Cleveland, Ohio native Annie Greene initially enrolled at Northern Kentucky University, when she was offered an opportunity that was too good to pass up: a Division I soccer scholarship. Though she wasn’t initially sure what she wanted to major in going into her freshman year, she was soon inspired to pursue nursing by family members in health care.
“[Head women’s soccer coach] Sheehan is one of very few D-I coaches that allows student-athletes to be in a program as demanding as nursing,” Greene says. Being trusted to invest time into each activity was a major part of what made NKU the right fit for her, and the effort has paid off. In addition to playing four seasons with the Norse and notching 17 starts, Greene has posted a 3.9 GPA as a student.
She also played in all 11 games of her team’s 2020 Horizon League Championship campaign, an experience that she says she will never forget.
“If you need help, make sure to reach out to the professors because they are more than willing to help you. The major is rigorous but well worth it.”
As Greene progressed in her studies, she found even more motivation to hone her skills as a nurse. In her sophomore year, she found herself in the emergency room with post-tonsillectomy carotid artery hemorrhage—a serious complication.
“Before I knew it, I was on a ventilator and in the ICU at the Cleveland Clinic, because I was not able to breathe on my own,” she says. “I woke up frightened as ever – I was young, unable to speak, and alone because COVID restricted families from entering the unit. To this day, I will never forget the nurses who comforted me. They held my hand, treated me with kindness, and provided me with strength, support, and encouragement.”
Greene hopes to one day provide support for those in similarly-frightening situations after graduation. For those with similar ambitions, she recommends going into nursing school with a sense of determination.
“Stay the course,” she says. “Nursing school is not easy. If you need help, make sure to reach out to the professors because they are more than willing to help you. The major is rigorous but well worth it.”
