Having experienced the COVID-19 pandemic throughout her own college experience, Baumann felt that the college’s school spirit was dwindling, and wanted to do something about it.
As a rising senior, she was given the opportunity to become a part of the Student Government Association as the Academic Affairs Senator, and through her work, was able to revive the Upperclassmen vs. Underclassmen Powderpuff football game during this year’s Spirit of the Mount week.
“In my four years, I have not seen this much passion and I couldn’t be more grateful to have had an influence on it,” she said. “I feel that the Class of 2026 brought back the spark of what is means to be a Mount Saint Mary Knight.”
As she prepares to take the NCLEX nursing exam this summer and continues on her path to becoming a pediatric nurse, Baumann has reflected on more than just her extracurricular achievements, but also the impact that the Nursing program has had on her as well.
“Mount Saint Mary College has shaped me into the nurse that I had only dreamed of becoming,” she explained. “Through the professors’ hard work, my peers’ comradery, and my self- perseverance, I know that I am prepared to excel in my career.”
Baumann noted that there are two people in particular who have helped shape her college career at the Mount: Vidia Saleem, instructor of Nursing, who taught her so much while always bringing a smile to her face during class and clinical, and Candace White, director of Student Engagement, for pushing her to become a better leader and person, and for shaping her into the creative and goal-oriented person she is today.
“I will miss all of the people who have instilled themselves into my life, through lessons and memories,” Baumann explained. “Mount Saint Mary College has provided me with a family I didn’t know I needed, but would not change for the world. Life without some of the people I have met is something I could no longer imagine.”