Alum starts new career as a nurse in D.C. hospital after graduating from U-M.
For as long as she can remember, 2013 Notre Dame graduate Sarah Hampel wanted to be a nurse. But it wasn’t until she spent some special clinical hours as a nursing student at the University of Michigan that pediatric nursing was where she would specialize.
“Starting as early as freshman year at Michigan, I was fortunate enough to spend many of my ‘nursing classes’ outside the lecture hall, completing hands-on clinical hours in a variety of in-patient settings,” said Hampel, who graduated in April from U-M with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. “Instantaneously, I fell in love with pediatric nursing and knew it was what I wanted to pursue. And after my externship last summer in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), I was certain that such a place with the highest stakes, intensity, teamwork and constant learning was definitely where I wanted to begin my practice.”
Hampel’s focus on a career in medicine was not by happenstance, however, by any measure. Science came naturally to her, even at Notre Dame Prep, and it’s an area she truly enjoyed. Plus, she was (and still is) a talkative, outgoing, people person. Still another reason pediatrics seemed like the ideal fit for her.
Attending college was no walk in the park, she said, despite a thorough and completely successful academic experience at NDP.
Hampel said that because of Notre Dame Prep, she was so much more ahead of her college peers in difficult courses such as organic chemistry, biology and statistics and also felt confident in her time-management skills.
She said during her time at NDP, she was able to take seven Advanced Placement courses, which made the transition to rigorous college course work much easier.
“I felt so much more ahead of my peers in difficult courses such as organic chemistry, biology and statistics and also felt confident in my time-management skills,” she said. “Another aspect that has always stood out to me about NDP is that teachers and staff take the time to get to know you on a personal level in and outside of the classroom. I am very grateful to the teachers who were able to highlight strengths and identify my potential because they motivated me to pursue my dreams.”
While she gives accolades to virtually every teacher she had at NDP, a certain chemistry instructor stands out for her.
“One of my favorite teachers during my years in high school was Mrs. (Sylvia) Mulrenin because of her quirky and fun ways of making complex areas in science education fun and unforgettable. I can still hear her banging on the whiteboard chanting ‘OIL-RIG! Also, taking on AP Chemistry was a huge challenge, but Mrs. Mulrenin encouraged me to take it on in spite of my initial qualms.”
Now armed with a U-M nursing degree, Hampel in August begins work in the pediatric nurse residency program at the Children’s National Health System in Washington, D.C., in the hospital’s PICU. It’s the culmination of a lifelong dream of hers, but while she is definitely looking forward to starting in August, it isn’t a job she is taking for granted.
“It is such a privilege to care for the most vulnerable patients in some of their most difficult hours,” she said. “But waking up every day knowing that I will be helping a young patient get one day closer to going home and playing outside will be incredibly rewarding.”
Hampel notes that getting to this point in her career was well worth the sacrifice.
Hampel graduated in April from U-M with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.
She will be busy for sure once her job starts at the end of this summer, but she hopes to get back to her high school alma mater when and where possible, especially in the fall.
“I will always look back fondly on NDP home football games under the lights with my close friends,” she said. “But I also will miss the close-knit community of faith I was constantly surrounded with at Notre Dame. It was something I certainly didn’t appreciate that much until I was gone.”
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDPMA is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.