UP CLOSE
By E. Napoletano, 2024-2025 Imprint Up Close Reporter
Finding Her Path in Nursing: From High School Curiosity to Nursing School Leadership
For Ali Villano, the path to nursing started with exposure. As a high school student, she had access to medical career programs that sparked her interest in healthcare. A medical careers class in her freshman year introduced her to the field. By the time she completed her school’ s Certified Nursing Assistant( CNA) program, she had gained hands-on experience and valuable insight into the different aspects of nursing.
That early exposure gave Villano more than just skills— it also gave her a voice. Working alongside nurses and contributing to care plans, she felt her input mattered to her patients’ paths. It was a defining moment, reinforcing that a nursing career was one where her care and curiosity could join forces to create positive change.
Now, as she prepares to graduate from the University of Connecticut School of Nursing in May 2025, Villano reflects on her journey through a traditional four-year BSN program— plus her unique efforts that led to a revitalization of the Connecticut state chapter of the NSNA.
Building a Stronger Student Nursing Community
Villano’ s involvement with NSNA was initially about connection— finding a place among her peers in a program of over 100 students. As she became more engaged, however, she admired the organization’ s leadership and impact. She noticed that UConn’ s SNA chapter was already well established, but Connecticut’ s state chapter had been dormant for quite some time. So, as a sophomore, she collaborated with two upper-level students to rebuild the chapter, eventually taking on the role of president.
Her leadership helped expand the chapter’ s outreach, connecting with other nursing schools and adding university representatives to the state chapter to ensure greater representation. Even now, she continues working to build relationships with more schools, strengthening the sense of community among nursing students across the state. Today, as a soon-to-be-graduating senior, Villano serves as the president of the UConn and Connecticut SNA chapters, leading the communities that brought her a sense of connection throughout her nursing education.
The Challenges of Nursing School
Yet, alongside her NSNA successes, Villano has faced challenges along the way— especially with the transition to the rigors of nursing school. Like many students, she deals with test anxiety, no matter how much she prepares. Time management has also been a hurdle— balancing coursework, clinicals, leadership roles, and personal life is no small task.
But through NSNA, she found support. Connecting with other nursing students, sharing tips, and learning from guest speakers, like a Princeton Review expert on managing test anxiety, made a difference. She’ s grateful for her experiences with NSNA, as she’ s no-
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