Hello and Welcome!!!!
My name is Sara Kailey Miller I am 21 years old and a Sophomore at the University of South Carolina Lancaster. I live at home with my cat, Orbit and my significant other, Roberto who also attends USCL. I am an avid adventurer and always push myself to experience new things in order to become a more cultured, well-rounded person. My friends and family consider me extremely outgoing and I am known for not caring how people perceive me or what they think about me. However, everything I do is in the hopes of becoming the best healthcare provider I can be.
Currently, I am striving for GLD in the Research Pathway towards my Associates in Science degree and plan to achieve my BSN at USCL. However, my end goal is to become a Nurse Practitioner who specializes in Pediatric Oncology. When I was eight I conquered cancer and was a part of a research study for a new Cancer treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Ever since then I have always wanted to become a nurse and care for children with cancer. I feel that I can bring something to the bedside others may not be able to since I experienced it first-hand. Throughout my whole life I have tried to take advantage of any opportunity to push me closer towards my goal. In high school I participated in the Career and College Promise program which allowed me to take college classes as a high school student for free. I gained my CNA 1 as well as my CNA 2 and graduated from South Piedmont Community College in 2016 which was the same year I graduated from Parkwood High School.
My whole life I been an avid runner and soccer player. I quit several times to try other sports, but always came back to soccer. All of high school I played soccer and found a new love of cross-country. I continued my soccer career as captain at USCL for two years and would have ran cross country if it had been offered. Playing soccer and running is how I handle the stress and overwhelming amount of work I pile on myself. I let everything go when I step on the field and just allow myself to enjoy the game. Running helps me clear my mind and organize my thoughts. I would probably equate it to meditation for me. Outside of school soccer I also play on a co-ed indoor league that allows me and boyfriend to play alongside of each other and I love that quality time together doing the thing we both enjoy most.
During high school I was never required to have a job, but going to college changed everything. I have worked as a CNA, Lifeguard, and a Student Assistant in the Exercise Science Department over these first two years of college. In addition to there responsibilites, I spent time in the Body Composition Lab as an unpaid Research Assistant for my extensive beyond the classroom experience for GLD. Currently I am balancing just being a Lifeguard and a Student Assistant. I am extremely blessed that both my jobs work around my school schedule and allow to focus more on my school work. Both of these jobs have taught me valuable life lessons that I am quite positive will stay with me for the rest of my life.
As a part of job as a Lifeguard I teacher children ages 3-11 how to swim. Some children come in absolutely terrified of the water and a lot of times refuse to even get their face wet. Typically, by the end of two weeks we can have them pushing off a wall with their face in and coming to us. The key to this feat is helping them understand their fear and why they shouldn’t be afraid. This is completely applicable to my future career as a nurse.
Before becoming as highly involved as I currently am as a research assistant in the exercise science lab I always thought that this exercise science and nursing were not connected in any way. I have learned they are intertwined in every aspect possible. Exercise helps with not only your physical health but also your mental health which are both aspects healthcare must take into account when treating someone. While analyzing data, we focus on people’s anthropometric data which includes height, weight, Body Mass Index(BMI), and body fat percentage. These measurements are also extremely important in the healthcare field and have a strong correlation to many disease processes. I learned that in the era we live in encouraging people to get their 60 minutes of daily activity is extremely important yet most healthcare providers do not even take it under consideration.
I became a research assistant by first becoming involved in the USCL Research Club (Follow us on Instagram @USCL_Research_Club). This happened by chance however because I just walked into my classroom and was bombarded with positivity and given a sandwich to eat while listening to all the reasons I should join. I continued to attend meetings and participate, going on field trips and developing connections with others that I will hold on to dearly. Research really does take you places and provides you with an abundance of valuable experiences that are unlike anything else. It also surrounds you with people that have a passion for helping others and society as a whole because that’s the whole purpose behind conducting research. To educate others on the best possible way to live a life that is conducive to achieving everything one desires in order to benefit the world. That is what I value most about my work as a research assistant.
Since being accepted into Upper Division of the nursing program at the University of South Carolina I have become more active with the Student Nurses Association (SNA). While I am not as highly involved in SNA as am in the Research Club, I still participate in events and volunteer whenever I possibly can. I have gone to the Women’s Enrichment Center in Lancaster South Carolina. This facility helps women cope with an unexpected pregnancy through education and supplemental supplies for the child in return for attending classes and going to doctor appointments at the facility. I try to jump at any opportunity to help others in need and working through SNA at the center has been extremely eye opening for me.
Now that you have seen a little glimpse into my life and all that I do in order to better myself and others you’re probably wondering what my E-Portfolios focus is. What do other students need to do in order to be most successful at whatever they choose to do and help others achieve their goals along the way? I broke this complex task down into three steps I feel that I myself took in order to be the efficacious person I have become.
My whole life I been an avid runner and soccer player. I quit several times to try other sports, but always came back to soccer. All of high school I played soccer and found a new love of cross-country. I continued my soccer career as captain at USCL for two years and would have ran cross country if it had been offered. Playing soccer and running is how I handle the stress and overwhelming amount of work I pile on myself. I let everything go when I step on the field and just allow myself to enjoy the game. Running helps me clear my mind and organize my thoughts. I would probably equate it to meditation for me. Outside of school soccer I also play on a co-ed indoor league that allows me and boyfriend to play alongside of each other and I love that quality time together doing the thing we both enjoy most.
During high school I was never required to have a job, but going to college changed everything. I have worked as a CNA, Lifeguard, and a Student Assistant in the Exercise Science Department over these first two years of college. In addition to there responsibilites, I spent time in the Body Composition Lab as an unpaid Research Assistant for my extensive beyond the classroom experience for GLD. Currently I am balancing just being a Lifeguard and a Student Assistant. I am extremely blessed that both my jobs work around my school schedule and allow to focus more on my school work. Both of these jobs have taught me valuable life lessons that I am quite positive will stay with me for the rest of my life.
As a part of job as a Lifeguard I teacher children ages 3-11 how to swim. Some children come in absolutely terrified of the water and a lot of times refuse to even get their face wet. Typically, by the end of two weeks we can have them pushing off a wall with their face in and coming to us. The key to this feat is helping them understand their fear and why they shouldn’t be afraid. This is completely applicable to my future career as a nurse.
Before becoming as highly involved as I currently am as a research assistant in the exercise science lab I always thought that this exercise science and nursing were not connected in any way. I have learned they are intertwined in every aspect possible. Exercise helps with not only your physical health but also your mental health which are both aspects healthcare must take into account when treating someone. While analyzing data, we focus on people’s anthropometric data which includes height, weight, Body Mass Index(BMI), and body fat percentage. These measurements are also extremely important in the healthcare field and have a strong correlation to many disease processes. I learned that in the era we live in encouraging people to get their 60 minutes of daily activity is extremely important yet most healthcare providers do not even take it under consideration.
I became a research assistant by first becoming involved in the USCL Research Club (Follow us on Instagram @USCL_Research_Club). This happened by chance however because I just walked into my classroom and was bombarded with positivity and given a sandwich to eat while listening to all the reasons I should join. I continued to attend meetings and participate, going on field trips and developing connections with others that I will hold on to dearly. Research really does take you places and provides you with an abundance of valuable experiences that are unlike anything else. It also surrounds you with people that have a passion for helping others and society as a whole because that’s the whole purpose behind conducting research. To educate others on the best possible way to live a life that is conducive to achieving everything one desires in order to benefit the world. That is what I value most about my work as a research assistant.
Since being accepted into Upper Division of the nursing program at the University of South Carolina I have become more active with the Student Nurses Association (SNA). While I am not as highly involved in SNA as am in the Research Club, I still participate in events and volunteer whenever I possibly can. I have gone to the Women’s Enrichment Center in Lancaster South Carolina. This facility helps women cope with an unexpected pregnancy through education and supplemental supplies for the child in return for attending classes and going to doctor appointments at the facility. I try to jump at any opportunity to help others in need and working through SNA at the center has been extremely eye opening for me.
Now that you have seen a little glimpse into my life and all that I do in order to better myself and others you’re probably wondering what my E-Portfolios focus is. What do other students need to do in order to be most successful at whatever they choose to do and help others achieve their goals along the way? I broke this complex task down into three steps I feel that I myself took in order to be the efficacious person I have become.
First, one must believe in one’s self.
Second, one must apply one’s self
Third, one must unveil one’s product.
My key insights follow this in order in the hopes of demonstrating that without accomplishing the first step the next step cannot be taken. I know that each of my insights were *intrical* to getting where I am today. My life has been filled with ups and downs and multiple barriers that I have had to face and overcome. Yet because of them I feel that I have a much different outlook on life compared to others.
In the end I strongly believe that everything in life happens for a reason and every person comes into your life to serve a purpose. My GLD experience has helped me realize how applicable the information I learned in class is to real life. To me that is one goal of completing GLD, but not the overarching one. It is also about using what you learned in order to make a difference and set an example. My experience in the Research Pathway has pushed me towards my life goal of being the best nurse possible by providing me with experiences that allowed me to acquire new valuable skills and interests that can be utilized in healthcare. It has also helped me gain new insights as to how my beliefs drive my decisions.
In the end I strongly believe that everything in life happens for a reason and every person comes into your life to serve a purpose. My GLD experience has helped me realize how applicable the information I learned in class is to real life. To me that is one goal of completing GLD, but not the overarching one. It is also about using what you learned in order to make a difference and set an example. My experience in the Research Pathway has pushed me towards my life goal of being the best nurse possible by providing me with experiences that allowed me to acquire new valuable skills and interests that can be utilized in healthcare. It has also helped me gain new insights as to how my beliefs drive my decisions.
***Intrical: A combination of integral and intricate.
While I do realize that this is not a real word it was the most effective word at describing my GLD experience.