On this episode, Dr. Mike Martel and Harley Brown sit down with two students of Michigan State University's College of Nursing, Alli Walsh and Caleb Fraser. Both proudly showcased a day in the life of a Spartan Nurse via our Instagram “Takeovers.”

Allí Walsh, a former BSN and first-year PhD student, works as a research assistant and hospital nurse on an inpatient child and psychiatric floor.

Caleb Fraser, a senior of the traditional BSN program, is heavily involved in the community as a squad leader in the marching band, a music director of an acapella group, a superior for a local coffee shop, and a volunteer at Ele’s Place.

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

In this episode of the Spartan Nurse podcast, Harley Brown and Dr. Mike Martel sit down with Camila Rios and Dr. Larissa Miller. Camila Rios is a first-year undergraduate student at Michigan State University from Chicago, Illinois. As a first-generation daughter of immigrants, she currently navigates the pre-nursing path. Camila has been volunteering at Rush Hospital's Cancer Survivors Week since a young age.

Her senior year of high school saw her working as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at Rush, where she collaborated with RNs and CNAs on the med-surg floor, engaging in essential tasks like providing bed baths, cleaning wounds, and assisting patients with daily activities.

Camila is driven to pursue a nursing career with a dual goal of representing minorities in the medical field and improving healthcare access in underserved communities.

At Michigan State University, she has immersed herself in clubs aligning with her aspirations, including the Latino Medical Student Association and is the President Multicultural Nursing Student Association.

Eager to deepen her understanding of nursing, Camila anticipates her journey of growth and learning within the College of Nursing at MSU.

Dr. Larissa Miller, an Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Professional Development at Michigan State University's College of Nursing, has over two decades of experience as a nurse educator.

Her extensive career includes roles as a clinical hospital educator, lead professor, campus curriculum chairperson, and simulation program coordinator. Larissa holds certifications as an ANCC Board Certified Nursing Professional Development specialist and an NLN Certified Nurse Educator.

Her academic journey involves earning both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing at Michigan State University, a post-master’s in nursing education at Northern Michigan University, and a PhD at Concordia University in Chicago, where her research focused on compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress in nursing.

Appointed to the Michigan Board of Nursing in 2021, Larissa contributes her expertise to its Administrative Rules and Nursing Education subcommittees.

She is a key figure in Michigan's nursing development, serving on the steering committee for Michigan Professional Nursing Development [MIPND], the executive board of the Michigan Health Council, and the Michigan Nursing Action Coalition.

Recognized as a 2022 MSU STEAM Power Arts Fellow, she remains committed to integrating the arts into nursing education, showcasing her dedication to a holistic and innovative approach in shaping the future of nursing.

Currently, she is the faculty advisor for the College of Nursing’s 2024 Multicultural Nursing Student Association.

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing

Join Dr. Mike Martel and Harley Brown in an engaging interview with Dr. Leigh Small, who earned her master’s degree and PhD from the University of Rochester and is a pediatric nurse practitioner by training. She has a passion for high-quality healthcare, evidence-based practice, and the implementation of thought-provoking educational strategies challenging learners to always seek and provide best practices. For over two decades, she has integrated and applied these passions with the goals of impacting healthcare practices.

Embracing education, research, and service, Dr. Small has served as a nursing educator and researcher for more than 20 years, and held multiple leadership roles in several professional nursing organizations and colleges and universities, while remaining continuously engaged in scholarship.

Her research portfolio and scholarship are based on positive approaches to parenting, usual and unusual child development, motivational interviewing, and the synchrony of interactions between parents and young children. Dr. Small’s dedication to the healthcare of children and families has been recognized by acceptance of Fellowship in the National Academies of Practice, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, and the American Academy of Nursing.

To find your breaking news and latest updates within the College of Nursing, please refer to our website at nursing.msu.edu. You can also find us on all social media platforms @MICHSTNursing