Recipient of the Connecticut League of Nursing RN Peer Recognition Award for exemplifying competent and compassionate care and leadership ability, accountability for personal and professional growth and behavior, ability to work as part of an integral team in both the academic and community setting, commitment to nursing profession with expressed actions and philosophy, and respect for all individuals.

Name: Megan Boucher
Graduation Year: 2012
College/University attended: St. Lawrence University, graduated 2016 with Bachelors of Science in Biology, Minor Art & Art History; University of Connecticut, graduated 2018 with Bachelors of Science in Nursing, 12 Month Accelerated Nursing Program

1. How did Westover prepare you to head into a brand new environment (socially, academics, time management, being away from home, etc) during your first year of college? 

Without realizing it, Westover was preparing us for life in college and beyond from our earliest moments. We were required to take multiple classes, participate in sports or an arts program, sing in glee club or play in handbells, and many of us were still interested in signing up for clubs that interested us and running for all levels of student government. These full schedules requiring time management, organization, and mental preparedness exposed us to the rigors of college and careers beyond graduation. 

Attending St. Lawrence University in Upstate New York six hours away from home, I will admit there were days when I was homesick. With the self-reliance skills I learned from high school, I felt better knowing I could join clubs, have the gym as an outlet, and reach out to friends and family to make the transition a bit easier. 

While Westover could not fully prepare anyone for having boys in the classroom again, for four years I had been encouraged to speak my mind and share my opinions in the classroom. For the first two weeks while I gained my footing, I was more reserved in the classroom than I had been in high school. But once I remembered that what I had to say was worthy of being said, everything began to fall into place.

2. How did Westover give you the confidence to find yourself or find success in college? 

To paraphrase a fellow alumna with whom I was talking to recently, we cultivated strength because of the type of highly structured schedule we kept and experienced together at Westover. And I agree with her. In order to survive and succeed, we needed to learn how to rely upon one another and most importantly, rely upon ourselves to find confidence and success. 

Of course there are days of self-doubt, but I am able to look back at my successes because of these undeniably tough and trying experiences. I am able to excel in collaborative teamwork and remain organized because of the hard work attributed to being a Westover Alumna.  

3. What is something you discovered about yourself during your time in college?

When I graduated from Westover, I knew that I wanted to focus on studying science, especially biology, but I didn’t know in which direction to go. At first I thought medical school would be a great way to combine my love of science with my love of caring for others, but I soon realized that the intensity and expectations of medical school were certainly not meant for me. If I’m being honest, after making that realization, I was left feeling nervous and disappointed in myself. I didn’t want to let all those people who helped me along the way down and I did not want my hard work to be in vain. 

But during my time at St. Lawrence, I was able to find work that I was passionate about as a General Biology Laboratory Assistant as well as a NY State EMT. Both of these positions gave me a wider sense of what a biology degree can offer; furthermore, balancing both of these jobs at the same time while carrying a full course load taught me that I was able to handle more on my plate that I thought I was able. And after graduating from my nursing school program, I learned that pursuing a career in something that I wanted and was passionate about meant more to me than if I had followed someone else’s suggestions. 

4. What is one risk you took after Westover that helped shape who you are today? 

One of the reasons that I chose St. Lawrence University was for the studying abroad opportunities. During the fall semester of my sophomore year, I had applied to study abroad in Australia but unfortunately was denied. Naturally I was crushed as all of my other friends had been accepted and would be leaving for their prospective countries in the spring. 

Instead of getting lost in negativity, I began to make closer connections with my peers, join clubs that I never would have otherwise, and participate in off campus opportunities that made it easier to achieve the goals that I had set out to accomplish for myself. Looking back now, it was naïve of me to think that any one of us should be taking the same journey towards our careers; our life goals may have been very similar but our destinations are completely different, hence the varying paths needed to get there.

My chance to study abroad again came at the end of spring semester my junior year. Eight students would be chosen to participate in a travel component for my cultural studies course. With everything I had learned about myself remaining motivated towards my goals, I again applied, and the risk paid off.

Studying the anthropological influences of varying cultures around the globe, we spent 10 days in 3 regions of Spain: Madrid, Castilla, and Andalucía, learning about culture through food. While the spanish I learned from Westover was a bit rusty, I was able to communicate with the local peoples first hand at open air markets, restaurants, wineries, and museums, listening and learning about how culture is deeply affected by emotion and food.

5. Since graduating from college, what have you been doing? 

After graduating from St. Lawrence, I worked a few jobs in agriculture & food, as well as sales & marketing before working as a medical scribe at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, CT. 

Seeing firsthand how the nursing staff provided personalized and compassionate patient care to their OB-GYN patients, I knew that I also wanted to have a career where I could offer my patients both physical and emotional well-being. It was here that I knew I wanted to be a nurse. 

I was able to apply to UConn’s Accelerated Nursing Program with my bachelor's degree in science and some additional prerequisites post graduation. Thankfully, after months of waiting diligently, I was accepted into the program at the Waterbury campus. And 12 grueling months later, I graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and began working as an Operating Room Nurse at Hospital of Central Connecticut in New Britain. I’ve been working there for almost two years now, caring for perioperative patients during surgery. They say nothing good is easy, and my path to get where I find myself now certainly attests that hard work pays off. 

6. How valuable are your Westover connections? 

It is these women, from my graduation class and those who came before and after me, that cease to amaze me. And without the women I graduated with from the class of 2012, I don’t think I would have been as challenged or supported as I was without you all. These strong, impressive women, both directly and indirectly, showed me that challenges from every angle do not define us, but instead, encourage us to become stronger. It’s hard to believe that it’s been more than eight years since we’ve graduated because when I have the chance to talk to fellow classmates, it is as though we can pick up a conversation from right where we left off. 

7. Why is giving back to the Westover Fund important to you? 

It would be wrong to assume someone else’s journey as we never know the shoes in which another is walking. So I constantly try to give out kindness even though there is no promise of it being returned. And that is why giving to the Westover Fund means so much. Even if it is a small donation, it is a means to show support and kindness to those needing a place to use and strengthen their voice.

8. What is one thing you’ve learned about yourself or come to value more during this global pandemic? 

If 2020 and this global pandemic have taught me anything, I find myself, more often than before, appreciating the little things and wanting to show those in my life how much I appreciate them. I am humbled by the experiences I have gone through so far, and want to spend more time listening to those around me to continue to learn about their experiences. 

9. What advice would you give to current Westover students who are in the midst of a “new normal?” 

Looking back to my time at Westover, the “norm” was to continuously be busy. There was a level of pride in saying someone had the hardest classes with the most homework, the fewest hours of sleep, and the most prestigious college applications completed. 

One piece of advice I would give is to take a few moments each day and remind yourself that regardless of the classes you are taking, the grades you are earning, and the challenges you are facing, you are indeed excelling. You do not have to be busy every waking moment to be considered “successful”; you are deserving of self-care and rest regardless of how busy you are. 

And most importantly, remind yourself that your journey is your own. You have already shown immense adaptability and strength to have made it this far in your education journey so don’t let others deter you from what makes you feel successful. Continue to work hard, be kind to yourself and others while you practice self-care, and explore your passions. Do not dwell on the time it took for you to reach your destination, but instead, enjoy the time spent on your journey and live in the moment.