Jenna Smith

Jenna Smith graduated from SVSU in 2020 with a degree in Nursing. She knew she wanted to attend SVSU since middle school and loves the network of alums she knows are willing to help and give advice, especially in the nursing community. “I love knowing that in the nursing world, there are other SVUS alum everywhere I go who are willing to help.” Jenna can be found at work at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing or at home baking for her loved ones.

Life at SVSU

Jenna learned about SVSU in middle school and attended a camp on campus during the summer. Since that camp, she knew that she wanted to go to SVSU. She liked that the campus was close to home and the small-town feeling of the professors knowing all of the students’ names. Jenna studied nursing and was very active on campus. Some clubs she was in included the National Society of Leadership and Success, the Student Nurses Association, the Resident Housing Association, and Club Red Tour Guide. Her favorite part of SVSU was the atmosphere of everyone being friendly and willing to help.

Life After SVSU

After graduating from SVSU, Jenna’s first job was at McLaren Bay City, on the cardiac floor, where she had her internship while in school. Many people on that floor were SVSU alum or instructors, so it still felt like home to Jenna.

Jenna moved to Lansing with her husband (whom she met while at SVSU) in 2022 and now works at Sparrow Hospital. She was a float nurse for a year and now works in the cardiovascular intensive care unit. Her favorite part of her job is that the good outweighs the bad, and you can see your hard work pay off. She sees people start to walk again or get their breathing tubes taken out. Jenna finds this very rewarding, giving her the motivation to keep serving her patients.

The best advice Jenna has received is to “go outside of your comfort zone,” it may be hard at the moment, but it will pay off in the long run. In her free time, Jenna loves to bake to express her love to her family and friends. Her go-to recipe is Joanna Gaines Magnolia chocolate chip cookies.

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