Hometown: Stamford, CT
Name of Undergraduate Institution: Central Connecticut State University
Major(s)/Minor(s) in College: 1st degree: Biology Major/Psychology Minor; 2nd degree: Nursing (BSN)
Name of Graduate School: Sacred Heart University Class of 2018: MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner Track
Favorite Quote: “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.” – Psalm 31: 25-26
Contact Info:
Email: breniced@my.ccsu.edu or thechickbible@gmail.com
Facebook: Brenice Duroseau
IG: @bre_avecclasse
Additional Links: I plan to relaunch thechickbible.com once I graduate and reclaim my time and freedom. The purpose of The Chick Bible is to inspire, uplift, educate, and encourage women from all different walks of life. You can follow the Facebook page and IG page @thechickbible in the interim.
Where are you currently at in your career path and why did you decide to pursue this career path?
I’m currently in what I refer to as “the grind” part of my career and education. I’m in my final weeks of graduate school, with a capstone, poster presentation, and exit exam left to complete. Excitement is a complete understatement at this point!
My opinion of nursing was not always a positive one. I actually entered college stating that I did not want to pursue nursing. Growing up, I knew many older Haitian women who were in the nursing field from CNAs to LPNs to RNs; and they all primarily worked in nursing homes and did not seem to have a passion for the profession nor an appealing work life balance, which are two things I value. During my time at Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) I became involved in many activities on campus and started a club called the Student Health Advisory Council (S.H.A.C), which promoted healthy choices on campus and served as a liaison between the students and the health center. That is when I met an angel, Patricia Zapatka, who was an APRN on campus. Through my interactions and conversations with her, I gained an appreciation for and a sincere interest in nursing. Unfortunately, I was already a spring semester junior so switching majors would have greatly delayed graduation. To avoid delaying graduation, which would for sure cause my mother to clutch her pearls, I continued with my Biology/Psychology degree. I graduated in 2010 (on time), worked in research and healthcare for a year and went back to school to pursue what had now become a passion: Nursing.
If you could go back and have a chat with your naïve college freshman self, what would you tell her?
“Let Go and Let God” and trust that the best years of your life are ahead if you just trust the process and step out on faith. As a college freshman I was that girl who was afraid to take what I perceived as risks, even though I knew in my heart it would be for the best. I said I had faith, but ask me to step out on faith blindly and I was like “well wait a minute now”. Due to that fear I held on to toxic relationships and limited myself from truly enjoying the college experience and branching out more. I won’t dwell on the “shoulda, coulda, woulda”, because everything happens for a reason and I would not be the woman I am today without being that naïve college freshman.
What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue a similar path as yours?
Network, network, network! Get out there and actually talk and interact with people. The opportunities are endless and there are some opportunities you would never know about unless someone tells you. Learn from the mistakes and success of others. Most importantly go into it ONLY if you are passionate about it, the process is not always going to be fun or easy, but your passion will be the fuel that you need to keep going.
Do you have any passions outside of school? If so, what are they?
Traveling is a major passion of mine. I love experiencing different cultures and seeing how others live in different parts of the world. Traveling is not only an eye opening experience but also a very humbling experience.
How have you been able to deal with your romantic relationship and graduate school at the same time?
I’m letting Jesus take the wheel in that department for sure.
In regards to dating, what kind of qualities are you looking for in someone?
My ideal man is a man who is ambitious and God fearing. One who is understanding, caring, passionate, family-oriented, and values genuine love. One who understands that all relationships require work and is committed to putting in the necessary work even on days he may be feeling discouraged.
What do you do to get through the stressful nature of graduate school?
Most importantly I PRAY continuously. Without prayer I’m not sure where I would be. I also take what I call “mental health days” where I get out the house do something fun for me, i.e: spa, movies, museums, dinner with friends, listen to live music, etc.
Thank you for being so willing to share some of your experiences with us Brenice, you're very much appreciated! You have some great and applicable advice that I'm sure will be useful to those who read this feature! Congratulations on finishing up your program and best of luck as you continue on in your career!
Health Career Spotlights Home Page
Posted on May 1st, 2018