Jennifer Aviles ’16: Learning by Heart

Nursing is a demanding profession, filled with long hours, night shifts and all manner of emergencies. Jennifer Aviles ’16 sees it as the perfect opportunity to grow and learn—and she does it all with enthusiasm.

Aviles is a registered nurse at Northwell Health in Manhasset, New York, where she previously interned as a Jaggar Community Fellow in 2015. Although she didn’t have much hands-on experience with patient care as an intern, Aviles paid close attention to how nurses interacted with patients and developed a strong work ethic. From learning the ins and outs of nursing to making valuable connections, the experience is one she will always cherish. “I met a bunch of amazing people I could call afterwards and who helped me get a job after graduation,” she said. “They were really my mentors.”

The Center for Career and Professional Development was also instrumental in propelling Aviles to her current position. Suffering from interview nerves, she attended Mock Interview Night to sharpen her skills. “I was one of the most nervous people there,” she remembered. “Anything with a one-on-one conversation was hard.” The interview workshops encouraged Aviles to focus her thoughts and power through conversations, alleviating her anxiety about public speaking.

She also took a seminar with Jonathan Ivanoff, associate director for internships, where she wrote sample cover letters, updated her LinkedIn profile and honed her networking expertise.

Aviles intends to go back to school and pursue a master’s degree in nursing education. Although she values the professional practice, she is committed to becoming a nurse educator, which she describes as “the brains of the hospital.” Combining clinical mastery with a passion for teaching, nurse educators are on hand to answer questions and mentor future generations of nurses. Aviles aims to offer patient care at the highest level and empower people through knowledge.

If there’s anything Aviles has learned in her budding career, it’s that compassion, understanding and a positive outlook are paramount to success. “Skill can be taught,” she said, noting that degrees, internships and orientations exist for that very purpose. “But attitude is intrinsic.”