The University of Toledo is celebrating transfer students as part of National Transfer Student Week.
Mackenzie Bornhorst comes from a family of nurses, which guided her path into the field.
After transferring to UToledo, Bornhorst, a sophomore studying nursing, is involved with campus organizations such as Kappa Delta and the Catholic Student Association with plans to get more involved.
“I have always had the nature to help others,” Bornhorst said. “Something that I have always loved about nursing is the one-on-one care that you are able to give to patients and being able to watch patients leave better than when they arrived. That always made me happy.”
Hailing from New Bremen, Ohio, Bornhorst began her studies at an Ohio State University regional campus before transferring to UToledo.
“I found out that I was not accepted into OSU’s nursing program and I was devastated because I felt like I was going to be behind. I felt like I was scrambling to figure everything out and, fortunately, I found The University of Toledo,” she said. “There were a lot of things that made me choose UToledo. I knew that I always wanted to go away for college but I didn’t want to go too far and Toledo is the perfect distance for me.
“I also loved how UToledo is a bigger school but not too big. The college’s class sizes are perfect too. I’m in class learning with 30 other people that I can get to become friends with, but I can also build a one-on-one relationship with them as well.”
Now a sophomore at UToledo studying nursing, Bornhorst is involved with campus organizations such as Kappa Delta and the Catholic Student Association and said she is excited to get more involved as the semester progresses.
“Something memorable for me that I have experienced through UToledo is the friendships I’ve made,” Bornhorst said. “If I went to OSU, I never would have been able to meet my roommate that I am super close with. I never would have been in any of the classes that I have made friends in. And I never would have been able to go to UToledo and fall in love with the campus. I’m so very grateful that my experiences have led me here and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
She also is a certified nursing assistant, which allows her to gain nursing experience with patients at an individual level.
“I currently work at a nursing home and getting to know all of the residents and be an impact on their daily lives have been very fulfilling for me,” she said. “It shows me that I am going into the correct field and it only makes me even more excited to become a nurse.”
Bornhorst’s advice to new students is to balance academics with life.
“It is super easy to get caught up in all the schoolwork and studying as a new nursing major, but it is important to live life as well,” she said. “Don’t get too wrapped up in it. The nursing major is hard. You will have to sacrifice some things for it, but if you truly love nursing it will all be worth it in the end.”
For more information about UToledo’s campus events for National Transfer Student Week, read the UToledo News story.
