Meet Megan Garazin: Our March Leading Woman

Name: Megan Garazin

Major: Nursing

Hometown: Wheaton, IL

What are your career or life goals?

Right now, I have my sights set on being a NICU nurse! Eventually, I hope to go back to school and get my Master’s degree to become a Nurse Practitioner after gaining a few years of bedside nursing experience in the hospital.

What is your favorite part about your major and why did you choose it?

I originally came to Mizzou as a Journalism major, but switched to Nursing my second semester of sophomore year. After being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease the previous year and being exposed to the healthcare world so much, I realized that working in healthcare and caring for patients in similar situations to mine was what I want to spend my career doing. My favorite thing about being a nursing major is the connection I’m able to have with the patients and their families/friends. Getting to know them on a personal level and connecting with them while they are going through a difficult time is something really special that I feel privileged to be able to do.

What organizations or hobbies are you passionate about?

Here at Mizzou, I absolutely love being on Tour Team. It’s such a special opportunity to get to be the bridge between Mizzou and potential college students, and help assist them in their college search journey. I’m also a Student Ambassador for the nursing school, which I absolutely love doing. Getting to speak to potential students about something I love so much is such an incredible opportunity. Outside of my school involvement, I’m extremely passionate about advocating for healthcare equality for all patient populations! I also love running, reading, traveling, and listening to True Crime podcasts.

You were recently accepted into Duke’s Professional Nursing Assistant Program! Can you tell us a little bit about that?

The Duke PNA program will pair me up with a nurse in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, and I’ll spend ten weeks at their side doing nursing tasks with them and caring for every patient they are assigned! This will give me more experience in a nursing role and allow me to improve my nursing skills like passing medications, assessing patients, and understanding the hospital flow a little better. I’m most excited for the opportunity to gain more experience in a nursing role, and confidently prepare for the transition from being a nursing student to an RN. 

You recent received the Mizzou 39 Award! What does this award mean to you?

The Mizzou 39 award selects 39 outstanding seniors who have made an impact on Mizzou’s campus and community. Being selected for this award has been a dream of mine for years, ever since I stood at Traditions Plaza for the first time my sophomore year and watched the award winners reveal themselves. The people I’ve met and the opportunities I’ve had at Mizzou have helped me grow so much and discover my values and passions, so to be selected to represent the university as an award recipient has been so incredible. Theta, Tour Team, and the Sinclair School of Nursing will always hold a special place in my heart for allowing me to develop into someone I’m extremely proud to be.

How have your experiences in Theta changed you as you close out your senior year?

Theta has done so much more for me than I ever could have expected my freshman year when I joined as a new member. My experiences through being on committees, holding an officer position, and serving on the executive board have greatly impacted my time in college, and have taught me so much about the type of leader I am and want to continue being. I am a more confident person because of Theta. 

What does Theta mean to you?

Theta truly has been my home away from home these past four years. It has given me some of the most incredible people that support me and encourage me to grow into my  best self, people that I will be forever grateful for. It’s also given me a sense of belonging and community, something that can be really difficult to find but Theta made so easy. Being brought together in a sisterhood by people who share the same values as myself has made my college experience so much more positive, both day-to-day and overall, and I couldn’t be more appreciative.

Do you have any advice for underclassmen?

My biggest piece of advice to underclassmen would be to get involved!!! Getting involved is not only going to give you an outlet to contribute your ideas and grow as a leader, but it is going to introduce you to some of the best people. Getting involved in Theta is what made me love and care about our chapter so much more, and giving back to an organization that truly cares about me and has helped me grow has been so incredibly rewarding.  

Do you have a specific favorite Theta memory?

I think my favorite Theta memory would have to be my little running into my arms this past bid day after her Pi Chi reveal (and almost tackling me)! This past year was my last recruitment, and my little, Madelynn Murphy, was chosen to be a Pi Chi. She is one of my best friends, so not being able to see or talk to her for two weeks was really difficult. On Bid Day, all of the seniors got to go to Stankowski for Pi Chi reveal and bid opening, and when it was time for the Theta Pi Chis to reveal themselves, she was so happy to see me that she ran and jumped into my arms so hard it knocked me to the ground. Despite the knee pain I had for days after getting tackled, it is such a happy memory that will stay with me forever.