Ruth fell in love with Salve Regina during her high school years at the Met School. During her senior year of high school, she was able to intern in the biology lab at Salve Regina with Dr. Steven Symington. She loved the campus and made some great friends during her time interning.  

Ruth recalls, “I knew that Salve was the place for me.” 

Ruth continued to do research for Dr. Symington during the summer before she started attending Salve Regina University as a first-year student.  

If she could give advice to herself back then or to any incoming students, Ruth would say, “Enjoy the college years and try to make time to appreciate the scenery. Time will fly by, so enjoy your time there.” 

Despite Ruth being busy with her nursing course load, she loved being able to find the time to collaborate with other students and celebrate different cultures. Ruth’s favorite memory is participating in Multicultural Week during her sophomore year. Though Ruth felt it was worth keeping her head in the books, she was excited to be inducted into the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing and also participated in the Pell Honors Program.  

After graduating from Salve Regina with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN-RN) in 2015, Ruth began working as an ER nurse. She continued advancing her education in the Master of Science (MSN) nursing program at Salve Regina and graduated again in 2018. Ruth then passed her Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) boards and became a Nurse Practitioner. She continued to advance her nursing career and graduated from the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program from Salve Regina in 2020. Currently, Ruth works in internal medicine and home care where she provides direct medical care, disease management, and education to adults with common and complex health conditions. 

Ruth looks back to Salve Regina’s mission. “I fell in love with Salve Regina University because of its belief that all people are stewards of God’s creation. This University has always been a safe place for me, allowing me to advance my education and career while encouraging me to expand out of my comfort zone." Ruth goes on, “Salve Regina's mission means treating all people with mercy and kindness and making the world a better place.” 

Ruth was able to put Salve Regina’s mission into practice a few years ago when she took a medical mission trip to Togo, West Africa. There she assisted in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of tropical diseases.