Duvall found community at The W

When the COVID-19 Pandemic hit in 2020, Cloe Duvall was working as a nurse aide. It was then she knew what she wanted to do with her life: become a nurse.

Already a student at another university in Mississippi, she had heard about Mississippi University for Women’s prestigious nursing program, specifically the BSN program, so she decided to apply.

“I had heard about The W, and I knew I wanted to be here because everyone says it’s the best. Now that I’m here, I can honestly say it is the best program. I’ve had the best two years ever,” she said.

However, the program isn’t the only thing that Duvall found at The W.

Being a transplant from Ohio, she didn’t really know anyone around the area. While that could have led to feelings of isolation and giving up, not for Duvall. Instead, she decided to make sure that none of her classmates felt alone.

Duvall founded the Peer-Assisted Learning (PALs) system during her junior year.

“I was a junior, and since I’m from so far away, I didn’t really have much of a support system here. I wanted to try and do something to bring the juniors and the seniors together and bridge that gap. PALs is where the seniors can come down and teach little study groups for the juniors. That way they feel like they have somebody on the other side of it to help them through, because their school is challenging, but it’s doable if you have good support,” Duvall said.

In addition to PALs, she found other ways to encourage her fellow nursing classmates in the form of encouraging notes left before exams and other stress-inducing events.

“I just like to try to be kind to people. So, I like to write notes that they can pick up — just something positive. Or I get some stickers and set them out on the table,” she said.

She even turned to more unconventional methods for success.

“I got some crystals, because it’s kind of like an inside joke with our class, but I think they’re good luck. So, I used to put one in every corner of the room so we’d all pass our tests. I even got some extras, that way everyone could have them whenever they needed it, sort of like little emotional support rocks,” Duvall said with a smile.

The camaraderie isn’t the only thing Duvall has to show for her time at The W. She also has an externship with OCH Regional Medical Center under her belt.

She said that working in a smaller hospital, where she averaged 12 patients a day on her rounds, allowed her to work on her skills while also improving her bedside manner and personal skills.

“I really got to practice a lot of my skills, and I feel a lot more comfortable afterwards. I got to learn more about making connections with people. Even though I’ve been in school for a while, I still have a lot to learn, but making someone feel loved and being kind to them is what they’re going to remember,” Duvall said.

All of her success at The W is thanks in large part to the support she received from faculty at the university. And while all of the faculty made a positive impact on Duvall, it was her advisers who stand out to her.

“Honestly, all of them have been really great. But (Haley) Bailey was my adviser junior year, and she definitely saw me crying in her office more than a few times. But she was an amazing support to me, and she still is. Then my senior year, (Tabitha) Pilkington has been really wonderful, and she’s just always been there for us, even over Christmas break when we were trying to apply for jobs, and she definitely didn’t have to help us. She helped us and gave us advice. I think that’s just really nice that even when she wasn’t required to, she was helping us, and all the teachers were like that,” said Duvall.

With graduation now on the horizon, Duvall has her sights set on the future. She has accepted a position on the oncology floor at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. She also plans to return to The W and further her nursing education after she has some experience in the field.

One thing is for sure though: she feels confident in her ability to take on her new role thanks to her time at The W.

Duvall added, “I feel like our curriculum really prepares us for what it’s going to be like. And doing the externship was really helpful as well.”