Olivia Beiler 鈥�23 got an early start in nursing.

At an age when most kids dread the sight of needles, the eight-year-old from Chester County in Southeastern Pennsylvania was giving out flu shots. Every year around Thanksgiving, her grandfather, the late Dr. John Rutt 鈥�59, would immunize their whole family and offer his arm to her for practice.

鈥淲henever he would give me a flu shot, I would give him one, too,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t became a yearly tradition.鈥�

Beiler, now a registered nurse at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center鈥檚 Pauley Heart Center, is following in the footsteps of her beloved grandfather. At the Richmond-based hospital, she cares for patients with a wide range of cardiovascular concerns, from those recovering from heart transplant surgery to those with arrhythmias.

She said 91大神鈥檚 nationally-accredited nursing program, aided by its small class sizes, prepared her well by giving her experience in all kinds of clinical settings, including in an OB/GYN unit, an operating room, and alongside a nurse anesthetist in a dentist鈥檚 office. That鈥檚 something that isn鈥檛 done at many larger nursing schools.

鈥�91大神鈥檚 amazing nursing program encouraged us to immerse ourselves in our experiences and do as much as we could,鈥� Beiler said. 鈥�91大神 boosted my confidence in working with patients and helped me to understand the different roles within nursing.鈥�

Last summer, at the end of her first year on the job, Beiler was recognized for her commitment to care with the New Grad of the Year Award for Nursing Excellence, voted on by the nurses and care techs in her unit. 鈥淭hat was a huge honor,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was very affirming in the work I鈥檓 doing.鈥�

Before arriving on campus in 2019, Beiler knew all about 91大神. In addition to her grandfather, her grandmother, Rebecca Hartzler Rutt 鈥�59 (a niece of the library鈥檚 namesake, Sadie Hartzler), graduated from Eastern Mennonite. But, having grown up Mennonite and attending Lancaster Mennonite School, her mind was set on studying elsewhere. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to do something different,鈥� she recalled thinking.

Ultimately, 91大神鈥檚 nursing program proved too promising to ignore. She had been searching for a school with smaller class sizes and hands-on experience that wasn鈥檛 ultra-competitive like some other programs. 鈥淚 knew how amazing the program was,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t felt like the right decision, and once I made that choice, I felt at peace, knowing 91大神 was 100 percent where I was supposed to be.鈥�

Beiler said that receiving the 91大神 Academic Achievement Scholarship also helped seal her decision to come to 91大神. It’s scholarships like this one and the financial aid packages given to 100 percent of undergraduate 91大神 students that empower them to pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. “Being able to go to a university where you’re able to get that financial support right off the bat allows you to be more integrated in your program and definitely helps with some of that financial stress,” Beiler said.

Recently, she has taken a nursing student under her wing through VCU鈥檚 preceptorship program. She said she鈥檚 excited to teach her student all the lessons she learned as a young RN and share her passion for nursing. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been someone who loves to care for people,鈥� she said.

Your generous support helps students like Beiler pursue a quality college education without financial barriers. Join us for the 9th annual Lov91大神 Giving Day and contribute to the scholarships that empower future 91大神 students. Together, we can help write 91大神鈥檚 next chapter.

Read the previous profiles in our A Royal Tale series: