Mother, daughter scholarship recipients share a love of nursing
Susan DiBlasi and her daughter Kayla, both recipients of Foundation scholarships, share a love of nursing, echoing nearly word for word, “I always knew I wanted to be a nurse.”
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| Susan DiBlasi is working at Women & Infants Hospital while pursuing a master of science in nursing at Rhode Island College. | The oldest of five children and second oldest of 36 first cousins, Susan relates that she often was called on to care for her younger siblings and cousins. Her interest in nursing, she believes, is an outgrowth of that nurturing role. “My parents always told me, ‘Do something you love,’ and I truly love what I do,” she shares.
She is proud that both her daughters – 21-year-old Kayla and 17-year-old Chelsea – want to be nurses. “They’re compassionate individuals and very good students,” she says with pride.
A native of Rhode Island, Susan graduated from Smithfield High School before pursuing her nursing career, first at Rhode Island Junior College (the predecessor of Community College of Rhode Island) where she obtained her LPN degree, followed by CCRI where she earned an associate degree and Salve Regina University where she earned her bachelor’s degree. She currently is pursuing a master of science in nursing at Rhode Island College.
Susan has been awarded, through the years, scholarships from three funds at the Foundation: the Albert E. and Florence W. Newton Fund “for scholarships to Rhode Island students studying nursing;” the Edward J. and Virginia M. Routhier Nursing Scholarship Fund; and the Jennie M. Kiernan Fund “for scholarships to students of Blackstone Valley.”
She has successfully combined her educational pursuit with her nursing career, having joined the staff of Women & Infants Hospital shortly after becoming an LPN. “I’ve been there ever since. It’s my home away from home,” she says of her 34-year tenure, which began in the hospital’s recovery room.
For the past 33 years, she has worked for Anesthesiology, Inc. within the hospital. “I like the acute care setting. My job is multi-faceted and never boring,” she says. A certified ambulatory perianesthesia nurse, her work takes her from pre-admission testing to labor and delivery.
Of her current work toward a master’s degree, she explains, “I want to teach when I get to the end of this career…to do nursing education.” Her goal, she explains, is to teach maternal and child health per diem at Rhode Island College upon her graduation in May, 2011, while remaining at Women & Infants.
Noting the shortage of nursing educators – both locally and nationally – she hopes her new role will make it easier for young people to be accepted into nursing schools. Her daughter, Kayla, knows about this first-hand.
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| Kayla DiBlasi finds time to study between duties as a secretary on the oncology floor at Women & Infants Hospital. | A 2007 graduate of Smithfield High School, Kayla began her studies at Rhode Island College that fall, but was not accepted into the nursing program until January, 2010. “The nursing program accepts fewer than 50 students per semester,” she says, adding, “They have extremely hard criteria.”
Yet of her nursing education, Kayla shares excitedly, “It’s even better than I expected. I’m not sure what area I want to practice in, but I’m looking forward to my clinical rotations to help me make that decision.”
She is on course to receive her bachelor of science in nursing in May, 2012.
For the past year and a half, Kayla has worked at Women & Infants Hospital as a secretary on the oncology floor. She also is a member of RIC’s indoor and outdoor track teams and received the MVP award for indoor track last year.
Kayla received a scholarship from the Routhier Nursing Scholarship Fund at the Foundation each of the past three years.
“The scholarships have made a significant difference for me,” explains Susan, a single mom. “It’s still a struggle to get myself through school and to help Kayla, but it’s great to have this support.”
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| Susan DiBlasi is proud that both her daughters – 21-year-old Kayla and 17-year-old Chelsea – want to be nurses. | Next year, with younger daughter Chelsea’s graduation from Smithfield High School, there may well be another DiBlasi applying for a nursing scholarship.
In 2009, the Foundation awarded more than $1 million in scholarships. Awards assist students from middle school to post-graduate and in fields ranging from nursing to music and from communications to law, among others.
“The Foundation administers one of the largest scholarship programs in the state, thanks to the many Rhode Islanders who have chosen to honor loved ones, alma maters, communities, or professions by establishing permanent scholarship funds at the Foundation. We are honored to carry out the wishes of these generous Rhode Islanders who, like the Foundation, put a significant value on education,” explains Libby Monahan, funds administrator at the Foundation.
For more information, see Scholarships.
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