Travis Warren
Nursing Upper Level Division
About Me
My name is Travis Warren. I am a senior nursing student here at Louisiana Tech University. I graduated from Airline High School in Bossier City, Louisiana in 2004. I have enjoyed my time at Louisiana Tech, and I believe that my experience here has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Throughout my experience at Louisiana Tech, I have been a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Student Recruiters, the Golden Key National Honor Society, the Louisiana Tech Interfraternity Council, and Calling All Dawgs. In 2006, I was a member of the 2006 Louisiana Tech Homecoming Court and was named Louisiana Tech Greek Man of the year. My career goals right now are to graduate from Louisiana Tech, obtain my Bachelor’s Degree in nursing from Northwestern State University in Shreveport, and then become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). I am very interested in working in the Intensive Care Unit or Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. I hope to work in a trauma center in one of these areas of nursing. This past summer, I worked in the Emergency Department at Willis-Knighten Bossier as an Emergency Room Tech. I enjoyed my time there, and I believe the experience that I obtained from working there will help me in the future.
Quote
“You cannot control the outcome of a situation, but you can always control your attitude and your effort,” stated by Coach Michael Concilio. This statement was told to me in high school and has stuck with me ever since. It is something I apply to my everyday life because as long as I always have a positive attitude and give my best effort, then I’ll always know that I have done my best.
Mentors
I believe that the nursing faculty at Louisiana Tech is incredible. They have always been there to help me in my times of need and to push me to the limit so I can learn what I am capable of doing. My two biggest mentors on our faculty would have to be Mrs. Norlyn Hyde and Mrs. Nancy Darland. I cannot express in words how much they have helped me throughout nursing school, and I honestly believe they are part of the reason I have made it through this program.
Gina Owen
Nursing Extension Program
About Me
I am a 40 year old widow, mother to three boys – twin 3 year olds and a 16 year old. I am what is known as a non-traditional student. I graduated from LPN school in 1995. I started out working in a long-term care facility, but eventually moved into the field of rehabilitation nursing. My husband was an amputee and rehab nursing was where my heart was at that time.
I re-enrolled at Louisiana Tech in late 2005 and began taking prerequisites for the LPN to RN Articulation program. Incidentally, my sister, Barbara Davidson, and my sister-in-law, Sandra Moran, are both graduates of this program and are now successfully employed as Registered Nurses.
My husband, Mark, died of Esophageal Cancer in November of 2007. He was diagnosed 6 months prior to his death, when I was in Nursing 113. At that time, I thought about dropping out. I just didn’t see how I was going to be able to manage kids, school and a terminally ill spouse. However, my dear husband encouraged me to stay in school, assuring me that we would find a way to make it work. Through the prayers and help of family, friends and a very special, dedicated hospice nurse, we made it through. Mark was able to die at home, as was his wish. I think about him every day. I miss him terribly, but I am so honored that I was able to use my nursing skills to care for him.
As for my future goals, I see myself working in either public health or labor and delivery. After dealing with my husband’s illness and death, I feel like helping to bring new life into the world would be uplifting and very fulfilling.
Mentor
It is hard to single out an individual instructor. All of the instructors are knowledgeable. I have seen most of them out in the community at one time or another, working to improve the environment in which they live through service work and volunteerism.
However, I felt very discouraged when I was not able to complete the prerequisite courses in time to be accepted into the Spring 2006 class. It was my mentor, Mrs. Norlyn Hyde, who encouraged me to continue to work towards my goal, reminding me that our lives tend to work out the way they are supposed to. Subsequently, I was able to enter the next Extension class in the spring of 2007. With all that has happened in my life since that time, I know that Mrs. Hyde was right.
Quote
“Anything in life worth having is worth working for.” – Andrew Carnegie
To me, this quote goes right along with the nursing program here at Tech. I think the standards here are very high. I feel proud to be part of this student body. No, it’s not easy. Yes, it is worth it!
Scott J. Temple
Nursing Lower Level Division
About Me
My name is Scott James Temple. I was born in June of 1969 to Jim and Dorothy Temple in Shreveport, Louisiana. I graduated from Southwood High School in May of 1987. I joined the fire service in 1991, with employment at several different fire departments within the Shreveport-Bossier Community. I decided to make a career change in 2005. I retired from the fire department and began to take pre-nursing courses at Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) in Bossier City. I graduated from BPCC in December 2006, with an Associate of Applied Science Degree. I applied to the nursing program at Louisiana Tech University and was accepted in March 2007.
Because I was raised with a commitment of service to God and my country, I achieved the Eagle Scout Rank from the Boy Scouts of America. I also have been recognized for outstanding community service through the fire department by the Sons of the American Revolution and the Louisiana Department of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. I continue to serve God by being a medical missionary to the people of Mexico through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. In addition to working full-time, I am currently serving as Vice-President of the Louisiana Tech's Student Nurses Program. After graduation, I plan to specialize in emergency nursing and fulfill my dream as a missionary aboard a Mercy Ship.
Mentor
My faculty mentor is Shirley Payne. Her love, knowledge and dedication to nursing and her role in caring and touching the lives of all of her nursing students and patients inspires me to be technically competent, warm-hearted and sensitive to the process of healing others.
