For Ashley Gangaware ’24, coming to Wilkes was like coming home — in more ways than one. Gangaware found a home — and multiple families — during her Wilkes career.
When Ashley Gangaware first came to the Wilkes campus from her home in Ohio, there was a strong sense of déjà vu — and for good reason. Both of Gangaware’s parents are alums of Wilkes; her mom was in the AFROTC program and her dad graduated with an engineering degree. What’s more, her grandmother lived right across the bridge in Kingston, and Gangaware spent her childhood visiting her grandmother and hearing about Wilkes from her parents. “We’d come back to the area a lot,” she said.
So when it came time for Gangaware to choose a college, she knew where she wanted to go. “I wanted to go to a small school—and I loved the atmosphere at Wilkes,” said Gangaware. “Also, my grandma is a nurse and I wanted to go into nursing too.”
Gangaware was accepted into the Honors Program at Wilkes, and immediately found her family. “I started at Wilkes during COVID, so we really had to stick together in the Honors Program.” Gangaware moved into Michelini Hall, a residence hall specifically for Honors students. “It was also good because even though I was the only nursing student in the hall, I got to know a lot of people in different programs,” she said.
In the Passan School of Nursing, she found another family; a strong support system with her fellow students, faculty and staff that helped her to thrive. “I am really close with the other nursing students — we’re tight-knit,” she said. “Also, the student to faculty ratio is so important, because your professors are really your friends. After class I’d go to the nursing offices and just sit and talk to my professors about random stuff,” she said. “And I know I wouldn’t be able to do that in a larger school.”
Even with the demanding schedule of the nursing program, Ashley was surprised to find she was able to take advantage of many leadership opportunities during her time at Wilkes. “I never thought I’d have time to join clubs or anything like that,” Gangaware said. “But after taking my first English class, my professor recommended me to be a writing consultant in the Writing Center,” she said. “After that, I was offered a position as a career ambassador in the Center for Career Development where I helped students with interview skills and resumes, and would help run the yearly career fairs,” she said. “In that role, I was able to help organize the first-ever nursing fair, and now it’s a yearly event.” In addition, as a result of her psychology minor, she helped establish the first Wilkes NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness) club on campus that will continue now that she has graduated. “I’m really so happy about that because mental health and wellness is really important to me,” she said.
Towards the end of her Wilkes career, Gangaware found that the Passan School of Nursing had other valuable benefits. “The program was challenging,” she remembered. “But there were a lot of classes that helped us prep for the NCLEX exam (the exam all students need to take in order to practice nursing), which I am really grateful for.” The nursing program currently has a higher student pass rate than both Pennsylvania and the nation. As a matter of fact, since graduation, Ashley, and every single one of her classmates that received their BSN (bachelor of science in nursing) passed their NCLEX with flying colors on their first try, which is rare for an entire class to do so. Said Gangaware, “It just goes to show how amazing the program is and how dedicated the students and staff are.”
After graduation, Gangaware returned to Ohio and began her nursing career at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, in the Head and Neck Surgical Oncology Unit.
What advice does she have for first-year students?
- Find your work-life balance quickly. I spent a lot of time with my friends at first, and found out that I needed to balance my study time and friend time.
- It’s okay to say no to things. Always put yourself first. Clubs are fun but you have to make sure you’re okay.
- Stepping down from something doesn’t make you look bad or weak. It makes you stronger.
- You don’t have to take advice from friends or family who tell you ‘do this, or do that.’ Do what you feel is right for you.
Wilkes Faves
Favorite study spot: The conference rooms on the first floor of Stark are good. But the best was my friend’s apartment off campus because she has cats. I loved to study and hang out with her cats.
Best place to meet friends: Definitely the greenway. I like walking around campus, across the greenway and striking up random conversations with people.
Favorite food on or off campus: I would say on-campus, the POD. They have Greens to Go and you can also get sushi. Off campus would be Market Street Burgers right across the bridge. Really good.
Favorite class: NSG 117 – Basic Life Support Renewal. Dr. Victor taught us how to read strips of telemetry for heart rhythms, how to recognize the signs of deterioration in a patient and how to treat it. In the end we received certifications for American Heart Association ACLS and PALS Course Completion cards. The class was three hours long and I actually looked forward to it.
Best memory: Going to a nursing conference in the Spring of ‘24 with Dr. Victor. I presented the research I did with another student and a professor—and it got published. It was fun to go and talk about our research, which was about adding DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) principles to the nursing program.
