Alumni Spotlight: Kiara Rouse

Kiara Rouse enrolled at Bryant & Stratton College in the fall of 2018 determined to begin her educational journey and career in healthcare. As her time at the college came to a close, she found herself loving the medical field so much, that she decided after graduating in December of 2019 with her Associate Degree in Medical Assisting, that she would continue her education and pursue Nursing.

On top of applying for Nursing School, Kiara also faced the obstacle of seeking employment in her field during a pandemic.

“One of the obstacles I faced was passing the TEAS test with acceptable scores and then being waitlisted for the Nursing Program, only to then one week later be accepted!” she said. “My family and friends were a huge support system as well as Katie Proctor in Career Services. She saw my drive and ambition and helped me in not only finding a job as a MA, but supporting me in general. She was always there if I had a question or needed to talk things out to see if the steps I was taking was beneficial for the career path that I wanted to take.”

She added some helpful words of advice for 2020 graduates. “Keep going if you know in your heart there is more that you want to do in your life. Never let someone else’s expectations deter you from reaching your ultimate life goals.”

When asked, Kiara said the following quote by Maya Angelou provided her inspiration and she hopes it does the same for others. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” She looks forwarded to doing that for those needing medical assistance throughout her new career.

Kiara has started a new job as a medical assistant since graduating, working with Capital District Renal Physicians and she is starting her pursuit of a nursing degree this fall.