Imprint 2025 April/May | Page 34

UP CLOSE

By E. Napoletano, 2024-2025 Imprint Up Close Reporter

Leading With Heart, Advocacy, and Ambition

Maliha Rahman always knew she wanted to work in healthcare. But it was during her high school years— especially her nurse shadowing experiences during a competitive clinical program— that her future became clear: nursing was her profession of choice. Her shadowing experience in local facilities gave Maliha a firsthand look at the heart of the profession— and connected her with mentors who made a lasting impression. One even gifted her a stethoscope, a symbol of encouragement that Maliha still uses daily as she nears graduation from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Set to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing on May 9, Maliha has her sights set on a dynamic and meaningful career. She’ s accepted an offer to work in pediatric trauma and orthopedics with a children’ s hospital in Dallas. " I want to be there for kids and their families during some of the toughest moments," she shares. " Nursing is about care, but it’ s also about strength and advocacy."
Advocacy has been a theme throughout Maliha’ s nursing school journey— both for herself and her future patients. Through clinical experiences, she observed a wide range of approaches to patient education. Some were stellar, while others left room for improvement. " It taught me early that I can choose the kind of nurse I want to be," Maliha says. " My professors really reinforced that you have to advocate for your patients, but you also have to advocate for yourself. That foundation has been priceless."
Outside the classroom, Maliha has embraced leadership opportunities as part of the Arlington Nursing Students Association( ANSA) and the National
Student Nurses’ Association( NSNA). Though she initially took a break from campus organizations when nursing school started, a conversation with a friend led her to ANSA and reignited her passion for service. " Their chapter needed someone with PR experience, which was my background," she says. " From there, I became an officer and found a whole new community of support."
Recently, Maliha attended the 2025 NSNA national conference in Seattle, an experience she calls " inspiring and unforgettable." There, she connected with nursing students from across the country and explored future educational pathways. With dreams of becoming a nurse educator and practitioner one day, the conference allowed her to discover invaluable resources and make lasting connections.
Looking back on her time in nursing school, Maliha is full of hard-earned wisdom she’ s eager to share. Her biggest tip for incoming students? Embrace trial and error— especially when it comes to studying. " Every semester is going to require a new strategy," she explains. " It’ s okay to figure things out as you go. That first exam always comes with a lot of anxiety because you’ re learning the professor’ s style as much as the material."
Equally important, she stresses, is prioritizing mental and physical health. " In high school and early undergrad, I was so busy with activities that I didn’ t get enough sleep. At one point, I crashed and was sick for two weeks straight," Maliha recalls. " Now I know that you can’ t pour from an empty cup. Sleep, schedule, and self-care aren’ t luxuries— they ' re necessities." One of her favorite professors helped drive this home
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